On Friday, April 21 six students showcased their language skills and as graduation approaches on June 24, these six students will walk across the stage with a medal and receive their diploma with the New York State Seal of Biliteracy. These students have gone above and beyond what is necessary to graduate and have demonstrated fluency in English as well as a world language. To receive this high honor, students have earned above an 85% on their English regents, completed a culminating project in English, and then scored above an 85% in their advanced language courses, as well as completed a culminating world language project. These students had to interview another person native to another country, complete a 400-word or more brochure, present in the world language for ten minutes, and then be able to answer questions from an evaluator.
By awarding the NYS Seal of Biliteracy, the Rome City School District celebrates students who have multilingual competence, which is a critical skill in today’s global society. Biliteracy advances the district’s commitment that every student graduates prepared and equipped with the knowledge and skills to participate successfully in college, career, and diverse 21st-century society.
We are honored to award the following students, pictured from left to right: Trinity Brindeau, Palae Wah, Katelyn Boyer, Isaiah Mellace, Gwendolyn Caro, and Noah Dailey.
“I thought achieving the Seal of Biliteracy might be appealing to colleges and jobs. It was the toughest project I took in school this year, but I had fun and I’m glad I tried it and am grateful to have achieved it!”- Palae Wah
“I wanted to get the Seal of Biliteracy to further my education in French and gain an extra seal on my diploma.”- Trinity Brindeau.
“Being a math major, I feel the need to have a more diverse skill set. Combined with a desire to travel, the Seal of Biliteracy is the perfect opportunity to expand my career options.”- Isaiah Mellace.
“I pursued the Seal of Biliteracy because it's an important skill set to have; to speak, read, and write fluently in another language. I truly believe that everyone should be at least bilingual to have a diverse perspective and cultural understanding of our world.”- Gwendolyn Caro.
“I wanted to pursue the Seal of Biliteracy because my Spanish teachers throughout the years have always been so encouraging, and I also thought it would be a great culmination of the six years of Spanish that I have taken during middle and high school.”- Katelyn Boyer.
“I had chosen to pursue the Seal of Biliteracy because I wanted to make my career path of choice more interesting. Going into a game development and design career, having the ability to make a product in multiple languages would be excellent for me overall.”- Noah Dailey.
Thank you to our administrative team, staff members, and families who have supported our students in this great endeavor. None of this would have been possible without all of you!
The Rome City School District congratulates our students for their academic success!
Submitted by: Nikiya Pomponi, ENL Teacher at RF