GRANITE CITY – Granite City High School had a pair freshmen place in the top-10 of the 2024 Fall Qualifier Microsoft Office Specialist Illinois State Championship, as announced by Certiport, the leading provider of performance-based IT certification exams that accelerate academic and career opportunities for learners.
Cristian Marquez placed seventh in the Microsoft Office Specialist PowerPoint category, while freshman Eli Prange was eighth in the Microsoft Office Specialist Excel category.
Marquez and Prange competed against students from across Illinois to earn this coveted placement. In addition to placing in their designated categories, both students earned the title “Microsoft Office Specialist” by obtaining certification in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
To compete in the Fall Qualifier, students aged 13 to 22 were eligible to participate in one of six competition tracks by submitting a qualified, passing score on the Microsoft Office Specialist Word, Excel®, or PowerPoint® certification exams by December 20, 2024.
“We have seen amazing results from the Microsoft Office Specialist program at our school as students learn and validate key workforce skills,” said Kellie Hutchings, GCHS Business Teacher. “We are proud of these students who have proven to be the best in our state.”
Certiport’s Microsoft Office Specialist, backed by Microsoft, is an industry-recognized certification program that assesses students’ Microsoft Office skills and prepares them for real-world application of their knowledge.
For more information about Granite City School District #9, visit www.gcsd9.net.
