State Designation Celebrates Proficiency in Two or More Languages
The Worcester Public Schools honored 121 students with the Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy in a ceremony at the Jean McDonough Arts Center on Friday, May 26.
The Seal of Biliteracy is an official designation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for graduating high school seniors who attain high functional and academic levels of proficiency in English and one other language.
The majority of this year’s students were awarded for proficiency in Spanish. The other languages represented were Albanian, Arabic, American Sign Language, Luganda, Italian, Swahili, Portuguese, Vietnamese, and Twi.
Superintendent Rachel Monárrez congratulated the students for building upon their skills to become global leaders.
“Learning another language stretches our minds, enabling us to approach challenges from multiple perspectives and find innovative solutions,” said Monárrez, who learned Spanish as a second language. “Being multilingual opens up a world of opportunities in education, careers, and by showing greater appreciation for all people and cultures.”
City Manager Eric Batista also praised students at the event.
“Being multilingual is not just about speaking more than one language, it’s about embracing diversity and a global perspective,” said Batista, a native Spanish speaker who learned English as a second language through the Worcester Public Schools.
“It helps foster understanding so we can work together as a city, country, and world.”
In an effort to recruit bilingual teachers, the Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers a free voucher for Seal of Biliteracy recipients to take the state’s Massachusetts Test for Educator License (MTEL). For more information, email MAStateSealofBiliteracy@mass.gov
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The 2023 Seal of Biliteracy Recipients are listed below.
BURNCOAT HIGH SCHOOL
Juana Gutierrez Solis - Spanish
Alan Martinez del Orbe - Spanish
Maria Johnson-Medina - Spanish
Iranny Ortega - Spanish
Alex Ortiz Colon - Spanish
Gioriany Rivera - Spanish
Juana Rodriguez - Spanish
Shaynaya Rodriguez - Spanish and Portuguese
Kiara Santiago - Spanish
Tam Thuong - Vietnamese
CLAREMONT ACADEMY
Erick Arevalo - Spanish
Marben Cruz - Spanish
Shanielli Encarnacion - Spanish
Jordis Feliz - Spanish
Dianibel Camilo Garcia - Spanish
Escarlene Martinez - Spanish
Ashmer Miranda - Spanish
Milly Navarry - Spanish
Phu Nguyen - Vietnamese
Sergio Osorio - Spanish
Eric Patrocino - Spanish
Maria Camila Pena - Spanish
Jaidan Penhallow - American Sign Language
Michel Portillo - Spanish
Ivelys Reyes Crespo - Spanish
Betzaida Rivera - Spanish
Moises Rodas - Spanish
Briana Santos - Spanish
Abraham Veliz - Spanish
Alvin Ulero - Spanish
DOHERTY MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL
Brandon Alvarenga Henriquez - Spanish
Isamal Javier Arias - Spanish
Peter Capi - Albanian
Sophia Chandler - Spanish
Ian Ariel Cruz - Portuguese
Ranyer Firmino - Portuguese
Melanie Garcia - Spanish
Alanis Gandulla Rodriguez - Spanish
Enxhi Lezi - Albanian
Nabaa Mohammed - Arabic
Anderson Paniagua Veloz - Spanish
Joselin Quintanilla - Spanish
Jostin Paxtor - Spanish
Maria Pena Garcia - Spanish
Naldielys Rivera - Spanish
Aleyshka Reyes - Spanish
Layla Zambrano - Spanish
Kristo Ziso - Albanian
NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
Julia Alvez - Portuguese
Lovely Agyemag - Twi
Sharon Aquino Chino - Spanish
Adusah Benjamin - Twi
Dariel Carrasquillo - Spanish
Jayleane Canales - Spanish
Oscarina Facenda - Spanish
Chelsea Fremming - Twi
Chelsea Frimpong - Twi
Michael Lusolo - Swahili
Rafael Magalhaes Dornes - Portuguese
Lerimar Montero Rosado - Spanish
Clara de Lucas Monterio - Portuguese
Karen Nakigudde - Luganda
Bridget Nino - Twi
Miriam Oppong - Twi
Maria Paniagua - Spanish
Jan Carlos Pena - Spanish
Yuliana Sanchez Reyes - Spanish
Michelle Rivas Cabrera - Spanish
Shakira Suazo Valdez - Spanish
Sophia Torres - Spanish
Jan Rojas Valdez - Spanish
Julian Vera - Spanish
Litzy Vivar-Chica - Spanish
Gia Voung - Vietnamese
Aridna Yunga - Spanish
SOUTH HIGH COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Nisi Adames Hernandez - Spanish
Al-anood Aldawasr - Arabic
Camila Cerdan - Spanish
Tam Duong - Vietnamese
Josselyn Figueroa - Spanish
Emmilyn Fini - Spanish
Luca Frost - Spanish and Italian
Daniel Hasanllari - Albanian
Bessis Henriquez - Spanish
Carisa Hochkeppel - American Sign Language
Elios Hoxholli - Albanian
Jefferson Martinez - Spanish
Victor Martinez - Spanish
Desteny Morales - Spanish
Luna Paez - Spanish
Luis Sanchez - Spanish
Allen Santos - Portuguese
Avery Strogoff - Spanish
Fernanda Viramontes - Spanish
WORCESTER TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
Jaafar Almouri - Arabic
Francisco Alvarado - Spanish
Yesenia Ardon - Spanish
Herlin Arevalo - Spanish
Jocelyn Blanco - Spanish
Nana Boakye - Twi
Geovanny Carreno - Spanish
Arisleidi Castillo - Spanish
Stephanie Encarnacion - Spanish
Rut Febo Ramirez - Spanish
Jeremy Germosen - Spanish
Julia Goulart - Portuguese
Livya Medeiros - Portuguese
Yesenia Paulino - Spanish
Maximo Perez - Spanish
Marlin Polanco - Spanish
Leslie Siguencia - Spanish
Glory Torres-Colon - Spanish
Edith Ramos Choc - Spanish
Aaron Soto - Spanish
Aryely Valoy - Spanish
Lynn Wanjiku - Swahili
UNIVERSITY PARK CAMPUS SCHOOL
Jonathan Carmona - Spanish
Erika Miron - Spanish
Phong Nguyen - Vietnamese
Elwin Reyes - Spanish
Published on May 31, 2023