Lemont’s Chagpar, Udziela Receive Top Honors in National Spanish Examinations

More than 180 Lemont High School students have been recognized for their performances on the 2014 National Spanish Examinations, which were administered earlier this spring. A school-record 55 students scored in the 75th percentile or better on their respective exams to earn “medalist” status. Junior Kyra Udziela and sophomore Misbah Chagpar were Lemont’s top performers, earning “Premio de Oro” (Gold Award) status after scoring at the 95th percentile or better on the Spanish I and Spanish II exams, respectively. Additionally, senior Kristyn Krueger and junior Katie Atherton joined a select group of students who have medaled three times on the National Spanish Examinations.

Students who score at or above the 95th percentile are awarded the “Premio de Oro” (Gold Award), and students who score between the 85th-94th percentiles on their exams earn the “Premio de Plata” (Silver Award).

Nineteen students obtained “Premio de Plata” honors this year. Atherton and fellow juniors Maria Castrogiovanni, Nicholas DeArcangelis, Annamae Dziallo, Beth Jezyk, Lauren May and Daisy Medina were honorees in Spanish III; sophomores Paulina Cygan, Jacob Gasienica, Julissa Nuñez and Raquel Zvirbulis were cited in Spanish II; and sophomore Taylor Campos and freshmen Mira Antonopoulos, Claudia Jazowski, Natasha Joseph, Angela Mikrut, Kevin Tuscher, Amanda Villareal and Rebecca Zagorski all earned the honor on the Spanish I exam.

Thirty-four Lemont students scored between the 75th-84th percentiles on their respective exams to earn a “Premio de Bronce” (Bronze Award). Krueger and fellow senior Zachary Krepps became Lemont’s first-ever medalists in Spanish IV. Spanish III honorees included senior Lisa Gawron; juniors Rogelio DelaTorre, Maricruz Hernandez, Ian Hinchley, Christine Hunter, Matt McFarland, Antoinette Mock, Emma O’Leary, Joseph Pavlovic, Jake Rangel and Rachel Uher; and sophomore Alejandra Rodriguez Aguero. Sophomores Kala Badillo, Spenser Bailey, John D’Arco, Maciej Filar, Brian Gonzalez, Natalya Ligas, Kristen Malloy, Marisa Marseille, Morgan Matulik, John Piazza and Clare Rachwalski, as well as freshman Siena Schuth, all received honors in Spanish II. In Spanish I, freshmen Jacob Kecki, Matas Maleiska, Heather Miller, Gabriela Rabianski, Tyler Reaves, Gianna Tunzi, Milica Urosevic and Daniel Vera all were cited.

Students who score between the 50th-74th percentile on their respective exams are awarded “Mención Honorífica” (Honorable Mention) status. Lemont had 127 students achieve at that level this year.Including Chagpar and Udziela, just five Lemont students have earned “Premio de Oro” status since Lemont began participating in the National Spanish Examinations in 2011. Other honorees have included both Atherton and Medina in Spanish II in 2013, and Victoria Zajec ‘13 in Spanish II in 2011.

Krueger and Atherton join current senior Anne Marie Alwan as the only Lemont students to earn three National Spanish Examination medals. Prior to this year’s honor, Krueger earned “Premio de Bronce” honors in Spanish I in 2011 and a “Premio de Plata” award in Spanish III in 2013. In addition to her awards in Spanish II and Spanish III over the last two years, Atherton was a “Premio de Plata” winner in Spanish I in 2012. Alwan earned “Premio de Bronce” accolades in Spanish I (2011), Spanish II (2012) and Spanish III (2013).

Lemont’s number of honorees has increased dramatically since it began participating in this program. In 2011, 26 students were recognized for the performances, including 12 students who earned medals. In 2012, 33 students (8 medalists) were recognized. The number of honored students leaped to 114 (40 medalists) in 2013, and the school established records with 182 honorees and 55 medalists this year.

The National Spanish Examinations are administered annually in grades 6-12 and sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. The National Spanish Examinations are the most widely used tests of Spanish in the United States, with more than 150,000 students participating annually. The exams recognize achievement in the study of the Spanish language; promote proficiency in interpretive communication in the Spanish language; assess national standards as they pertain to learning Spanish; and stimulate further interest in the teaching and learning of Spanish.

Lemont High School’s Spanish teachers include Anne Marie Duggan, Melissa Karigan, Christie Klingsporn, Stefanie Miller and Ann Rodriguez-Baltrum. More than 630 Lemont students took part in this year’s exams