Seventeen Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School (RFH) seniors recently qualified for the NJ State Seal of Biliteracy for their proficiency in Spanish, French, and German.

The New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by the NJ Department of Education (NJDOE) in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in at least one language in addition to English by high school graduation.

The NJDOE, pursuant to P.L. 2015, c. 303 enacted by the NJ Senate and General Assembly, established the State Seal of Biliteracy program in 2016 to help students recognize the value and the tangible benefits of bilingualism. 

Since its inception, a total of 49,553 Seals of Biliteracy have been awarded. This designation on a student’s high school diploma also provides employers and universities with a method of identifying bilingual candidates and those who have prioritized the study of other languages and cultures. The  State Seal of Biliteracy also emphasizes the importance of both bilingualism, which facilitates improved communication and boosts the local economy, and cultural understanding, which promotes social acceptance.

RFH’s World Language department employs immersive instructional methods: running trips abroad to various countries each year, hosting a Spanish sister school’s visit annually, and planning and facilitating community outreach activities with local schools and businesses all in the name of developing the communicative skills and cultural understanding of students studying Chinese, French, and Spanish.

The RFH Seal of Biliteracy qualifiers are :\●  Christina Beattie — Spanish

• ●  Caitlin Bush — Spanish
• ●  Emily Colucci — Spanish
• ●  Annabelle Costello — Spanish
• ●  Chloe Dengler — Spanish
• ●  Joseph French — Spanish
• ●  Julia Funck — Spanish
• ●  Natalie Gauss — Spanish
• ●  Theresa Gettings — Spanish
• ●  Jessica Hofmann — German
• ●  Heidi Matchett — Spanish
• ●  Grace McOrmond — Spanish
• ●  Timothy Nagornyi — French
• ●  Emme Patel — Spanish
• ●  Logan Rettino — Spanish
• ●  Isabella Rodriguez — Spanish
• ●  Paige Swain — Spanish

(picture below)

Students in the study of Spanish qualified for the Seal of Biliteracy after demonstrating their proficiency to the state of NJ.

— Edited press release from RFH

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