In Virginia Beach, 23 teachers were named Gold Star Teachers by the educational non-profit organization, Working in Support of Education (WISE). To receive the Gold Star Award, a teacher must achieve a 90-percent pass rate in at least one of their classes on the WISE Financial Literacy Certification test during the 2013-2014 school year.

According to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) press release, this national standardized test is administered to students at the end of a course on personal finance. Students who pass the test earn the WISE Certified Financially Literate designation, which demonstrates that they are financially capable when they graduate.

Veronica Salcedo, Bayside High; Donna Draeger, Caroline Myers and Debborah Robertson, First Colonial High; Dean Howard and Christine Maloney, Floyd Kellam High; Ana Badolato, Travis Elliott, Abraham Goldstein, Andrew Holston and Stacey Landini, Frank W. Cox High; Sue Hitchings, Vernon King and Rachel Young, Landstown High; James Cartwright and Dorothy Neal, Ocean Lakes High; Jason Barefoot, Shannon Drury and Ineiceola Goodwin, Princess Anne High; Hope Costanza and Vincent Pugh, Salem High; and Cynthia Rinaldi and Sharon Sides, Tallwood High all were recognized.

In addition to the staff recognitions, nine Virginia Beach high schools were named Blue Star Schools by WISE. Bayside High, First Colonial High, Kellam High, Cox High, Landstown High, Ocean Lakes High, Princess Anne High, Salem High and Tallwood High were all honored for students’ performance on the 2013-2014 WISE Financial Literacy Certification test.

In order to earn the Blue Star recognition, a school must have a 75 percent pass rate on the test. Additionally, the school must have either a majority of students in a particular grade level take the test or have the students who took the test achieve an average score of 80 percent or higher.

For more information about the designation, visit the VDOE website.