For the past couple years Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE) has been offering the Seal of Multilingual Proficiency for all juniors and seniors throughout the local school districts.

The Seal of Multilingual Proficiency helps students by showing colleges that they are fluent in both English, and other foreign languages such as Spanish and Farsi.

This year over 400 students from all around the county participated in this event, and 221 were recognized for earning the seal.

Forty Pitman and Turlock High School students received the Seal of Multilingual Proficiency this year.

“It was not that difficult at all to be honest. Just make sure you study before. Don’t just go in without doing anything. They ask you personal questions for the interview and just try to hold a conversation,” says Turlock High School student, and Seal recipient Adelae Fredeen (11th).

In order to receive the seal students have to have at least a 2.0 GPA average and pass the CASHEE test. Students also have to fill out a portfolio which includes answering questions in both English and their target language, along with an interview in both languages.

Since 2010, SCOE has been certified to offer both junior and senior students the Seal of Multilingual Proficiency. SCOE was one of the first county offices in the state to offer this program.

Many of the students that applied for the seal are Spanish speakers. However, there were also students that applied that spoke Arabic, Assyrian, Russian, and Japanese.

“I feel that not only have I accomplished a goal but I’ve made my parents proud. I also feel receiving the seal will open even more doors in my future because it shows that extra step to be multilingual,” says Pitman High School student, and Seal recipient Gvargis Yaco (12th) who had the honor of delivering a speech to the audience of over 1,000.