SPHS grads earn seal of approval for biliteracy

More than a dozen South Portland High School graduates were presented with the Seal of Biliteracy at the school’s Academic Honors Ceremony on May 20.

The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given at graduation recognizing students who have studied and attained a high degree of skill in English and at least one additional language by high school graduation.

This is the first year that state of Maine has awarded this recognition.

The Seal encourages students to pursue biliteracy, recognizes the benefits of being bilingual and can serve as evidence of academic and workplace readiness. In order to receive this honor students must pass a rigorous test that is used internationally. 

The following students received the Seal for their French and English proficiency: Andy Ndayishima, Andine Ndayishima, Rhode Niangasa, Alexandria Rowell, Aaron Matthews, Glyn Igiraneza, Grace Flaherty, Khelsea Iteriteka, Jireh Nazali, Rachel Morin, Elizabeth Sass.

Recognition for Spanish and English was awarded to Maxwell Gailey; Chinese and English was awarded to Chaomei Wang; Somali and English was awarded to Hussein Maow and Nafviso Ali; and the Seal for proficiency in Arabic and English was awarded to Tabarek Alabboodi.

City Y camp offering free lunch for all kids this summer

The YMCA’s In-Town Camp is collaborating with Portland Public Schools to provide free lunch to children in Portland this summer at the downtown location, 217 High St.

The open, drop-in site will welcome any child age 18 and younger for a free meal, and there are no income restrictions.

“The Summer Food Program and the YMCA’s summer camps provide a valuable service to our community,” says Pious Ali, Portland city councilor and former YMCA of Southern Maine board member.

Local students win National Merit Scholarships

National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the local winners of over 3,500 winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities.

Sponsor colleges selected their scholarship winners of between $500 and $2,000  annually from among finalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program who plan to attend their institution. 

Local students include: Luke Marsanskis of Greely High School in Cumberland, who plans to study engineering at the University of Maine; John D. Auer of Falmouth High School, who plans to pursue a field of study in environmental policy at Bowdoin College; and Hannah M. Zimmerman of Yarmouth, who attended Maine School of Science and Mathematics in Limestone and plans to study biology at Northwestern University. 

Sens. Cathy Breen, D-Falmouth, and Linda Sanborn, D-Gorham, welcomed the Northern Force Robotics Team to the State House on May 29, and presented them with a legislative sentiment to recognize their successful season. The team of students from Falmouth and Gorham High Schools, made the playoffs at the FIRST Robotics World Championship in Detroit and won the Team Spirit Award.

Sixteen graduating seniors at South Portland High School were presented with the Seal of Biliteracy for proficiency in English and a second language at the school’s Academic Honors Ceremony on May 20.