News Detail
Mighty Bees Excel in 2022-2023 National World Language Awards
As the school year winds down each year, Calvert world language students in Tenth Age through Eighth Grade perk up to hear the results of their national world language exams. Taken every year ahead of spring, these exams include Le Grand Concours – the National French Contest – The National Spanish Challenge, the National Spanish Exam, and the National Latin Exam, and because world language is a core piece of the School’s curriculum, Calvert students regularly score high.
Lower and Middle School French
On Tuesday, May 16, Lower School teacher Madame Cooke celebrated her students’ scores in the National French Contest with a brief award ceremony in the Lower School Auditorium. Reserved for Tenth Age participants, the exam yielded 12 medals for Calvert School, with even halves being silver and bronze.
In the Middle School, meanwhile, 35 Fifth graders took the FLES exam, earning three bronze and eight silver medals. Seventy Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade students participated in Le Grand Concours’ first level, claiming 31 awards and one perfect score between them. At Le Grand Concours’ second level, Calvert had two Eighth Graders participating, with the pair earning a gold medal and a platinum medal for a perfect score, respectively.
Well done to all French students, including Claire S. ’23 and Myles B. ’23, who earned perfect scores.
Middle School Spanish
Like French, Spanish instruction begins in the Lower School but progresses until students are able to participate in the National Spanish Exam and National Spanish Challenge in Middle School. This year, more than 50 Fifth and Sixth Graders took the National Spanish Challenge, earning 19 second prizes and 29 top prizes. In the Fifth Grade, Jameson D. ’26 achieved a perfect score.
Of the seven Sixth Graders who moved up a level to the National Spanish Exam, six received medals, and five Seventh Graders also claimed honors.
As well, 30 Seventh and Eighth Graders challenged themselves with the second level exam, where six Seventh Graders claimed prizes and Eighth Graders left with four bronze medals and 10 gold medals.
Middle School Latin
Calvert Latin students stunned in this year’s National Latin Exam, with 98 Seventh and Eighth Graders participating in the exam. At the Eighth Grade level, nine of these students participated in the Latin I division and 38 took the second-level Latin exam, returning to Calvert with the School’s most-ever gold medals at this level.
Collected by CJ N. '23, Hobie M. '23, Claire S. '23, Bianca P. ’23, Johanna P. '23, Julianna I. '23, Rosie D. '23, Chiara B. '23, Vivien W. '23, Myles B. '23, Hadley R. '23, Elle G. '23, and Lane A. ’23, these 14 awards recognize the students’ prowess, and Liam D. '23 claimed a perfect score in addition to a gold medal. Silver medalists included Felix L. ’23, Lily A. ’23, Margaret B. ’23, Finley A. ’23, and Caroline M. ’23, while Julianne D. ’23 and Esme I. ’23 walked away with magnum cum laude certificates. The Eighth Graders wrapped up their victories with cum laude certificates for Sarah N. ’23, Jameson E. ’23, Jax W. ’23, Michael S. ’23, Piper B. ’23, Estella C. ’23, and Will C. ’23, the latter of whom achieved cum laude designation in Advanced Latin I.
Meanwhile, of the Seventh Graders – 51 in total – 63 percent earned at least a certificate for their scores, and 33 percent claimed a medal. Caroline N. '24 soared with a gold medal and a perfect score on the Introduction to Latin exam, while Colette V. '24, Charlotte H. '24, Emily B. '24, Daniel X. '24, and Lindley B. ’24 also achieved gold medals for their work. At this level, 11 students earned silver medals and nine and six participants achieved magna cum laude and cum laude recognition, respectively.
Well done to our student scholars and all members of our world languages department!
Calvert School is a coed independent lower and middle school.
