Calvert Students Recognized for 2020 Foreign Language Prowess

Tenth Age through Eighth Grade students who took part in last year’s Le Grand Concours – the National French Contest – earned 23 awards in total, including 11 silver medals and 11 bronze medals. These awards, which went to students across all grade levels, recognize the Mighty Bees for scoring within the top 10 and 25 percent of participants nationwide.

Now a Fifth Grader, Olivia D. ’24 earned a platinum medal and plaque for securing the top score in her level, making her the first Calvert Tenth Ager to receive such an honor, Mrs. Cooke said.

 

Sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French, Le Grand Concours evaluates students’ French comprehension skills through written, spoken, and listening activities. Last year, more than 68,000 students participated throughout the U.S.

 

Of the 75 Calvert students who participated in last year’s National Latin Exam, 44 Seventh Graders ranked within the two highest levels – including six perfect scores – and 15 Eighth Graders ranked at the awards level.

Sophie B. ’21, Emma B. ’21, Nathan G. ’21, Liam R. ’21, Ben L. ’21, and Elena C. ’21 earned perfect scores and gold medals on the Latin I exam, while 26 of their classmates also claimed gold, bringing the grade’s total to 32 gold medals. Twelve Mighty Bees earned silver medals for their work.

 

In the Eighth Grade, five students achieved gold medals, five claimed silver, and five received magna cum laude or cum laude certificates for the Latin II exam.

 

Sponsored by the American Classical League and the National Junior Classical League, the National Latin Exam includes questions on grammar, comprehension, mythology, literature, and Roman history, as well as other topics. In 2020, more than 60,000 students participated in the Latin I and II exams.

 

Fifty-nine Fifth through Eighth Grade students participated in the 2020 National Spanish Exam last spring, earning 48 awards across all levels. Of the 59, 13 students claimed bronze medals, 16 earned silver, and five secured gold. Fourteen Mighty Bees earned honorable mention for placing within the 50th-74th percentile of participants.

Like the French and Latin exams, the National Spanish Examinations evaluate student vocabulary, grammar, and reading and listening comprehension across multiple levels. The National Spanish Examinations are the most widely used Spanish tests in the United States, and more than 140,000 students registered to participate in 2020.