For March, juniors are already knee-deep in their SAT/ACT prep, tackling a bulk of assignments as the end of quarter three approaches and trying to keep up with all of their usual extracurriculars. What better way to top it off than with STAMP (Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency) testing. However, this test can actually be a secret weapon to be able to reflect on your personal growth throughout your world language career at Staples.

STAMP testing is a language proficiency assessment offered to juniors and seniors who are enrolled in a world language course to get the Seal of Biliteracy—an award given to high school graduates who demonstrate proficiency in two or more languages. The test is taken digitally and has a total of four sections: reading, writing, listening and speaking. In order to earn the Seal of Biliteracy, students will need a score of intermediate-mid or higher on all four parts of the exam. 

French teacher Natalie Clayhas completed STAMP testing in all of her upperclassman sections.

“I think it’s a good measure of how we’re performing in the department, for us teachers but also for the students themselves,” Clay said. “It gives representation to our program.” 

World language students are required to retake the exam their senior year, regardless if they had passed the year prior. Some think this allows students to reflect on and apply what they have learned.

“Even though you’ve already passed it, you can still do better, you can have a better grade,” Clay said. “This is a way to see your progress.” 

Victoria Bazarko ’24, a student in Spanish 4 Honors, sees earning the Seal of Biliteracy as an important accomplishment for students who will be graduating in the near future.

“Even though it is hard and it challenges you, I think overall it’s a good experience because the school gives us an opportunity to be sealed in biliteracy,” Bazarko said. “It is a good thing to add to our transcripts for college.”

Bazarko also sees it as a good self-assessment of how well she has carried her lessons throughout the years. 

“This was my first time taking the test so during it my brain was really stimulated,” Bazarko said. “I was trying really hard to get a good score and do my best to show what I’ve learned over the years.” 

Over the next several weeks as more students complete the STAMP test, Clay encourages students to just do their best. 

“Don’t stress, it’s a feather in your cap,” Clay said. “It’s really for the benefit of something you can show in your transcript so I would hope students don’t stress as much.”