Madeira Latin Wins State

Each March, the Ohio Junior Classical League (OJCL) hosts a convention in Columbus which brings together around 400 students, teachers, and parents from across the state of Ohio to celebrate the study of Latin and participate in competitive activities. Out of 23 schools in attendance this year, Madeira Latin placed first in overall sweepstakes points.

Activities include contests in poetry and modern myth, grammar, mythology and daily life, graphic art contests, creative art contests and Certamen - a Latin quiz game. There are club projects including Banner, Music Video and Service. In addition, the convention offers a number of social and learning activities, including Colloquia with presentations from the University of Cincinnati’s Classics Department and Legio XIII, karaoke, a toga banquet, and OJCL’s Got Talent. State Convention is also an opportunity for students to run for the OJCL Executive Board.

In this, the 75th year for the convention, Madeira’s 52 student participants received 1,324 overall sweepstakes points followed by Summit with 1,236 points and Indian Hill with 1,094. This is the first time for Madeira Latin to receive first place since Magistra Jen Bruening started as Madeira’s Latin teacher in the fall of 2008, 18 years ago. The club has only achieved this one other time, during previous Madeira Latin Teacher Magistra Kay Fluharty’s last year as the teacher in March 2008.

Results of club contests were Banner (Superior) led by Ava Tinsler, Digital Scrapbook (Superior) led by Avery Craig and Jocey Rindels, and Publication (Superior) led by Scarlett Shonk. Madeira won the Large School Spirit Award and had the Best Overall T-Shirt. Winning Best in Show were Beckham Vanderstelt (Photography), Caleb Feldmeyer, (Costume), Scarlett Shonk (Doll), Ellie Torgersen (Latin Recitation), and Jocey Rindels (Dramatic Interpretation).

Winning Overall Individual Awards for creative arts, graphic arts, and individual points were Luke Pease, Elsie Thomas, and Sam Wagner. The top scorer for Madeira was Junior, Luke Pease, who scored 146 points - over 10% of Madeira’s total points

Co-Presidents of Madeira’s Latin Club are senior Matteo Caggioni and junior Luke Pease.