Latin Students Attend National Convention at IU
During the last week in July, eleven Latin students from St. Andrew’s Upper and Middle School divisions attended the 63rd annual National Junior Classical League Convention held at Indiana University in Bloomington. This trip to the midwest also included visits to Purdue University, Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, as well as the Chicago Art Institute, Millennium Park, Chinatown, and the Magnificent Mile shopping district.
At the convention many students excelled in their academic, artistic, and athletic contests. Full results are listed below. A few St. Andrew’s students’ work was recognized for achievement in special contests during general assemblies of the entire convention. Walton Schmidt ‘17 won 4th place in the contest for State Digital Scrapbook in his capacity as the 2015-16 Historian for the Texas State JCL. (See the TSJCL Scrapbook.) Katherine Salinas ‘17 won 6th place in the State Publications contest for her work on the Torch, which was her responsibility as the 2015-16 TSJCL Editor. (Check out the Fall 2015 Torch.) William McKinnerney ‘17 was also recognized with a 9th place win for the State Website Contest for his design of the TSJCL website as 2015-16 TSJCL Webmaster. Walton Schmidt, elected as the 2016-17 President of TSJCL at the State Convention in April, led the Texas delegation at this National convention in many ways including state fellowship meetings each evening. Katherine Salinas served as the newly appointed 2016-17 Parliamentarian of TSJCL by moderating the voting state fellowship meeting where the students discussed and determined the Texas delegation’s votes for the new NJCL officers. Under the leadership of the TSJCL officers, the Texas delegation, which is notoriously difficult to coordinate due to its large size, won 2nd place in Spirit at one General Assembly. Additionally, Rachel Nezzer ‘17 and Will Snider ‘20 represented the Texas delegation during the State Roll Call competition with an entertaining “Star Wars”-cowboy skit.
Some St. Andrew’s graduates also attended the convention as members of the Senior Classical League which organizes many of the convention events such as the Olympika and Ludi athletic contests, the convention talent show “That’s Entertainment,” and publishing a daily semi-satirical newsletter, the “Convention Ear.” St. Andrew's alumnus Trace Turner '13 served as SCL Vice President during this past year and at the convention. At the end of convention, Trace was elected as NSCL Editor as well as TXSCL President for the coming year. Bryce Deskins ‘15 also attended and assisted as an SCL member and was elected TXSCL Treasurer for the next year.
Here are the complete NJCL contest results, reflecting students who placed 1st to 10th place in their contests:
FIRST PLACE
Tristram Coffin - Male Costume, Junior Level
Katherine Salinas - Traditional Photography, Grade 11
Emma Schmidt - Ludi Soccer
SECOND PLACE
Grace Zhao - Black Pencil Art, Grade 7-9
Grace Zhao - Mixed Media Art, Grace 7-9
THIRD PLACE
Henry Erlinger - Essay, Grade 7-8 Boys
Katherine Salinas - Essay, Grade 11 Girls
FOURTH PLACE
Walton Schmidt - State Digital Scrapbook
Emma Schmidt - Ancient Geography, Level 1/2
FIFTH PLACE
Rachel Nezzer - Essay, Grade 11 Girls
SIXTH PLACE
Katherine Salinas - Publications Contest
Katherine Salinas - Latin Oratory, Level 4
Emma Schmidt - Mottoes, Level 1/2
Emma Schmidt - Roman Life, Level 1/2
SEVENTH PLACE
Gray McKinnerney - Greek Life and Literature, Level 1
Katherine Salinas - Latin Sight Recitation, Level 4
EIGHTH PLACE
Gray McKinnerney - Mixed Media Art, Grade 7-9
Emma Schmidt - Reading Comprehension, Level 1/2
Walton Schmidt - Mottoes, Level 4
Will Snider - Essay, Grade 7-8 Boys
NINTH PLACE
William McKinnerney - State Website Contest
Katherine Salinas - Computer Enhanced Photography, Grade 11
TENTH PLACE
Emma Schmidt - Latin Derivatives, Level 1/2
Walton Schmidt - Latin Poetry Sight Reading, Level 4
Will Snider - Reading Comprehension, Level 1
