ANDOVER — Superintendent John Lavoie is pleased to report that Greater Lawrence Technical School celebrated as 24 seniors earned the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy for their advanced mastery of both the English and Spanish languages.
Meanwhile, GLTS is offering English as a Second Language classes for adult learners who are interested in increasing their English proficiency.
The State Seal of Biliteracy is an award provided by state-approved districts that recognize high school graduates who attain high functional and academic levels of proficiency in both English and another world language.
To earn the recognition, students must meet all graduation requirements, pass their English Language Arts MCAS, and earn a score that is equivalent to a 4 on an Advanced Placement language assessment. To earn a Seal with Distinction, students must meet all graduation requirements, pass their English Language Arts MCAS with advanced scores, and earn a score that is equivalent to a 5 on an Advanced Placement language assessment.
The students who will be awarded the Seal upon graduation were all honored on Tuesday, May 13, during a dinner and ceremony held in the GLTS auditorium and the Four Winds Restaurant.
“Our students here at Greater Lawrence Technical School are truly incredible,” said Director of Language, Culture and Equity Dr. Johanna E. Fawcett. “As a vocational school, we do not have a World Language Program, and yet our students are able to meet the criteria to earn the State Seal of Biliteracy — an achievement that is difficult to attain even for those who spend years in language programs.”
Those who earned the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction are Ashley Cruz Martinez, Gabriela Delgado, Rachel Medina Polanco, and Darileiny Shephard.
Those who earned the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy are Marisol Almanzar, Polanco Nieve Almonte, Mia Bido Rosario, Alondra Cordero Gonzalez, Carmen De Leon De Los Santos, Vanessa Diaz, Ian Felix, Elva Granillo, Emely Herrera, Dulce Ixlaj, Angel Ledesma, Rachely Martinez, Esli Mas, Amabely Meija Inoa, Erika Mendez-Sanchez, Scarlet Rojas Nunez, Geralin Rosario, Carmen Tirado, Raidy Ulloa, and Genesis Velasquez.
Senior Raidy Ulloa, who is going to Boston University after graduation on a full scholarship, said he grew up in the Dominican Republic, where Spanish was his primary language. He came to the United States as an 11-year-old and quickly began learning English. He said he was motivated by being confused when he first entered English-speaking classes. He wanted to learn what was happening.
Having now mastered two languages, Ulloa said he hopes being bilingual will help him in the job market and college.
“I’m looking for jobs in healthcare, so I hope this Seal makes me more marketable,” said Ulloa. “I hope I use this in college, too. I will be majoring in premedical studies.”
For parents and caregivers of multilingual learners, GLTS is now offering English as a Second Language (ESL) evening classes for adult learners interested in increasing their English proficiency.
The six-week courses are being offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at GLTS. Two sessions of the six-week course have been offered so far, running February to March and April to May and a total of 22 adult learners have participated.
On Thursday night, GLTS will also celebrate those who have completed the second ESL course with light refreshments and awarding of certificates in the Four Winds Restaurant.
To learn more about the ESL courses, contact Dr. Johanna E. Fawcett at jfawcett@glts.net.
To learn more about the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy, visit: https://www.doe.mass.edu/scholarships/biliteracy/.
To learn more about the language credentialing program at GLTS, contact jfawcett@glts.net
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