In Minnesota, high school students can earn college credit for proficiency in a language besides English. The Minnesota Bilingual Seals Program has been around since 2014 to help recognize multilingualism as an asset.

The program recognizes 32 languages and this year for the very first time, a student was awarded a World Language Proficiency Certificate for Ojibwe. Tecumseh Fahrlander is a senior at Hinckley-Finlayson High School and is a member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.

He spoke with Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about the experience alongside Annie Huberty, the director of American Indian education at the Minnesota Department of Education.