More than a dozen Midlakes High School seniors have earned the New York State Seal of Biliteracy after demonstrating high-level proficiency in two or more languages.
The Phelps-Clifton Springs Central School District said the recognition marks a prestigious academic accomplishment for students who have spent multiple years studying English and world languages.
The Seal of Biliteracy was first offered at Midlakes during the 2020-21 academic year. Senior class adviser Kelly Hart said the number of recipients has grown from just a few in previous years to more than a dozen this year.
Julie Chen will wear a gold medallion after earning the seal in Spanish, English and Mandarin Chinese. The other recipients demonstrated proficiency in English and Spanish, according to the district.
The seniors earning the seal are Frank Acevedo-Martinez, Eleany Resendiz, Brooklyn May, Yareli Cruz-Castro, Jonathan Capozzi, Aiden Bryant, Julie Chen, Marley Conrad, Makenzie Davis, Ashlyn Downey, Anthony Gleason, Amelia Santy, Maya Stevenson and Eden Trzeciak.
District officials said the recognition underscores the importance of diversity in an increasingly global and multilingual society.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.