1. There are about 7,000 languages in the world.
There are 50,000 characters in the Chinese language. You’ll need to know about 2,000 to read a newspaper!
The most spoken language in the world is Mandarin Chinese! 12.44% of the world’s population speaks Mandarin as their first language.

2. 12 languages are taught in Minneapolis Public Schools: American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, Dakota, French, German, Hmong, Japanese, Latin, Ojibwe, Somali, and Spanish.
And more than 100 languages are spoken by MPS students and their families!

3. There are currently 2,400 languages that are classified as ‘endangered’ and 231 languages are now completely extinct.
South Africa has 11 official languages – the most for a single country!
There are 6 official languages in the United Nations: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.
There are 12 imaginary languages in the Lord of the Rings series.

4. For recipients of
Minnesota World Language
Proficiency Certificates and Bilingual Seals

5. Elia Dimayuga-Bruggeman Deputy Education Officer
Welcome
Elia Dimayuga-Bruggeman Deputy Education Officer

6. Message from the Superintendent
Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Ed Graff

7. Ali Kofiro Counselor at Wellstone High School
Speaker
Ali Kofiro Counselor at Wellstone High School

8. World Language Proficiency Certificate
Honoring the Students
World Language Proficiency Certificate
Arabic – 3 Japanese – 1
Chinese – 9 Somali - 41
French – 37 Spanish – 319
Hmong – 13
Total: 423

9. Minnesota Bilingual Gold Seal
Honoring the Students
Minnesota Bilingual Gold Seal
Chinese – 12 Japanese – 12
French – 18 Spanish – 103
German – 1
*Awarded upon graduation Total: 146

10. Minnesota Bilingual Platinum Seal
Honoring the Students
Minnesota Bilingual Platinum Seal
Japanese – 1
French – 4
Spanish – 65
*Awarded upon graduation Total: 70

11. Honoring the Students Fadumo Mohamed (Southwest) Hlee Lee (Henry)
Certificate in Somali, Gold Seal in Japanese
Hlee Lee (Henry)
Certificate in Hmong, Gold Seal in Spanish
Rooble Noor (Wellstone)
Certificate in Somali and Arabic

12. Student Speakers Fadumo Mohamed Eli Barban Augsburg College
Southwest High School , Class of 2016
Eli Barban
Edison High School, Class of 2018

13. Congratulations!