WALLA Walla Community College richly deserves ranking among the top 10 of the nation's nearly 1,200 community and technical colleges.

The designation by the nonprofit Aspen Institute puts the school in the running for the crown, which includes nearly $1 million. A winner, and up to three runners-up, will be picked in December.

Cue the celebrations. The recognition of Walla Walla spotlights its strengths, including a nimbleness in addressing local workforce needs and broadening college opportunities to reach more students.

Walla Walla's academic advancements and ability to innovate underscore best practices worthy of replication by other two-year schools.

Full-time, first-year students at Walla Walla have a graduation and transfer rate 12 percent higher than the national average. Minority students do equally as well as nonminority students.

More than other educational institutions, community colleges are tasked with bolstering the economy through skills training and degree programs that address industry changes and needs.

Walla Walla has this figured out.

Evidence of this snakes a path along acres of lush grapevines at the heart of the college's successful wine program. Walla Walla's Center for Enology and Viticulture offers studies in winemaking and grape growing, skills closely attuned to the region's explosion of winemakers and wineries.

College Cellars winery is more than good wines, it is the critical link between building skills and creating jobs.

Institutions do not run themselves. A toast to college President Steve VanAusdle is overdue. For more than two decades, VanAusedle has steered Walla Walla in its academic successes and outreach to a broad cross-section of college students.

Cheers to VanAusdle and to Walla Walla.