The winners of the 2023 Fall Qualifier Microsoft Office Specialist Arizona State Championship have been announced by Certiport, the leading provider of performance-based IT certification exams that accelerate academic and career opportunities for learners.

Winning 4^th in the Microsoft Office Specialist PowerPoint (Microsoft 365 Apps) Microsoft Office category and 9^th place in the Specialist Word (Microsoft 365 Apps) category is Enzo Borrego from Arizona Virtual Academy, Glendale. Enzo Borrego competed against students from across Arizona to earn this coveted placement.

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 15, 2023.

“We have seen amazing results from the Microsoft Office Specialist program at our school as students learn and validate key workforce skills,” said Dr. Erica Young-Jackson, CTE Administrator. “The Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship further motivates them to earn certification and we are proud of these students who have proven to be the best in our state. We know they will go on to make us proud at the U.S. National Championship in June.”

The first-place students will get to represent Arizona at the upcoming 2024 Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship in Orlando, Florida. During this event, they will compete in their exam track, network with other top students from around the United States and be celebrated. One winner per track will be named the U.S. National Champion and earn a trip to represent the United States and compete in the 2024 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship in Anaheim, California.

“We’re impressed by these students – not only have they proven they are the best in their state at using Microsoft Office products effectively. They now have an important distinction to place on their resume that shows a desire to learn and validate in-demand skills,” said Craig Bushman, General Manager, Certiport. “The title ‘Microsoft Office Specialist Champion’ will serve them well in their academic and career pursuits.”

Certiport’s Microsoft Office Specialist is the only official Microsoft-recognized certification for Microsoft Office globally and serves as a powerful instrument for assessing students’ skills and preparing them for real-world application of their knowledge.

For more information about the Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship visit us.moschampionship.com.

About Arizona Virtual Academy

Arizona Virtual Academy (AZVA) is an AdvancED-accredited, full-time online public charter school that serves Arizona students in kindergarten through 12th grade. As part of the Arizona public school system, AZVA is tuition-free and provides families the choice to access the curriculum and tools provided by K12, a Stride Company (NYSE: LRN). Stride offers learners of all ages a more effective way to learn and build skills for their future. For more information visit azva.k12.com.

About Certiport

Certiport, a Pearson VUE business, is the leading provider of certification exam development, delivery, and program management services delivered through an expansive network of over 15,000 Certiport Authorized Testing Centers worldwide. Certiport manages a sophisticated portfolio of leading certification programs including the official Microsoft Office Specialist certification program, the Microsoft Certified Fundamentals certification program, the Microsoft Certified Educator program, the Adobe^® Certified Professional certification program, the Autodesk Certified User certification program, the Intuit certification program, the App Development with Swift certification program, the Unity Certified User certification program, the Communication Skills for Business certification program, the IC3 Digital Literacy certification, and the Entrepreneurship and Small Business certification program. Certiport reliably delivers millions of tests each year throughout the secondary, post-secondary, workforce, and corporate technology markets in 148 countries and 26 languages worldwide. For more information, certiport.com or follow Certiport on Twitter at www.twitter.com/certiport.

"Certiport" is a registered trademark of NCS Pearson, Inc. in the United States and other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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