At Windham High School, JCL stands for Junior Classical League and their conventions and other activities revolve around Latin students learning and interacting together.
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| Windham High School Junior Classical League students gather while attending Maine's annual JCL spring overnight convention at a campsite in Winthrop. The event featured skits and competitions designed to foster interaction and student learning of Latin. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
“Hundreds of toga-wearing Latin students from across the state descend on a camp in the middle of the woods to race chariots, launch catapults, compete in Olympic games, make art, act in skits, and test their knowledge of Latin and Roman culture,” said David Dyke, WHS Latin teacher. “This event has been going on for decades and it’s rich in tradition and friendly rivalries. It’s competitive, welcoming, and nerdy in all the best ways.”
Not only were WHS Latin students able to show and learn about their language skills, but they were able to make new friends along the way. Students from different classes and Latin levels were mixed in together. Some of the students were able to form friendships with the ones they may not have talked to if it wasn’t for this event.
“We all instantly connected and had a great time messing around with each other. Since we didn't take everything as seriously as everyone else, we had such a great time goofing around,” said freshman Latin student Finn DeSilva.
Since being a newer school to this convention, other schools had taken it more seriously and competitively. However, the bottom line wasn’t to win or lose. Windham has taken the approach of going to the event to have a good time and take more valuable experiences out of the trip.
“In seventh grade I went on a camping trip with the Dare To Adventure group, and looking at it compared to where we went for this, this was thousands of times better,” said DeSilva.
For most students, this was their first overnight school field trip and haven’t participated in anything similar to this event.
“There was a costume contest that I was participating in at 8:30 p.m. It was pitch black and raining and I was in like 3-inch platform boots. We had to walk like half a mile through the muddy sand roads to a building that we had no clue to as to where the location of it was,” DeSilva said. “We all had a great time trying to find our way, using our phone flashlights, and yelling to each other to find our way. We showed up like 10 minutes late because we got lost on our way there, but when we showed up there were like 10 people there. I ended up winning the competition out of the six participants and am now receiving a ribbon.”
During a teenager's high school years, it is important for them to not only strive for academic success but also to set themselves up for success in other areas of study. When a person puts themselves out there, not only are they able to create a source of long-lasting memories, but also find passions and what they enjoy doing.
One day could change the future and a lifetime for those engaging in creating memories. Being able to dwell off of the memories created when younger can make someone try to make more, WHS Latin students say.
“This event has something for everyone. There are elections for officers if leadership is your thing, but there’s also athletics, there’s engineering, there’s art, there’s academics. All the aspects of Roman culture are there. Well, almost all. They skip gladiatorial combat,” said Dyke.
He said that this is a multidisciplinary event being taught in school.
“For example, one of our students worked with a WHS science teacher, Mr. Becker, to design this year’s catapult. And Mr. Riddle was gracious enough to donate some old climbing harnesses for the chariot, the building of which, in turn, Ms. Lane was kind enough to let a student use the shop for. And of course, Mr. Ziegler’s Quiz Show students were instrumental in Windham securing Second Place in Intermediate Certamen. A student researched and designed her own costume. Another student knitted a wig. I think one of our chants in the Spirit Contest incorporated something from a Chamber Singers piece. As a teacher, what makes this event special is saying, ‘look guys, here’s all these ways to get involved and do your thing, go for it,’” said Dyke.
Being able to bring everyone's different strengths into a team created what felt unstoppable to some. <
“In seventh grade I went on a camping trip with the Dare To Adventure group, and looking at it compared to where we went for this, this was thousands of times better,” said DeSilva.
For most students, this was their first overnight school field trip and haven’t participated in anything similar to this event.
“There was a costume contest that I was participating in at 8:30 p.m. It was pitch black and raining and I was in like 3-inch platform boots. We had to walk like half a mile through the muddy sand roads to a building that we had no clue to as to where the location of it was,” DeSilva said. “We all had a great time trying to find our way, using our phone flashlights, and yelling to each other to find our way. We showed up like 10 minutes late because we got lost on our way there, but when we showed up there were like 10 people there. I ended up winning the competition out of the six participants and am now receiving a ribbon.”
During a teenager's high school years, it is important for them to not only strive for academic success but also to set themselves up for success in other areas of study. When a person puts themselves out there, not only are they able to create a source of long-lasting memories, but also find passions and what they enjoy doing.
One day could change the future and a lifetime for those engaging in creating memories. Being able to dwell off of the memories created when younger can make someone try to make more, WHS Latin students say.
“This event has something for everyone. There are elections for officers if leadership is your thing, but there’s also athletics, there’s engineering, there’s art, there’s academics. All the aspects of Roman culture are there. Well, almost all. They skip gladiatorial combat,” said Dyke.
He said that this is a multidisciplinary event being taught in school.
“For example, one of our students worked with a WHS science teacher, Mr. Becker, to design this year’s catapult. And Mr. Riddle was gracious enough to donate some old climbing harnesses for the chariot, the building of which, in turn, Ms. Lane was kind enough to let a student use the shop for. And of course, Mr. Ziegler’s Quiz Show students were instrumental in Windham securing Second Place in Intermediate Certamen. A student researched and designed her own costume. Another student knitted a wig. I think one of our chants in the Spirit Contest incorporated something from a Chamber Singers piece. As a teacher, what makes this event special is saying, ‘look guys, here’s all these ways to get involved and do your thing, go for it,’” said Dyke.
Being able to bring everyone's different strengths into a team created what felt unstoppable to some. <
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