Worcester residents have two reasons to celebrate this week: the Worcester Public Schools (WPS) received the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s highest district honor for the State Seal of Biliteracy, and a hometown chef will appear on Food Network’s popular competition series, Chopped.
On Monday, Nov. 9, the department announced that 55 districts were recognized for their work with the seal, and only two districts earned the new Platinum Star Award – Worcester Public Schools and Boston Public Schools. Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez presented the award to Jessica Mandes, WPS director of multilingual education, and Michelle Huaman, the district’s world‑language curriculum specialist, who accepted on behalf of the district. Superintendent Brian E. Allen said the award confirms the district’s commitment to “supporting students with earning the Seal of Biliteracy,” calling bilingualism “a true gift that opens the door to a lifetime of additional opportunities, while promoting cultural inclusivity.”
The Platinum Star distinction requires at least 200 students or 30 % of a graduating class to earn the seal and to meet three equity benchmarks that track seal attainment among current English learners, former English learners, “ever” English learners and students with disabilities. Worcester met the benchmarks for current, former and “ever” English learners. Statewide, 4,793 students earned the seal in 2025. WPS credited school‑based coordinators – Ofelia Maskewich (North High), Jailene Muñoz (South High), Araceli Esqueda (Doherty High), Adriana Perez Sabido (Burncoat High), Monica Echevarria (Claremont Academy) and Yenilda Melendez (Worcester Technical High) – for running the program, with Huaman overseeing districtwide coordination.
In a separate celebration of local talent, Erin Hockey, a chef at the American‑Korean restaurant Simjang (72 Shrewsbury St.), will compete on the Food Network episode “Meat Your Match” of Chopped. The episode airs Tuesday, March 5 at 9 PM on Food Network (channel 62 on Charter Spectrum, 732 on cable, 231 on DirecTV) and streams via Hulu, YouTube TV and Amazon Prime. The competition pits four female butchers against each other for a $10,000 prize, with challenges that include breaking down a large piece of beef, working with fresh chickpeas, and showcasing butcher skills on a savory ingredient. Simjang has invited patrons to gather around a big screen to cheer on Hockey during the broadcast.
What’s next: Worcester Public Schools will showcase the Platinum Star achievement at upcoming district events and continue expanding seal access for all students. Residents can tune in to Food Network on March 5 at 9 PM to support Erin Hockey’s appearance on Chopped and celebrate Worcester’s culinary presence on a national stage.
