Over 120 Latin students, teachers, and SCL’ers (college students) from OH are down
here in Richmond KY at the Eastern Kentucky University campus for the annual
National Latin Convention.

To be precise:

  • 91 students
  • 16 Latin teachers (including all 3 OH State Chairs)
  • 2 National Committee Members (Mrs. Burgess & Ms. Elifrits)
  • 2 ACL’ers, 2 adult chaperones
  • 15 SCL’ers

GO OHIO!!!!

Sun the 24th – The Day Before Convention Starts

30 students met at Summit at 3 pm for the 2 hour trip to Richmond KY.  Our bus driver Norm had already been at school at 9 am due to a mix-up, but all was well.

It was HOT!  Everyone was sweating as we loaded the buses.

I went around to make sure that everyone was there and realized that recent Summit graduate Logan Nagel – a veteran of 5 National Conventions was not there.  Will Donovan gave him a call and handed the phone to me.  Logan sheepishly confessed that he thought the bus was leaving TUESDAY but would be at school soon.  Sure enough, within 20 minutes, Logan rolls up, tosses his luggage in the back, and hops on the bus.

Some fierce storms made the drive down rather stressful.  Many vehicles were pulling over to wait out the heavy rain, and there was an accident.  But the bus made it through the maelstrom safely and arrived on campus at 5:30.  For the next hour or so, everyone got their registration material and unloaded their stuff and got settled in their rooms.

Dinner was next, from 7-8 pm.  All meals during the week are in the college dining hall.  There was tons of variety:  pizza bar, pasta station, African food, Asian cuisine, deli sandwiches, salad bar.  The line for the soft ice cream was always about 10 deep.

At 8 pm, the local high school – Madison Central – put on the 1st performance (out of 5 this week) of ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.’  This play is based on the characters and themes of the Roman comic playwright Plautus and won Musical of the Year in 1962.  It includes the songs ‘Comedy Tonight’ and ‘Everybody Ought to Have a Maid.’  The audience really enjoyed the performance.

Here are a few pictures from the performance:

The slave Pseudolus is confronted by the Miles Gloriosus
The Senex reluctantly submits to a hug from his domineering wife.

Following the play was the nightly fellowship, where each state gathers to discuss the day’s events and to plan for tomorrow’s activities.  The OJCL Executive Board runs these gatherings.  All the members of the Board are students who were elected or appointed to their offices at convention or in the early spring.  Here are this year’s officers:

  • President Anna Delamerced (Summit)
  • 1st Vice President Mark Samaan (Summit)
  • 2nd Vice President Maddie Briner (Wyoming)
  • Parliamentarian Tom Carroll (Westlake)
  • Secretary Elizabeth Boor (Westlake)
  • Treasurer Heather Smith (Shaker Heights)
  • Gubernators/Regional Representatives:  Charlie Baddour (Westlake, NW), Nick Grewal (Columbus Academy, Central), A.J. Yule (Shaker Heights, NE), and Carolyn Boyce (Summit, SW)
  • Editor Susan Wallace (Madeira) – could not attend b/c of mandatory band camp
  • Historian Maggie Gray (Madeira) – could not attend b/c of mandatory band camp
Mark Samaan introduces himself to the OH delegation.
Maddie Briner addresses the OH fellowship.

The fellowship was pretty short, lasting about 30 minutes.

It was then back to the dorms for a good night’s sleep before the convention begins.  All students were in their rooms by 11:30.  Each day is long and filled with activities, and there are some nights when students do not get back into their rooms until midnight.