Six graduating seniors from Columbia High School earned the NYS Seal of Biliteracy (L to R: Ben Strodl, Rachel Clarke, Luke Savage, Caitlin Weinheimer, Drea VanVranken, Molly Graiff).
Six graduating seniors from Columbia High School earned the NYS Seal of Biliteracy, becoming the first students in the East Greenbush Central School District to earn this distinction. Rachel Clarke ’24, Molly Graiff ’24, Luke Savage ’24, Ben Strodl ’24, Drea VanVranken ’24 and Caitlin Weinheimer ’24 will receive an official seal from the New York State Department of Education to be placed directly on their diplomas as well as a medallion to wear at graduation.
To earn the Seal of Biliteracy, each student must take four years of both English and a world language and pass the Regents Exam or score a 4 or higher on the AP Exam, complete a culminating project in a World Language, submit the Seal of Biliteracy application, and complete all requirements for graduation with a NYS Regents Diploma.
The students’ culminating projects included the life and art of Edgar Degas, the life of activist Berto Caceras, the life of Lin-Manuel Miranda and the influence of Spanish colonialism on Latin American culture.
The Class of 2024 is the first cohort eligible to earn the NYS Seal of Biliteracy. The East Greenbush CSD was approved for the program in 2020.
“The World Language Department is very proud of our students who have attained a high level of proficiency in a world language,” said World Languages Department Chair Patty Hannmann. “Bravo to all recipients!”
Congratulations to our NYS Seal of Biliteracy Recipients!
Spanish
- Molly Graiff ’24
- Luke Savage ’24
- Ben Strodl ’24
- Drea VanVranken ’24
French
- Rachel Clarke ’24
German
- Caitlin Weinheimer ’24