World Languages Department
World Language Awards Celebration
The Wilmington World Languages Department celebrated our second annual World Languages Awards Celebration on May 20, 2024. Students, families, teachers, administrators and school committee were all there to proudly recognize the exceptional efforts and achievements of our world language students.
The event took place during the morning, with students and families able to attend to join together in the celebration and was open to other students at the high school to attend as well during their interdisciplinary block.
After the introductions, the celebration began with a special message from the Wilmington Middle School World Languages team and a reminder to seniors to explore study abroad programs. After that there was a slideshow of numerous cultural experiences planned by and run by the teachers this year, including field trips to local restaurants, Boston and the Museum of Fine Arts, Latin Dance and Flamenco lessons, February break trip to Peru and legendary Machu Picchu, and our first ever Spanish Exchange Program where our families welcomed students from Almeria, Spain into their homes and then went to Almeria in April! And in between all those… dozens of opportunities to show students culture first hand via virtual visitors, conversation groups, and much more. The students then heard from our special Keynote Speaker, Mr. Tim Eagan, the Director of World Languages at Wellesley Public Schools, who reminded them all of the extensive benefits of being multilingual and congratulated them all on their impressive achievements.
We were very proud to recognize two groups of students at different points in their journey. Our graduating senior class of 2024 was recognized for earning the prestigious Biliteracy Awards! In our second group we get to recognize some of those same seniors as well as the underclassmen who earned high marks and recognition on the National Italian Exam, Le Grand Concours (National French Exam), and the National Spanish Exam! These exams were administered nationally and internationally and recognize outstanding achievement in students’ abilities to understand and use their second language skills!
Biliteracy Awards
We were very proud to present this senior class with 32 total Biliteracy Awards this year, including 17 Seal of Biliteracy Awards and add them to our impressive history of world languages here!
The Biliteracy Attainment Awards
The Biliteracy Achievement Awards
Avery Allen - Spanish
The State Seal of Biliteracy Awards
Nathan Cardin - Italian
The State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction Awards
The Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction is given in recognition of students who have tested and proven an Advanced-Low level of proficiency of a second language. This is the highest award achievement possible.
The following students have earned Trilingual Awards as they have demonstrated proficiency in English, their heritage language, and a third language here at Wilmington High School.
Neda Stoeva
Seal of Biliteracy in Bulgarian and Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish
We are immensely proud of all these students and all of the students who continued their world language journey!
National Language Awards
We were very proud to recognize the students who earned recognition on the Le Grand Concours (National French Exam), and the National Spanish Exam.
These exams were administered nationally and internationally and recognize outstanding achievement in students’ abilities to understand and use their second language skills! From 2013 to 2023, Wilmington High School students have earned 412 national language award recognitions in French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin! This year these students have added 32 more awards!
Achievement awards are given to students who earn above the 50-60th percentile of all exam takers in their respective language and levels. The Bronze Medal is awarded for students who score above the 75th percentile, the Silver Medal above the 85th percentile, and the Gold Medal for students above the 95th percentile.
National Italian Exam
National Spanish Exam
Silver Medal
National French Exam
MAFLA Awards
MAFLA Excellence in World Language. This certificate is conferred upon the student who has demonstrated excellence (highest achievement) in the most advanced course of each language taught in each school.
This year's awards went to:
French - Anna Jancsics
Italian - Dean Ciampa
Spanish - Nathan Murray
The awards ended with a special cameo video from Mr. Nicholas Ferroni. There are not a lot of education “celebrities” but this special message came from an inspirational educator and advocate. He was named one of the "100 Making a Difference" for his commitment to education reform and has developed the “Teach the Truth” campaign to incorporate more minority figures in social studies curriculum as well as including the history of the Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights movement. He was recently named the "Upstander of the Year" by the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) for his outspoken advocacy and support for LGBTQ youth.
Thank you to Sia Patel, WHS 9th grader, who took pictures at the event for us. A folder with those pictures can be found at this link: World Language Celebration Photos (WPS Emails Only)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
