EPHS Students Honored in Expanding Biliteracy Testing

On Friday, April 18, 56 students received the Seal of Biliteracy, a recognition from the State of Illinois for proficiency in both English and a second language. 

The honor comes with a seal on their diploma and cords with graduation. After EPHS, the Seal award will be a great asset for them as they apply for college and step into the workforce. 

“A lot of our students come from bilingual homes, and we do not have those language programs at the high school,” Dominique Byrnes, District Langage Coach says. “It's truly a testament to their family's value of their language and culture, or to the abilities of students who have learned English as their second language, and using that in all aspects of their life. It's something to celebrate and is a wonderful asset to our community.”

Livia Sina receives the first Albanian Seal of Biliteracy recognition at EPHS from Dominique Byrnes. 

51% of EPHS students speak a heritage language at home. This year, 70 students tested with 58 receiving Seals in Spanish, Polish, Tagalog, and for the first time, Albanian and Russian. The test includes reading, writing, listening, and speaking components. A few students have even learned and passed the test in a third language. 

Eight students who did not complete the Seal still were awarded the State Commendation toward biliteracy for high scores in state testing or Advanced Placement assessments in both languages. Juniors who tested this year and did not earn the Seal are still eligible to retest next year. 

Byrnes loves being involved with the program and seeing how it grows every year. She says seeing the students’ reactions when they find out they received the honor makes the work worth it. Her favorite part is the confidence boost it gives students. 

Aimee Palma receives her Seal of Biliteracy for Spanish

“It’s really nice because I heard how hard it was going to be, and at first I was doubting myself,” Aimee Palma, an 11th grade student, said. “But I’m really proud of myself and my friends that we all did it and accomplished something big.” 

Along with receiving the Seal, Palma will be graduating early. The students who received biliteracy honors will be recognized at the Cultural Heritage Celebration on Wednesday, May 14th. To learn more about the event celebrating the food, art, and performances of all of the cultures represented in District 401, click here.