On Thursday, October 17, Chino Valley Unified District (CVUSD), Chaffey Joint Union High School District (CJUHSD), and Upland Unified School District (UUSD) seniors were awarded their California State Seal of Biliteracy at Chaffey High School. This year, CVUSD had the highest number of recipients of 232 students for the honor in the Inland Empire. 

The California State Seal of Biliteracy is an incredible honor for high school students that can be achieved through many different routes. Students must demonstrate proficiency in both English and a second or more language. In order to qualify for the second language proficiency requirement, the majority of students were in the process of finishing their fourth year second language course, passed the Advanced Placement (AP) test, or passed the Avant test. This is Ayala’s seventh year honoring students for biliteracy after beginning the program in 2017. 

The event began with an introduction from Director Curriculum/Instruction and Academic Enrichment San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Serena Straka. Then, opening remarks were given from Assistant Superintendent Education Support Services San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, Tracy Chambers, and County Superintendent San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, Ted Alejandre. Lastly, before the recognition of students, keynote speakers CJUHSD Assistant Principal/Community Relations Director, Dr. Nora Hourani-Farraj, and Walter Rodriguez (CJUHSD) also gave inspiring speeches to awardees. All speakers emphasized the importance of the award towards the future lives of students and applauded them for their hard work in learning a second language. 

“I think [being billiterate] is a valuable skill to have,“ Malaia Reger (12) said. “It will look good on my college apps and future resumes, as well as helping better my communication and social skills.”

Students from CJUHSD were recognized first, followed by recipients from UUSD and CVUSD. Languages awarded ranged from Spanish, Mandarin, Filipino, French, Japanese, and American Sign Language (ASL). Each recipient was given a medal and a Certificate of Excellence. 

The ceremony allowed students to reflect back on their journeys in learning another language. 

“Being awarded with the Seal of Biliteracy seems like a nice end to my high school Spanish experience,” Seal of Biliteracy recipient Jacklyn Mendez (12) said. “It’s always been my goal to be bilingual so that I can properly communicate with my family members that only speak Spanish.”

Watching each of their students being awarded for their hard work made second language teachers proud. 

“It’s such a joy,” AP Spanish and Spanish 2 teacher Ms. Claudia Reynolds said. “I tell my students not all people get medals and medals are for champions and I tell them be proud of getting that medal because it is not only the medal, but you also get a title when you graduate from high school, you get to be biliterate.”

The Seal of Biliteracy serves a larger purpose than a medal and certificate for students; it’s allowed many to dive into different cultures, connect with individuals on a deeper level, and enhance their resumes for future jobs. 

“Here in Southern California, we do have a high population of Spanish speaking people so I think that’s the journey that I would like students to venture to,” Reynolds said. “When [students] take the level 4 [class], they do feel more connected with their families, their culture, and their community.”