Seal of Biliteracy Award Winning Essay

By Weronika Pariaszewska

The first word that comes to my mind is “understanding”. The Seal of Biliteracy allows others to understand what our education looked like. You see, I believe that people tend to judge wisdom on a very shallow level. But without truly taking in the whole picture of one’s journey, we can never measure their potential and their strengths. That’s probably the first and most important reason. The Seal of Biliteracy lets others see you for who you really are!

Secondly, it actually greatly helps people. This achievement lets people know what you are really capable of, thus judging that your education differs from those who only learned it in one language.

The Seal of Biliteracy aids you in your life, but it can also be extremely helpful with helping others. Being fluent in two or more languages lets us help others, and encourages them to speak for themselves, as well as be understood in the world. This, I think, is one of the greatest aspects of being bilingual, the ability to share others’ voices.

There are many other benefits to this honorable achievement that I haven’t mentioned. Those pros include your job opportunities, as well as recognition among coworkers, peers, and fellow classmates. Yet these benefits must also come from your determination to allow yourself to stand out, which is not the easiest thing to do many times. We often get scared of judgement or unwanted comments from people who aren’t educated enough about our circumstances. Yet that is precisely why it is so important for as many people as possible to do the Seal of Biliteracy. We need to acknowledge that people like us are what makes this country so incredibly unique and diverse.