Sixteen Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts students earned the Arkansas Seal of Biliteracy for the spring semester.
The Arkansas Seal of Biliteracy is awarded each spring and fall to students in ninth through 12th grades who demonstrate a proficiency in English and at least one other language before graduating high school. More than 700 students across the state earned the seal this spring.
The program is sponsored by the Arkansas Foreign Language Teachers Association and the Arkansas Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. The Arkansas Department of Education officially endorsed the seal in June 2018. The Seal of Biliteracy program is recognized in 49 states and Washington, D.C.
ASMSA students who earned recognition this spring include:
- Courtland Callis, a senior from Alexander, French;
- Pragya Chauhan, a junior from Bentonville, French;
- Lydia Krebs, a senior from Maumelle, French and Spanish;
- Chelsea Nwankwo, a senior from Alexander, French;
- Eureka Smith, a senior from Hot Springs, French;
- Alyssa Thomas, a senior from El Dorado, French;
- Charis Xiong, a senior from White Hall, French;
- Daniel Lee, a junior from Russellville, Korean;
- Kuhno Lee, a junior from Little Rock, Korean;
- Hanna Vantseyeva, a junior from Little Rock, Russian;
- Michaela Stevens, a junior from Hot Springs, Serbian;
- Trenton Noel, a senior from Little Rock, Spanish;
- Kelvin Orduna, a sophomore from Huntsville, Spanish;
- Riya Patel, a senior from Bald Knob, Spanish;
- Savanna Peters, a junior from North Little Rock, Spanish; and
- Lola Tate, a sophomore from Benton, Spanish.
Since the 2017 pilot year in Arkansas, a total of 4,365 students from 95 high schools around the state have attained this certification across 24 languages other than English, according to a release from the Arkansas Seal of Biliteracy Committee.