Calvert Students Score High on National World Language Exams, Earning 120+ Awards
World language instruction is a critical piece of the Calvert curriculum, and throughout their time on campus, students continually excel in French, Spanish, and Latin in the care of expert teachers. This is never more evident than each spring, when students receive their scores from the national world language exams.
Taken every year, these exams include Le Grand Concours – the National French Contest – The National Spanish Challenge, the National Spanish Exam, and the National Latin Exam. This year, students across both Spanish and French classes earned more than 120 awards for their prowess while Latin students rounded out an impressive year with high marks of their own.
Lower and Middle School French
A total of 129 students from Tenth Age to Eighth Grade participated in Le Grand Concours National Examination this spring with 71 meeting or exceeding national average scores and 42 earning awards for their scores.
In Tenth Age, Madame Cooke’s students earned three silver medals (awarded to Drew B. ’26, Jack B. ’26, Maggie G. ’26) and four bronze medals (awarded to Isabelle M. ’26, Noora N. '26, Amelia P. ’26, and Fiyin T. ’26). Fifty-six students in Fifth and Sixth Grade participated in the same FLES version of the exam, where 19 students achieved certificat de mérite recognition, 22 received certificat d'honneur designation, eight claimed a bronze medal, and seven walked away with silver.
Forty-three Seventh and Eighth Grade students took the higher Level 01/Level 1 exams, with five claiming gold medals. Another four earned silver, 12 earned bronze, and 22 claimed either certificat de mérite or certificat d'honneur recognition.
Middle School Spanish
Just over 110 Middle Schoolers took the National Spanish Exams, with 51 participating in the National Spanish Challenge and 67 participating in the National Spanish Exam. Of the 118 students who took these tests, 101 exceeded the national average score, and 29 chose to test at a higher level. On top of it all, one exceptional student also earned a perfect score.
In the National Spanish Challenge, tackled by 51 Fifth and Sixth Graders, 37 students earned top-prize ribbons. Meanwhile, 13 earned purple or blue ribbons, which symbolize the second-prize level.
As well, 13 Sixth Graders and 16 Seventh and Eighth Graders chose to test at higher levels. The Sixth Grade participants walked away with four silver awards and seven honorable mentions, while 51 of 54 Seventh and Eighth Graders exceeded the national average of their testing level. Ten earned gold, 12 earned silver, 7 earned bronze, and 22 achieved honorable mention. Per the segment-by-segment breakdown, 20 students achieved a perfect score in at least one of four exam sections, with six earning a perfect score in two sections and three students achieving this feat in three sections.
Students of both French and Spanish recently celebrated their accomplishments with small ceremonies and delicious treats. Well done to all who tested and, of course, Calvert’s world languages department!