OSWEGO – CiTi BOCES recently hosted an opportunity for students from three Oswego County school districts to come together and celebrate their skills in multiple languages. The event was the culmination of years of study and could earn students a Seal of Biliteracy designation at graduation.
On Thursday, April 11, 17 students from Mexico, Fulton, and Sandy Creek gathered at CiTi BOCES to present on a topic of their choice in a language other than English. Given before a panel of judges, the presentations represented the culmination of years of language studies and personal research. Presenting in Spanish, French or German and successfully answering any number of follow-up questions, the students now look forward to earning the Seal of Biliteracy – a special graduation designation offered throughout the United States.
“The Seal of Biliteracy is an opportunity for students who have multiple languages to present all that they know in another language,” said Elizabeth Amyot, Staff Development Specialist at CiTi BOCES and one of the coordinators of the program. “It’s an extensive process.”
For those that earn it, the Seal can act as a significant boost to transcripts, college applications and resumes, demonstrating their skill and versatility.
“I plan on going to college to study education and become an educator one day, so having the Seal of Biliteracy on my resume makes me more employable,” said Ethan Becker, a student at Mexico Academy High School who presented his Spanish skills at the event. “Being confident in my ability to speak Spanish will help me communicate with my students in the future if they don’t speak English.”
The program is available to all NYS students, with other states offering similar opportunities.
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