Seniors from the Class of 2024 were honored at the Content Area Honors Society Induction Ceremony on May 15, 2024, for earning the New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy and/ or the Global Seal of Biliteracy, both of which recognize students who have studied and attained proficiency in English and at least one other language by high school graduation. 

Among the senior honorees were Mehmet Aksoy, Daniel Argasinski, Simon Betancur, Angelica Brandi, Emily Coppola, Michael Kisly, Sofia Lijo, Julia Lucas, James MacMillan, Ana McCabe, Julia Mieszkowicz, Emily Munoz, Paige Nataline, Brianna Noll, Amanda Perez-Reyes, Kianna Riera, Olivia Coccaro, Samantha Schiffl, Sasha Shectman, Drew Shusterman, Amanda Simone, Isabella Stappas, Cristhian Villamil, and Jaslyn Vivas. 

Cristhian was awarded the Seal in four languages, making him only the second student in New Jersey to do so since the state seal’s inception in 2016. He will soon be recognized by the State of New Jersey for this accomplishment. 

Senior Ana McCabe attained the New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish. After receiving an email regarding the biliteracy exams, Ana said that she took the test because she previously took the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam, and felt “capable enough to pass” the biliteracy exam. Additionally, she felt that the Seal of Biliteracy test was a great opportunity offered by Ms. Bellino and the high school that would stand out on her college resume. Ana encourages students seeking a Seal in any language to enroll in AP-level classes to prepare.

Another senior, Julia Lucas, earned the Seal for both Spanish and Portuguese. Already fluent in Portuguese, she decided a Seal of Biliteracy would highlight her language proficiency and give her a unique advantage when applying to scholarships, colleges, and jobs. Like Ana, Julia recommends students go into the test with a strong understanding of the language at the AP level and advises students to study and review what they know before the exam. 

Students looking to obtain the Seal of Biliteracy must demonstrate proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in a world language at the Intermediate Mid level. Juniors should check for an email from Ms. Bellino detailing the registration process to register for the Seal assessments. 

For more information regarding both the state and global Seal of Biliteracy exams, please view this slideshow.