Eighth graders at the Ripon Unified School District are hoping to earn the Seal of Biliteracy within the next four years.

The first step towards doing that is achieving the Pathway to Biliteracy Requirements.

Students at Colony Oak, Park View, Ripona, Ripon Elementary and Weston did just that by being proficient on the district benchmark and participating in interviews to demonstrate near proficiency in a primary language and English.

In addition, they had to write an essay or give a speech in their primary language.

Honored at the May 10 school board meeting were students who have met the Pathway to Biliteracy requirements:

• WESTON – Daniel Lopez (Spanish / English), Kathy Soto Salinas (Spanish / English).
• PARK VIEW – Fabiola Clemente (Spanish / English), Semar Johal (Punjabi / English), Ximena Del Toro (Spanish / English), David Banales (Spanish / English), Jonathan Demyan (Arabic / English).
• RIPON EL – Nadia Gudino (Spanish / English), Melanye Sanchez (Spanish / English), Sahira Radia Garcia (Spanish / English), Eric Guevara (Spanish / English), Magdalena Diego (Spanish / English), Natalie Guzman (Spanish / English).
• RIPONA – Prabhleen Sekhon (Punjabi / English), Jeevika Chaudhary (Punjabi / English), Novir Asaad (Arabic / English), Lakshya Kahandawala (Sinhala / English), Paula Danial (Arabic / English).
• COLONY OAK – Jessica Segura (Punjabi / English), Gia Grewal (Punjabi / English), Jessica Segura (Spanish / English).