​The San Diego County Office of Education recently ​honored school district leaders for their work in biliteracy. More than 400 parents, teachers, administrators, and school board members were in attendance for the 17th Annual Biliteracy Symposium.

"The purpose of the awards program is to promote biliteracy as an educational asset and celebrate our achievements," said Nenette Adelson-Rodriguez, director, Instructional Innovation, Dual Language and High School Transformation at the San Diego County Office of Education. "Biliteracy means a student has access to a rigorous curriculum that results in proficiency in two languages."

Awards were presented to 36 biliteracy leaders in 20 school districts. Education and community advocate Rosalia Salinas was presented with the Bea Gonzales Leadership in Biliteracy Award to recognize her decades of unwavering advocacy and leadership in support of biliteracy and equity for English learners.

San Diego County, which opened its first dual language program in the 1970s, has been at the forefront of the dual language movement. Currently, there are about 80 dual language programs in San Diego County, up from 30 programs in 2008.

The 17th Annual Biliteracy Symposium took place at the San Diego Marriott in La Jolla. Corporate sponsors of the event included Achieve3000, Benchmark Education, Curriculum Associates, HMH School Publishers, Imagine Learning, Lingual Learning, Mission Federal Credit Union, and Sokikom.

2015 Leadership in Biliteracy Awards List

Cajon Valley Union: Governing Board    

Chula Vista Elementary: Nydia Cerecer, Froylan Villanueva          

Encinitas Union: Argelia Lopez, Belia Ventzke     

Escondido Union: Dr. Evangelina Pando-Solis, Cesar Carrasco     

Escondido Union High: Sharon von Maier

Fallbrook Union Elementary: Oscar Caralampio, Samuel Angulo 

Grossmont Union High: Saul Hernandez, Jason Martinez              

La Mesa-Spring Valley: Gabriela Temores National: Lissette Blanchet, Maria L. Duarte    

Lakeside Union: Gelia Cook, Leslie Hardiman      

Lemon Grove: Veronica Johnson. David Niss

Oceanside Unified: Dr. Gina Zyburt         

Ramona Unified: Theresa Grace, Monica Tepozano

San Diego Unified: Katherine Aud, Diana Yemha               

San Ysidro: Gloria C. Madera, Bertha Franco-Lopez          

Santee: Bonnie Jackson. Karla Ortiz

South Bay Union: Irene Robles, Erica Montoya

Sweetwater Union High: Antonia May, Florence Obedoza

Valley Center-Pauma Unified: Debbie Mixon, Susy Sanchez

Vista Unified: Dr. Carmelina Reyes, Mireya Spacher