224 members of Hartford Public Schools' Class of 2026 earned the Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy this year. On May 28, colleagues, teachers, families, and students gathered for the Hartford Public Schools Seal of Biliteracy Awards Night at our beautiful Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School campus auditorium to honor our Class of 2026 students who demonstrated proficiency in English and at least one additional world language.
This year’s ceremony highlighted the extraordinary linguistic diversity in our district, featuring six trilingual students and two quadrilingual students. Most notably, we are proud to recognize one polyglot who has achieved mastery across five languages: English, Urdu, Hindi, Spanish, and Punjabi.
Six students earned the Seal of Biliteracy in two languages other than English:
From Capital Preparatory Magnet School:
Kayden Westen Brown: Patois & Spanish
Mariah Constance Mickens-Mcgowan: Patois & Spanish
Aisha Siddiki: Bengali & Arabic
From Great Path Academy:
Yasmin Cristina Do Monte Silva: Portuguese & Spanish
From Hartford Public High School:
Caua Apolinario De Almeida: Portuguese & Spanish
From Hernán LaFontaine Classical Magnet School:
Tania Sherice Turner: Patois & Latin
Two students earned the Seal of Biliteracy in three languages other than English:
From Hernán LaFontaine Classical Magnet School:
Iryna Vasylkiv: Russian, Ukrainian, & Polish
From University High School of Science & Engineering:
Mojeb Rahman Zameeri: Persian, Pashto, & Dari
One student earned the Seal of Biliteracy in four languages other than English:
From University High School of Science & Engineering:
Ahmad Chishti: Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, & Spanish
The Seal of Biliteracy serves as a formal validation of our students’ cultural competence and rigorous academic effort, providing them with a competitive advantage in the global workforce and higher education. Each senior also received a cord to wear at their graduation ceremony; well-deserved bragging rights for being “too Bi-Lit to quit!”
Here are our Seal of Biliteracy Class of 2026 Honorees:
BULKELEY HIGH SCHOOL
Bayo Baraka
Andry Octavio Cardenas Panduro
Rainy Cepeda Colón
Nathalie Marie DeJesus
Amer Dervisevic
Ismael Díaz
Elianny Difo Mejía
Brainy Rafaela Encarnación Montero
Yassiris Danis Ferreras Sanlatte
Lucy Estrella García Díaz
María De Los Angeles Guancha Saldana
Mario Tristan Harris
Mmunga Kasikile
Liannette Lara Francisco
Sara Daniela Leal Jiménez
David Brian López Ramírez
Lucero Tatiana Martínez Landa
Leonardo Rafael Moncada
Nikoll Elizabeth Moron Maldonado
Solange Maite Oliva Torres
Kristen Estefani Pérez
Sumari Esther Rodríguez Franco
Andy Moises Rodríguez Morales
Patrick Rodrigo Salazr Sipion
Rodenicka Septembre
Daniel Isaac Velásquez Guinac
Isabelle Velásquez
Anahi Brigeeth Villanueva
Micquandre Kaela-Ann Nylorac Wright
CAPITAL PREPARATORY MAGNET SCHOOL
Kayden Westen Brown
Conroy C Jr. Coke
Syesha Ashia Collie
Pamela Mejía
Mariah Constance Mickens-Mcgowan
Nathan Keegan Morrison
Cyrus Shamarr Noble
Aisha Siddiki
Shawn Rojae Simmonds
GREAT PATH ACADEMY
Carlos Ivan Arzuaga
Aniyah Jai Colón
Yasmin Cristina Do Monte Silva
Melanie Diane Flores-Sánchez
Ivan Eduardo Gonzaga Pareja
Melody Ashley González
Lindsay Nicole Hernández Cintrón
Fernanda Daniela Huincho Acuna
Sanaiah Christian Laing
Dagger Samir Macías
Diego Eduardo Martínez
Dariel Josue Mercado
Gabriel Stefano Neira Mendoza
Viviana M Ramírez-Carreto
Kianny Rodríguez
Yeilimar Santiago
Tessian Wright
Zihao Zhou
HARTFORD MAGNET TRINITY COLLEGE ACADEMY
Ashanti Melinda Acevedo
Gerber Aguilar
Franchesca Abigail Arroyo
Jasmin Canedo
Erick Wilson Castillo Ramírez
Miranda Valentina Chávez Solano
Ivaniel Cruz-Rivera
Sinais Dávila
Randelisa Dicen-Dilone
Diego Flores-Villalba
Mariangeliz Guerrero Morales
Edwin Balmoris López
Shanira Marie Lugo
Gustavo Mejías García
Erick Rafael Méndez
Karol Stanislaw Prochera
Daniela Reyes
Eimy Marie Rodríguez Dilione
Jaelys Rodríguez-Rivera
Faith Scott
Luis Anthony Taveras Mejía
Africa Elisha Tolbert
Tanuja Devi Toolsi
Phebe Kou Wenzler
HARTFORD PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL
Danny Alexander Almeida Basantes
Bayan Amir Aloush
Yaidielis Iley Arroyo
Sofia Viviana Ascencios Zuniga
Steven Moises Calcano
Estefhany Lisbeth Cepeda Paulino
Smith Ricardo Chávez Fuentes
Rashel Silveria Colón Gómez
Cauã Apolinario De Almeida
Alberth José Duran
Salma Faraja
Tanairy Mary Gines
Vanessa Victoria Gomes
Anthony Rafael Gómez Marin
Vitoria Guimaraes Dias
Milagros Sarai Huerta Rojas
Jevar Denardo Johnson
Melisa Alexandra Lara
Briseyda Mailyn Luque
Nicole Marie Maldonado
Abdallah Mmunga
Luana Jayden Monier Navarro
Briahanna Alexandra Belen Navarro Cabrejos
Valeria Isabel Olave Vicent
Damaris Liset Ortiz Ortiz
Meily Yadira Pérez García
Marcos Incencio Ramírez Díaz
Yaribeliz Aidé Rodríguez
Carmen Yaleishka Rosario
Brianna Michel Sánchez Almonte
Keisha Carolina Sánchez Nina
Kymani Alex Skyers
Amilu Valentina Soria Vilcamiche
Pierre Augusto Suarez Guillen
Guisell Estrella Suri Cantalicio
Halle Marie Suriel Reynoso
María Camila Usma Marin
Kiara Isabella Vallana Batista
Jenny Velásquez
Samira Alana Vidaurre Alvis
Garique Staphaie Ward
Kevina Lorraine Webb
Jada Elizabeth Wilson
HERNAN LaFONTAINE CLASSICAL MAGNET SCHOOL
Mikaylie Sherika Abrahams
Ever Joel Alvarado Euceda
Flordaliz Flordaliz Germosen
Sophia González
Kamoya Shackiel Hinds
Kaniyah Simone Hite
Freddy De Jesus Pichardo Urena
Tiara Terikay Robinson
David Teixeira Nunes
Tania Sherice Turner
Natasha Ulloa
Iryna Vasylkiv
Andrea Michele Velázquez
Serena Ashlyn Weir
KINSELLA MAGNET SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS
Lizbeth Esther Acevedo
Tiffany Carreras
Yaneirys Cordero
Nitzel M Feliciano
Isaac Gúzman Hernández
Jesmarlyn Quiles
Camila Anais Velázquez
NEW VISIONS-HOPE
Yelitza Acevedo Vásquez
Marvin Arnoldo Pérez Esquivel
Paola M Rodríguez
Veronica Rosario Rivas
Akilah Tisha Spencer
PATHWAYS ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY & DESIGN
Annalecia Neomie Binns
Camila Isabel Bravo Tello
Zavier Elijah Byles
Sonia Brigitte
Andre Jordan Dacunha
Jaida Camila Mcfarlane
Kiara Mariel Ortega
Andrea Afia Owusu
Edil Antonio Ponce
Kayanna Serrano
Sofia Isabel Ventura
SPORT & MEDICAL SCIENCES ACADEMY
David Gerardo Benites Hernandes
Colando Roshane Gayle
Angel Jesualdo Hernández Martínez
Yuribel C Peña-Merejildo
Valerie Santiago Rivera
Nelson Javier Sierra
Samuel Alexander Tamoy Holder
UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL OF SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
Ahmad Chishti
Stephanie Frias-Paredes
Julien Anthony López
Phebi Afia Amankwa Mireku
Alexa Isabella Neil
Berny Jerson Pérez Velásquez
John Michael Reyes Cruz
Bryan Anthony Sosa Gúzman
Chelsea Italia Thompson
Mojeb Rahman Zameeri
WEAVER HIGH SCHOOL
Jeriel Luis Albaladejo Santiago
Ramon Antonio Allen
Raymon Anthony Allen
Akeelah Alecia Anderson
Eliana Massiel Báez Pérez
Mariama K Bah
Nathon Maurice Buchanan
Jaysha Y Cabrera Sánchez
Richauna Martinee Campbell
Kiara Eliana Charles
Marlene Cibangu
Yamila Colón Hernández
Ayslin Joselyn Cruz
Tiequane Folkes
Angel Luis Gandía
Luis Anthony Gómez Rodríguez
Rajiv Mohindia Guyah
Gilberto Fabián Irizarry Muñiz
Jaime Juan Jusino Rivera
Kikonde Kasonso
Geanna Tha-Lee Knight
Shakera Mellisa Lowe
Leonardo Jeanpiere Mendieta Heras
Marie Julienne Ngoran Manyi Akpok
Adriana Marie Pacheco
Emily Paola Pilataxi Cachimuel
Willy Rafael Polanco
D’Andrae Demario Reid
Darielys Eliza Rosa Valdez
José Luis Rosado
Yanielis Marie Santiago Pérez
Rianna Torres
Wailenys Marie Torres Cosmé
Nicolas Valentino Verástegui Velarde
We are so proud of all our students raising the bar on leading in a multilingual world! The program and the event are managed by Johanna Robles, Director of Multilingual Learning and World Languages and Aidé Snyder, World Language Curriculum Specialist.
The event also featured a dance performance by the Dwight Bellizzi Dual Language Academy's Mi Cultura Dance Team, a Welcome Address by Superintendent and CEO of Hartford Public Schools Dr. Andraé Townsel, and a keynote address from Dr. Maribel Olivero, the Director of Equity and Languages at the Connecticut State Department of Education. With over 25 years of experience as a bilingual educator and leader, Dr. Olivero is a dedicated advocate for multilingual learners and educational equity.
Dr. Olivero is a proud product of the Hartford Public Schools, and is a graduate of Hartford Public High School with deep roots in the local community. She is also the proud President of the Connecticut Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (CALAS).
Learn more about the Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy here.