John Jay Students Pursue
the NYS Seal of Biliteracy

As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, proficiency in multiple languages is a valuable asset. New York State, recognizing this need, established the New York State Seal of Biliteracy in 2012 and since then has awarded over 17,000 students with the seal. John Jay High School was an early pioneer of the program, being one of the first schools in the Hudson Valley Region to participate back in 2019. This is the fifth consecutive year that John Jay is offering the Seal of Biliteracy program.  

To obtain the seal, students must prove they are proficient in a foreign language and English. Across New York State, some students will receive a Seal of Biliteracy in a language they speak at home like Arabic or Russian, while other students will receive the seal in a language they learned in school like French or Spanish. John Jay students enrolled in Advanced French, Spanish, and Italian are eligible for the Seal. First, they must prove they are proficient in English, through receiving a 4 or 5 on the AP English Language Exam or presenting a project in English. They must also showcase their proficiency in their foreign language by presenting a project to a committee of teachers. These projects take many months to complete as students research specific themes, answer an “essential question”, and practice their presentation. After receiving her Seal of Biliteracy in French, Sarah Morgan, an AP French Student, told the Patriot Post “being more connected to the francophone world feels nice” and that “we had worked towards it [the seal] for so long.” 

Although most students complete the Seal in one language, some students choose to become candidates for a Dual Seal. Senora Nancy Beiner, the Seal of Biliteracy Coordinator, stated that “this year, we have 5 candidates seeking a Dual Seal, meaning that they have either studied 2 different World languages at John Jay or they speak another World Language at home.” After receiving her Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish and Portuguese, student Katarina Panos described her seal experience as an “amazing opportunity to be able to take the skills acquired from home” and apply them to her future career. 

For students who are closing the language-learning chapter of their life, the Seal of Biliteracy is an amazing opportunity to present all that they have learned over 6 years, and for those who will continue speaking and learning languages, the Seal is a great asset to their resume. 

The Patriot Post extends our congratulations to those who received the Seal of Biliteracy this year and wishes them the best of luck with their language learning. For more information and details about the NYS Seal of Biliteracy, students and parents are encouraged to contact Nancy Beiner by email at nancy.beiner@wcsdny.org, or in person in Room 108 or 214.