TwiState 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 [email protected]
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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