The high school recently recognized 2018 graduate and salutatorian Madeline Marconi as the inaugural recipient of the Islip School District Seal of Biliteracy. The prestigious Seal of Biliteracy project was piloted in Islip this year for the first time, with Marconi as the sole candidate.
Marconi presented her extensively researched Spanish-language project on her ancestral land of El Salvador on June 8 in the high school’s community room in front of a rigorous committee of Islip educators, who then evaluated her project and awarded her with a Seal of Biliteracy certificate and medal.

“Although it took several months of hard work, I am so incredibly proud to receive the Seal of Biliteracy, because it not only demonstrates all of the effort I have put towards receiving this award, but it also conveys my love for language,” said Marconi.

“Madeline not only met the criteria established by the New York State Department of Education and our district, she also exceeded the expectation of the evaluating committee during her culminating project presentation,” said Priscilla Zarate, the district’s ENL and world language coordinator. “Madeline is a true example of a student who has attained bilingualism, biliteracy and cross-cultural understanding. I congratulate her for this extraordinary accomplishment and for having successfully attained the Seal of Biliteracy.”

“Madeline is the epitome of heart and soul,” said World Language Honor Society adviser Karen Maisano. “She gives 100 percent to every task she takes on, and truly deserves the esteemed recognition of receiving the Seal of Biliteracy for excellence in all modalities of the English and Spanish languages.”