OHS graduate, Ashley De Paz, has spoken Spanish all her life but felt it was important to be fluent in her native language. She used her love of reading to help her learn to read and write in a second language.
De Paz is one of 20 OHS students, including one freshman, who are the first Ottuwma students to earn their biliteracy seal.
"Our district is proud to offer this unique opportunity to our students," said Aiddy Phomvisay, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning. "To Be The Best, Ottumwa will continue to offer opportunities that benefit our students now and in the future as we strive to become the best school district in the state."
The Seal of Biliteracy is an award that recognizes student proficiency in two or more languages, one of which is English, by high school graduation. High School graduates who are fluent in two or more languages are equipped to succeed in college, careers, and a diverse 21st century society. The Seal of Biliteracy:
- Values language as an asset
- Promotes language diversity & cultural identity
- Builds 21st-century skills that will benefit students in the global society
- Distinguishes applicants for employers, universities, and scholarship providers
- Affirms native or heritage languages
- Honors multiple cultures and languages in the Ottumwa community
In order to earn the seal, students must exhibit proficiency in a language other than English. For Ottumwa students, this means earning a “5” or higher in every category of the STAMP Assessment, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening. "It is a high honor, and we are proud to announce that the following students have earned this recognition," said Marci Dunlap, Director of Secondary Curriculum. These students will have an Iowa Department of Education Biliteracy Seal on their official transcripts, sharing with the world their accomplishment."
De Paz is proud to be able to use her bilingual skills to help others. "There are a lot of people who don't ask for the help they need or don't get the things they need due to language barriers," De Paz said. "Being bilingual opens you up to people."
"I pursued the seal because it serves as confirmation of my second language," said Juvenito Leyva, a recent OHS graduate. "Speaking a second language is of great benefit and with the seal, I can confirm my fluency for future job opportunities and college."
"It's important for people to be multi-lingual," De Paz said, noting it can also open up more job opportunities. She is encouraging her younger siblings to follow her bilingual path and speaks Spanish at home regularly to remain fluent.
Students who earned the seal included Jonathan Francisco Pascual, Mariana Lopez Duran, Juvenito Leyva, Joaly Andrade Jiminez, Maria Diego Tomas, Hayden Short, Gabriela Garcia Medina, Luis Lozano, and Ashley De Paz, seniors; Diana Dominguez, Isrrai Morales, Guadalupe Patlan, Danielle Nagaito, and Bailey Johnson, juniors; Denise Alvarado Lopez, Yuleni Curiel, Gael Batres, Alejandro Garcia, and Kaitlyn Baeza, sophomores; and Victor Mendez, freshman.