For the first time, the World Language department will offer the National Spanish Exam to students currently enrolled in Spanish 3 at the Upper School, and to students currently enrolled in Spanish 1A at the Middle School.

This is the pilot year for the administration of the exam at Harvard-Westlake. Depending on the results, the World Languages department will decide whether it will continue to administer the test in future years.

“The national exam will tell us how our students measure up to other students around the nation,” upper school Spanish teacher and World Languages Department Head  Margot Riemer said. “There is really no excuse not to try it. Also, students who do well are eligible for prizes.”

The French and Latin programs have already been giving the Grand Concours, which is the equivalent of a national French exam, and the National Latin Exam, respectively, for years.

The Spanish program decided to follow and give its own test in order to give Spanish students the opportunity to take their own national exam.

“I think [the administration of the Spanish test] is great, because it proves our common effort to pursue the same objectives across languages,” French teacher Simona Ghirlanda said. “I hope in the future we will be able to extend this tradition to all levels of study.”

The National Spanish Exam will be taken during classes in the Tech Center on computers.

Students will not be required to stay after school to take the tests.