Eleven seniors at Wantagh High School will graduate in June with the New York State Seal of Biliteracy, the culmination of years of language study and academic commitment.
The prestigious designation recognizes students who demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one additional world language. At Wantagh, students can begin studying French, Italian or Spanish in seventh grade and continue through their senior year, including college-level coursework.
This year’s Seal of Biliteracy recipients are: Analise Keym and Shannon Mills for French; Victoria Ferraro, Keira O’Brien and Brady Wolken for Italian; and Matthew D’Amico, Liam Fields, Reese McCarthy, Evan Mostransky, Madison Rodriguez and Madison Spar for Spanish.
Students pursuing the distinction must complete a rigorous process that includes research projects in both English and their chosen language, according to Director of Humanities Julie Rosslee. As part of the world language project, students conduct a cultural comparison between the United States and a country where the language is spoken.
For O’Brien, that meant examining concussions in two popular sports — football in the United States and soccer in Italy.
Wolken said earning the Seal of Biliteracy provided a meaningful way to recognize years of dedication to language study.
“I wanted something to encapsulate how much work I’ve put into Italian over the past few years,” Wolken said. “It’s been one of my constant favorite classes.”
O’Brien said she has valued the opportunity to learn not only a new language but also the culture connected to it. The experience, she added, has given her the ability to communicate with more people while providing a tangible result for her years of effort.
Rosslee commended the students for their dedication and credited the world language teachers who guided them through the process with their support and expertise.
At Wantagh High School, the names of each year’s recipients are added to a plaque on the second floor near the world language classrooms, creating a lasting record of students who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to multilingual learning.
