Schools

AMSA Latin Club Comes Home with a Win From Nationals

The Advanced Math and Science Academy Latin Team just returned from the National Junior Classical League Convention held at the Eastern Kentucky University. They competed against Latin students from all over the country as well as Canada.

 

It all came down to the final question, which began, “Postumius Albinus…” The National Certamen Championship was at stake. How would you answer?

The Final round of Novice Level Certamen took place on Friday, July 29, at the National Junior Classical League Convention, which was held at Eastern Kentucky University this year. Latin students from around the country and Canada spent a week competing in academics, athletics, and the arts. Among the delegates were six students from the JCL chapter of the in Marlborough: Hope Clairmont (Berlin), Katharine Hodge (Marlborough), Timothy Morrissey (Ashland), Amol Punjabi (Northborough), Rahi Punjabi (Northborough), and Meghana Vagwala (Grafton). Students were accompanied by their teachers, Nancy Sinacola and Emily Lewis, and two parents who drove them to the convention site in Richmond, Kentucky.

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The Junior Classical League is the second largest student organization in the country. Dedicated to encouraging an interest in and appreciation for language, literature, and culture of the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome, the JCL also seeks to impart an understanding of the debt our modern culture has to that of Classical antiquity. This year, the JCL celebrated its 75th anniversary and held its 58th annual convention.

An exciting component of the convention is always the national certamen competition. Certamen is a Jeopardy-like team competition in which students answer questions about Latin vocabulary and grammar, history, culture, and mythology. There are three levels based upon the student level of Latin study: Novice (Latin 1), Intermediate (Latin 2), and Advanced (Latin 3 and above). Each state may send one team of four in each division. Since first being introduced in 1972, the competition has been dominated by the states of Florida, Virginia, and Texas, which together have won a total of 78 championships at the various levels. Massachusetts has won 2 previous certamen championships, in 2005 and 2008.

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After the Massachusetts JCL Convention in late April, teachers from several schools started working together to prepare and select students for the state teams. Following weeks of face-to-face practices held twice a week at Boston University and AMSA and online practices held three or more times per week, team decisions were announced. Rahi Punjabi and Meghana Vagwala were on the Intermediate team, coached by AMSA teacher Emily Lewis, who was assisted by Boston University student Michael Howard. Katharine Hodge, Timothy Morrissey, and Amol Punjabi joined Boston Latin School student Christopher Liao on the Novice team, coached by Nancy Sinacola (of AMSA) and Sheri Hausey (of BLS). Meghana and Amol also were named captains of their respective teams.

The Massachusetts team dominated in the Novice preliminary rounds, scoring 310 points in its first round. (The maximum score for one round is 400.) In every round, the Novices got an early lead, kept the pressure on, and won. Going into the semifinal round, the Massachusetts Novice team had scored 615 points and was in first place. Although all the Massachusetts teams earned a place in the semi-final round, only the Novice team won their round against teams from Ohio and Illinois, putting them in the finals to face the teams from Florida and Virginia. The team spent time Thursday evening and Friday morning with the coach of the Advanced team, Kevin Cox, reviewing and analyzing possible topics for upcoming questions. At last, as 10 a.m. approached, the team and supporters from among the Massachusetts delegates walked to Brock Auditorium for the final round.

Unlike their performances in earlier rounds, the team got off to a slow start as Virginia buzzed in and scored quickly on the first three toss-up questions. Massachusetts answered a few questions, but Virginia and Florida kept winning toss-up questions and staying ahead. The team was far behind at the halfway point score check: 75-75-30 (VA-FL-MA). A question and its bonus questions about the Aeneid gave Massachusetts competitors a needed boost, and they followed up by winning points on history and language questions. Team members stayed focused and played well, but they could not shut out the other teams. After question 19, with one question to go, the team was trailing: 105-120-105 (VA-FL-MA), and coaches and teachers were biting their nails.

“I put my head in the shoulder of another teacher,” recalls Ms. Lewis, “I couldn’t watch.”

Question 20 was begun, “Postumius Albinus…” but not finished as Virginia buzzed in early to answer. When the wrong answer was given, the moderator resumed the question but, again, did not finish: “Postumius Albinus, Caecil—” Novice captain Amol Punjabi buzzed in to answer calmly: “Jugurtha.” The score edged up to 115, pushing Massachusetts into second place.

Asked about that moment, Amol explained that he knew there had to be one more question about Republic History, and he knew exactly what the first two persons named had in common.

“I knew I had to take the chance,” he concluded.

The team then correctly answered the first bonus that Sulla was Marius’ lieutenant who had orchestrated the capture of Jugurtha, and they moved into a tie for first place. It all came down to the final bonus, the name of Jugurtha’s father-in-law: Bocchus. Final score: 105-120-125 (VA-FL-MA).  With the final question, the team secured the third ever National Certamen victory for Massachusetts. Certamen Chairperson Tom Reed and National Committee member Christine Conklin agreed that this had been one of the best certamen rounds in years.

“It was a stunning finish,” recalled Mr. Cox, who was observed jumping out of his seat at the moment of victory.

The AMSA students brought home other accolades. All the delegates won ribbons for individual competitions in sight reading, dramatic interpretation, swimming Olympika, graphic arts, and academic tests. In the sweepstakes contest (combined place scores), Katharine Hodge finished ninth, Timothy Morrissey seventh, and Amol Punjabi third. Amol also finished first in academics and won a third place trophy for the Lillie B. Hamilton Award (for all-around achievement). The AMSA Latin Club newsletter, The Via AMSA, finished fourth in the Local Publications contest: the club’s website placed fourth; and the scrapbook finished second in the medium school division.

For now, the most visible sign of their success is the Susan Schearer Trophy for Novice Certamen. The student names will be engraved on the trophy, and it will be displayed at both AMSA and Boston Latin School. Next July, the Massachusetts delegation will bring the trophy to the next NJCL Convention, which will be held at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and the competition will begin again.

The NJCL theme for the coming year is from the Latin author Horace: “Dimidium facti qui coepit habet,” or “He who has begun has half the deed done.” AMSA’s Latin Club, with over 100 members, clearly has begun and will be a strong contender in competitions to come.

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