Washington Spanish Students Score

Several World Language students from Cedar Rapids Washington High School earned national and state recognition for excellent performance on the 2010 National Spanish Examinations. Students from Washington earned a total of 2 gold, 12 silver, and 9 bronze medals along with 23 honorable mentions.

"Attaining a medal or honorable mention for any student on the National Spanish Examinations is very prestigious," said Kevin Cessna-Buscemi, National Director of the Exams. “The exams are the largest of their kind in the United States with 125,915 students participating in 2010."

For the State Awards in Level 1, Bradlee Birchansky and Amy Parker received second and third place, in Level 2 Anna Kline, Dylan Shah, and Lily Gasway received first, second, and third place, in Level 3 Joseph Eken and Christine Smith received first and second place, and in level 4 Molly James and Erin Briggie received first and third place. Students were recognized at a school assembly.

Washington students have taken the Spanish exams for the past two years. Instructors are Sarah Howell, Trudy Johansen, Traci Mooney, Jackie Niffenegger, and Nancy Stiles. The National Spanish Examinations are administered each year in grades 6 through 12, and are sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.