latestTorch - Colorado JCL

VOLUME 1 EDITION 1
SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
IN THIS ISSUE:
Written by:
✴ Welcome and Letter from the Editor
Melanie Sawyer
✴ Classics Day 2015
✴ Guest Contribution: High School Latin in Retrospect
✴ Upcoming Events & Announcements
COJCL Editor
[email protected]
THE TORCH
A COJCL PUBLICATION
Editor's Note: Salvete to all the new and returning members of COJCL! My name is
Melanie, and I'm serving as the editor for the 2015-2016 school year. I'm
currently a senior at Fairview High School enrolled in IB Latin 4. I really
enjoy playing the flute, making origami, and (of course) studying Latin!
I would love to include any artwork, poetry, comics, or articles that relate
to Roman History, Latin, or classics in general. Email me with any
questions or concerns! Spirit points will be awarded to contributors!
This edition will include pictures and reflections from the recent Classics
Day, as well as an article written by a college student who studied Latin in
high school.
!1
CO Classics Day 2015
SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
VOLUME 1 EDITION 1
On September 19th, students, teachers, and parents from all
over the state gathered on the CU campus to engage in a
variety of activities,
lectures, and events as
part of Colorado
Classics Day, the annual
CU-sponsored Classics
event. Students had the
opportunity to attend
workshops in the
morning, taught by
professors and other
experts in the field of
classics, on a wide
variety of topics- from
mosaics to animals in
the Ancient World.
Then, after a brief lunch
break, the local rocky
Mountain Romans
demonstrated various
weapons and artifacts
Above: A Classics Day bookmark, designed by
to an eager audience. To finish off the day,
Parliamentarian Evan Derby. Evan graciously
COJCL officers and sponsors held certamen and
distributed these to all of the attendees of this
meet-and-greet sessions, allowing older
year's event.
students to test their latin knowledge and
interact with other COlorado Latin students
Enormous thank you to Josh Whitaker, who
contributed a multitude of photos for this
article.
Left: Two members of the Rocky
Mountain Romans display their
elaborate costumes.
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VOLUME 1 EDITION 1
SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
Without the support and
enthusiasm of a multitude of CU
students, Classics Day would not
have been a success. Right,
volunteers greet attendees.
Christine Soh and Siri Gudavalli, both of
Fairview, attended the "Greek in a Day"
workshop.
Students vie for ducks
during one of the
afternoon Certamen
sessions
Type to enter text
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VOLUME 1 EDITION 1
SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
Young attendees learn about the intricacies of
ancient weapons as part of the presentation by
the Rocky Mountain Romans.
The coalition
of students
hailing from
The Classical
Academy,
presenting
their
introduction.
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VOLUME 1 EDITION 1
SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
Participants hard at work designing mosaics out
of foam, as part of the "Mosaics- the Ancient
Instagram" workshop.
The 2015-16 COJCL Officer's at CU
Classics Day. From left to right,
Katherine (Treasurer), Sky
(Machinator), Henry (Vice President),
Christine (Secretary), Melanie
(Editor), Evan (Parliamentarian), and
Matt (President). Check out
coloradojcl.org for more information on
each of the officers.
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Guest Contribution:
SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
VOLUME 1 EDITION 1
High School Latin in Retrospect
Written'by'Jake'Hansen,'FHS'alumni'
After'completing'four'years'of'Latin'at'Fairview'High'School'with'Ms.'Lynn'LiCalsi,'I'am'
currently'a'sophomore'at'the'University'of'Washington'in'Seattle'studying'mathematics'and'Russian'
language.'Looking'back'on'high'school'Latin'with'two'years'of'perspective,'it'is'fair'to'ask:'was'four'
years'of'Latin'language'really'worth'all'the'toil'and'trouble?'The'answer:'absolutely!'
'
The'reasons'I'decided'to'sign'up'for'Latin'1'way'back'when'K'well'that'is,'before'my'freshman'
year'in'high'school'K''are'common'ones:'I'wanted'to'expand'my'English'vocabulary,'improve'my'
grammar,'become'more'eloquent'[that'is'derived'from'the'deponent'verb'loqui&K'to'speak],'and'knock'
out'the'SAT'vocabulary'section'by'learning'the'roots'and'etymology'underlying'our'language.'
'
In'some'of'these'areas,'Latin'paid'off'greatly.'As'a'Russian'language'major'I'have'found'that'
Latin,'despite'being'an'entirely'unKslavic'language,'has'given'me'a'solid'grammatical'foundation'that'
has'been'helpful'in'learning'Russian.'Beyond'providing'a'good'understanding'of'the'functions'of'
different'noun'cases'and'syntactical'structures,'Latin'gave'me'great'ease'in'dealing'with'phenomena'in'
Russian'language'such'as'occasional'pronoun'omission'in'the'presence'of'a'verb,'lack'of'articles,'and'
lessKstructured'word'order.''
'
Venturing'outside'of'the'Slavic'and'Math'departments'last'quarter,'I'wandered'into'the'oldest'
building'on'the'University'of'Washington'campus,'Denny'Hall,'where'the'Classics'department'exists'in'
a'dusty'maze'of'old'castleKlike'rooms.'There,'I'signed'up'for'an'elective'K'Latin'307,'Virgil.'Having'not'
taken'any'Latin'for'almost'a'year'at'that'point,'I'was'nervous'that'a'thirdKyear'college'course'might'be''
extremely'stressful'and'well'over'my'head.'On'the'contrary,'it'ended'up'being'my'favorite'class'that'
quarter'K'many'rainy'mornings'were'spent'puzzling'together'the'great'poet's'sentences'over'large'
mugs'of'coffee,'and'relaxed'sociable'classes'followed,'where'we'discussed'grammar'and'reviewed'our'
translations'as'a'group.'However'excellent'high'school'Latin'was,'I'have'found'college'Latin'to'be'even'
better'K'the'class'sizes'are'tiny'(even'at'my'public'university,'which'is'very'very'large,'the'Vergil'class'
was'less'than'ten'students),'and'the'only'students'who'end'up'sticking'with'upperKlevel'classics'
courses'are'those'who'really'care'about'the'subject,'because'it'is'hard'K'but'it'is'also'very,'very'fun.'
Taking'that'Vergil'class'prompted'me'to'buy'a'booklet'of'Caesar's'Bellum&Gallicum&and'read'it'on'my'
own'over'the'summer'after'the'school'year'ended.'
'
Now,'six'years'after'^irst'signing'up'for'the'Latin'1'course'at'Fairview'High'School,'it'is'clear'to'
me'that'Latin'will'remain'a'part'of'my'life'for'a'long'time.'The'reason?'Despite'all'its'other'bene^its,'
studying'classical'literature'is'the'best'possible'mixture'of'puzzleKsolving'and'reading,'and'it'connects'
me'with'the'past'in'a'way'that'nothing'else'quite'can.'Translating'Latin'is,'despite'its'occasional'(okay,'
fairly'frequent)'frustrations,'peaceful,'interesting,'and'fun.
Oh'yes,'and'as'far'as'the'SAT'vocab'section'goes...'if'that'is'your'reason'for'taking'Latin,'then'just'
stick'to'memorizing'vocab'lists'out'of'those'big'evil'yellow''testKprep''booklets'that'College'Board'puts'
out'every'year...'like'I'said,'Latin'is'a'lot'of'work.''
'
'
'
'
Ave'atque'vale'
and'
всего хорошего!
Jake'Hansen
''
'
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VOLUME 1 EDITION 1
SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
Pre-Convention Film
Contest:
This year, the COJCL officers will be sponsoring a PreConvention film contest, open to all students. Make sure you
follow these guidelines when creating your masterpiece:
1. All films must be between 3-5 minutes.
2. All films must either be in English with Latin subtitles, or
Latin with English subtitles.
3. Films must clearly express a Roman/Latin theme.
4. Please do not include credits.
5. Submit films on a flash drive, in MP4 format, with an index
card containing:
-film title
-film length
-theme
-school
-names of students involved
The judging rubric will be on a 5-point scale with each of the
following categories:
-Accuracy of subtitles
-Adherence to theme
-Quality of film
-Characterization
-Enunciation
-Costumes/Set
-Originality
-Continuity/Fluidity/Transitions
-Engaging/ entertaining.
If you have any questions, please contact Matt at
[email protected].
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VOLUME 1 EDITION 1
SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
Announcements:
We are having an Instagram contest: share COJCL-related
images with the hashtag #cojcl2015 to win Spirit Points! (1
per picture).
Also, don't forget to submit photos, articles, or anything else
to the Torch. Submissions will earn 5 spirit points for your
school.
Upcoming Events:
If you missed out on Classics Day, fear not! We have a couple
more fun events this spring!
✴ March 6th: Certamen Online!
✴ April 14th-15th: CONVENTION!
For more information and updates, please visit
coloradojcl.org
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SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
VOLUME 1 EDITION 1
The 2015-16 COJCL Officer's at CU Classics Day.
From left to right, Katherine (Treasurer), Sky
(Machinator), Henry (Vice President),
Christine (Secretary), Melanie (Editor), Evan
(Parliamentarian), and Matt (President). Check
out coloradojcl.org for more information on each
of the officers.
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