Students at Colonie Central High School gave presentations to a panel of staff and community members in English and another world language. The participating students have been working on these presentations since the beginning of the school year in hopes of earning the New York Seal of Biliteracy from the panel of evaluators. Over the course of two days, 37 students presented to a panel of the languages of Spanish, French, Mandarin, Burmese, Bengali, Polish, Cantonese, Arabic, Italian, and Greek.
After the grading was finished by panel members, these students received the New York State Seal of Biliteracy. This seal will be presented on their high school diplomas, recognized on their transcript, and honored at graduation.
The language department at South Colonie is proud to begin offering this opportunity to foreign language speaking students in the district. The opportunity to earn the New York State Seal of Biliteracy formally recognizes the years of learning another language that students have put in. South Colonie hopes to grow interest in the program during the coming school years.
“This seal is recognized by colleges and universities around the country,” said CCHS principal Thomas Kachadurian. “Students who have received this seal can distinguish it on resumes to future employers. Fluency in a language other than English is quickly becoming a skill that employers seek out and can be beneficial in the hiring process.”
Staff members around the building have worked with the students to prepare them for the presentation and to ensure that the event runs smoothly. This joint effort and support allowed all students interested in the opportunity to display their skills.
“This is something exciting that we are proud to now offer to our students,” said Dr. Perry, Superintendent of Schools, “It gives students another chance to display their hard work and receive recognition that can be beneficial long after graduation.”
