The California Junior Classical League (JCL) State Convention was held at Menlo School on April 13-14. This fun-filled two-day event, held each spring, brought nearly 1,150 Latin and Greek student JCL members together from across California and Nevada to compete in academics, the arts, and athletics as well as take part in engaging social activities. Students competed in certamen (Roman Jeopardy); gave dramatic presentations in Latin and English; took any of 14 different academic tests; and wrote essays, original myths, poems, and slogans. In addition, they had opportunities to enter artwork ranging from small and large models, jewelry, mosaics, photography and board games to pastels, oils, and ink and pencil drawings as well as to compete in Impromptu Art. The musically inclined participated in a piano competition, a talent show, and a rap battle—Roman style.

Students also enjoyed numerous other engaging and challenging opportunities including:

• A Hackathon based on classical themes,
• A STEM challenge to create a working mini-catapult
• Athletic competitions, as the Romans would have loved including, basketball, soccer, volleyball, swimming, track and field, ultimate frisbee, dodgeball, and even Quidditch.
• Students will also design cards for American soldiers and donate money for fire victims through Go Fund Me with their snack bar profits. They are also raising money for college scholarships with a coin war.
• And just for fun: Project Runway with ancient gods, Bubble Soccer, three Escape Rooms with classical clues, Harry Potter Trivia, a Spelling Bee of English words coming from Latin, Myth Jenga, cookie decorating, edible mosaic making, and a chance to learn to play Scopa, a popular card game in modern Mediterranean countries.

On the morning of Saturday, April 14, attendees dressed in Roman attire for a spirit contest and paraded to Menlo School’s Cartan field to watch the chariot races and a catapult contest. Later that afternoon, speakers from Stanford, UC-Berkeley, SFSU, UC-Davis, and many local high schools led workshops on topics as diverse as Ancient Witches, Dante’s Inferno, Early Italian, Hannibal’s Trip Across the Alps, Arachne, Dido and Aeneas, Latin Learning, How to Become a Writer of Ancient Mysteries, and more.

Finally, Legio VI out of LA was also on campus Saturday to help students understand the life of a Roman soldier. A Centurion and his wife (a mercatrix), a tribune, a standard-bearer (signifer), and a military doctor (medicus) were on hand to lend authenticity to the day.