GSSM Students Place Among Top Three in the State for National Spanish Exam

Two South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM) students recently placed among the Top Three statewide for the National Spanish Exam. Marielle Abalo, a junior from Due West, placed among the 98th percentile and was ranked second in the state. Benjamin Guyette, also a junior from Due West, placed among the 97th percentile and was ranked third in the state.

The National Spanish Exam is an online, standardized assessment tool given voluntarily by more than 3,000 teachers throughout the United States to measure proficiency and achievement of students who are studying Spanish as a second language. Students scoring above the 50th percentile are recognized as follows: students scoring at or above the 95th percentile receive a gold medal placement certificate; students scoring from the 85th through the 94th percentiles receive a silver medal placement certificate; students scoring from the 75th through the 84th percentiles receive a bronze medal placement certificate; and students scoring from the 50th through the 74th percentiles receive a honorable mention certificate.

Twenty-one GSSM students also placed at the 50th percentile or higher, including: Jenny Burnett, Rock Hill; Elizabeth Cannon, West Columbia; Paige Catotti, Aiken; Junda Chen, Fort Mill; Grace Dion, Sumter; Latoya Dixon, Columbia; Evan Eskew, Campobello; Lauren Fender, Greer; William Gunter, Lake Wylie; Dylan Hale, York; Ursula Harrison, Seneca; Caleb Hughes, Kingstree; James Hyun, Greenville; Annie Kwon, Seneca; Ashley McClary, Lane; Maliek McKnight, Columbia; Elizabeth Rasheed, Pawleys Island; Luke Rogers, Bennettsville; Molly Tansey, Pawleys Island; Timothy White, Hilton Head; and Henry Zhang, York.

For more information on the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics, please contact Jacqulyne Pouncey at the GSSM Foundation at 803-252-9152 or [email protected].