The MICDS community came together once again to honor an extraordinary group of students at the fifth Annual Seal of Biliteracy Ceremony, celebrating the remarkable language achievements of our Upper School students. This year’s ceremony continued a proud tradition of recognizing students who have demonstrated exceptional proficiency in a Language Other Than English (LOTE) throughout the 2025–2026 academic year. Earning the Seal is no small feat—it reflects years of disciplined study, cultural curiosity, and a genuine commitment to becoming a global citizen. For each recipient, this credential represents not just linguistic skill, but a broadened worldview and the confidence to engage meaningfully across cultures.
“If you talk to a person in a language they understand, that goes to their head. If you talk to them in their language, that goes to their heart.” – Nelson Mandela
The Missouri Seal of Biliteracy is a prestigious, state-recognized credential awarded to students who demonstrate advanced proficiency across all four language domains—reading, writing, listening, and speaking—as measured by the STAMP (Standardized Measurement of Proficiency) assessment, which is aligned with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines. Beyond the assessment, recipients must also demonstrate sociocultural competence through projects, essays, or presentations that illustrate how their language skills have enabled them to connect with and contribute to both local and global communities. It is a rigorous standard, and every student who earns it has truly earned it.
This year’s Seal recipients were guided by a dedicated team of language educators whose passion for their craft is evident in every classroom. Upper School Mandarin Chinese Teacher Lily Childs, Upper School French Teacher Marie Muth, and Spanish Teachers Robin Begley and Kelly Weidenmiller. Their commitment to creating authentic, immersive language experiences—both inside and beyond the classroom—has been instrumental in preparing students to meet the rigorous demands of the Seal. Equal recognition is owed to the teachers who laid the foundation at the novice and lower-intermediate levels, whose early instruction made this achievement possible.
This year’s guest speaker was Carlos Suárez, the Economic Director of the International Institute, whose work in immigration and refugee resettlement offers students a compelling vision of the importance of using language and cultural knowledge to build bridges between communities. His story is a reminder that language is not just an academic pursuit—it is a living, breathing connection to people, places, and ideas that shape our world.
Special Recognition for Distinguished Seals
Special recognition goes to this year’s Distinguished Seal of Biliteracy recipients, who achieved an even higher level of language proficiency in their LOTE. These students represent the very pinnacle of language achievement at MICDS, and their accomplishment is a testament to exceptional dedication and skill. Congratulations to Fatima Abosalem ’27 (Spanish & Arabic), Forest Gong ’27 (Spanish & Chinese), Grace Griffin ’27 (Spanish), and Lisa Zhang ’27 (Spanish).
Weidenmiller said, “The Seal of Biliteracy program is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate students who have worked diligently to both acquire and learn a world language that offers them a real-world, relevant skill that they will be able to use in our ever-changing, global community. As is required to achieve this seal, students also acquire cultural competence through in-class activities, guest speakers, local field trips, and immersion experiences abroad. This initiative is nationally recognized and sets our students apart from their peers – they haven’t just taken classes, but rather proven that they have gained a true high level of proficiency in the language that they can use in the real world.”
Congratulations to the many MICDS World Languages students who earned the Seal of Biliteracy in 2026! Your dedication to language learning is an inspiration to all.
Click here to see the complete list of awardees.