UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS EARN NATIONAL RECOGNITION ON SPANISH EXAM

Share this article with a friend.

May 6, 2026

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Notre Dame Prep students receive multiple medals and honors on prestigious national language assessment.

Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with hundreds of millions of native speakers across Spain, Latin America and the United States. Notre Dame Prep’s modern language program continues to help students develop strong proficiency and cultural understanding through rigorous coursework and immersive instruction.

Upper school students recently achieved outstanding results on the 2026 National Spanish Examinations, earning numerous awards, including gold, silver and bronze medals as well as several honorable mention distinctions.

Medal winners:
Gold medal: Paula Ceular
Silver medal winners: Sofia Arinez and Daniela Alonso
Bronze medal winners: Daniel Kim and Mateo Vargas

Honor award winners:
Antonella Kaminskas, Nicole Betancourt, Brandon Bieszki, Demiana Ibrahim, Grace Shina, Gabrielle Tarriman, Max Mermell, Olivia Serra, Flora Ramos, Rodrigo Encinas and Marc Abboud.

Modern language department chair and Spanish teacher Lilia Rapson praised the students for their dedication and achievement.

“These students worked incredibly hard throughout the year, and their results reflect both their commitment to learning the language and their enthusiasm for Hispanic culture,” Rapson said. “We are very proud of their accomplishments.”

The National Spanish Examinations are sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, an organization dedicated to promoting the study and teaching of Spanish and Portuguese languages and cultures at all levels of education.

“Attaining a medal or honorable mention on the National Spanish Examinations is a significant academic achievement,” according to the organization. Each year, tens of thousands of students from schools across the United States participate in the exams.

About the National Spanish Examinations

The National Spanish Examinations are administered annually to students in grades 6 through 12 and are among the most widely used assessments of Spanish language proficiency in the United States.

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.