HCCSA Blog

HCCSA Latin Team Wins 3^rd Place in the Nation

Hill Country Christian School of Austin’s chapter of the National Junior Classical League attended their first National Convention this year.  The 56^th Annual National Junior Classical League Convention was held July 27 – August 1 at the University of California, Davis.  It was an exciting week, filled with competition, camaraderie, and classics.  HCCSA’s eleven students performed extraordinarily well in contests as diverse as Certamen (Latin Quiz Bowl), Graphic Arts, Costume, Academic Tests, and Olympika (sports).  This year’s convention was held on the beautiful campus of the University of California at Davis.  Over 1500 students from around the nation attended, along with their teachers and chaperones.  A summary of the accomplishments of HCCSA students in every area of competition is included below.

Certamen Team      

          One of the many events that occurs at the National Convention is called Certamen, Latin for struggle.  It is a quiz-bowl style game in which three teams of four players each buzz in to answer questions on Latin grammar, Latin vocabulary, Classical Mythology, and Roman history and culture.  A combined Certamen team, consisting of players from both HCCSA and St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, won State in the Novice Division of Certamen to advance to Nationals.  HCCSA has had a Latin Club and Certamen Team since October of 2006.  St. Andrew’s has a long and illustrious history as one of the best Certamen programs in the nation.  The teams combined after the Regional competition to create only Novice Division Certamen teams in the Central Texas since 1987 to represent Texas at Nationals. 

          The team consisted of four players and four alternates, all of whom earned their positions by points challenges during the thrice weekly summer practices.  The HCCSA players, whose specialties are listed after their names, were Jonathan Mitchell (captain and language skills), Shane Jasek (mythology), and Laura Mahaney (history and culture).  HCCSA’s alternate player was Jack Horton, the language skills alternate.  St. Andrew’s players were Connor Butler (all-around), Trace Turner (mythology alternate), lSt. Andrew’s all-around alternate was Rachel Dimston (all around alternate) and Robert Luke (all around alternate).The HCCSA coaches were Madalyn Roth and Erin Valdez, and the St. Andrew’s coaches were Lauren Dill and Nathan Michaud. 

          In the preliminary rounds at Nationals, the Novice team was one of fifteen teams from across the nation to compete for enough points to advance to the Semi-Final round.  Having accomplished this, the Novice team faced elimination in the Semi-Finals against Louisiana and Tennessee.  In a very exciting twist, HCCSA’s mythology player, Shane Jasek, was disqualified on a technicality before the round could begin.  As a result, mythology alternate Trace Turner, was subbed in the last minute.  Tennessee and Texas kept Louisiana scoreless.  Texas led Tennessee by a margin of ten points going into the final question, which was to be mythology.  Each correct buzz is worth ten points, and players can earn up to twenty by answering correctly bonus questions.  Thus, Texas had to beat Tennessee on the last question or most likely be eliminated.  Connor Bulter buzzed in before the question could be finished to score the last buzz for Texas, thus advancing the team to the Finals. 

          In Final Round of the Novice Certamen Division, Texas faced the perennial powerhouses of Florida and Virginia.  The Texas line-up was Jonathan Mitchell, Shane Jasek, Laura Mahaney, and Connor Butler.  It was an exciting and hard-fought round in which Florida in the end prevailed over Virginia and Texas.  HCCSA’s players represented the state of Texas and their school with honor and excellence and are determined to claim the Intermediate Division National Championship next year.  The team and their coaches encourage spectators come to the Certamen tournaments held through out the school year.  Information on this season’s line-up can be obtained by contacting Erin Valdez.

Academic Contests

          Students were able to take eighteen individual Academic tests on subjects related to the classics, such as Latin Grammar, Latin Vocabulary, Latin and Greek derivatives, Classical Mythology, Greek and Roman history, and many more.   Individuals received ribbons or certificates for scores in the top ten places of their category. 

          Aidan Aannestad, Level II:

·        Greek Derivatives, First Place

·        Latin Derivatives, First Place

·        Academic Heptathlon, Third Place

·        Reading Comprehension, Third Place

·        Ancient Geography, Fifth Place

·        Hellenic History, Sixth Place

·        Latin Literature, Sixth Place

·        Latin Vocabulary, Sixth Place

          Aidan Aannestad, Level III:

·        Advanced Grammar, First Place

           Dacien Barnes, Level ½ :

·        Greek Derivatives, Fifth Place

·        Hellenic History, Ninth Place

          Nathan Brown, Level ½ :

·        Classical Art, First Place

·        Latin Vocabulary, First Place

·        Mottoes, Fifth Place

·        Ancient Geography, Seventh Place

·        Roman History, Seventh Place

·        Reading Comprehension, Tenth Place

          Jack Horton, Level ½ :

·        Reading Comprehension, Second Place

·        Latin Vocabulary, Fourth Place

·        Latin Grammar, Seventh Place

          Jesse Jasek, Level II:

·        Mythology, Tenth Place

           Shane Jasek, Level 1:

·        Mythology, Sixth Place

          Jonathan Mitchell, Level I:

·        Latin Vocabulary, First Place

·        Latin Grammar, Eighth Place

·        Latin Literature, Tenth Place

Graphic Arts

          The Creative Arts division includes competitions in classically themed photography, posters, greeting cards, mixed media, games, sculpture, dolls, and many, many more.  HCCSA’s impressive results are listed below.  Individual sweepstakes points are assigned for each fifth place or better award.  Chloe Policke, who spent her summer in arts classes and creating her entries, won HCCSA’s first overall sweepstakes award, Sixth Place in the Graphic Arts.  For more information on the Graphic Arts competitions and how to get involved, contact Madalyn Roth.

          Joshua Andrews, Grade Ten

·        Greeting Cards, First Place

·        Computer Photo, Fifth Place

·        Traditional Photo, Sixth Place

          Laura Mahaney

·        Traditional Scrapbook, Small, Ninth Place

          Chloe Policke, Grades 7-9.  Overall Graphic Arts Sweepstakes Award, Sixth Place.

·        Jewelry, First Place

·        Games, Second Place

·        Glass, Second Place

·        Textiles, Second Place

·        Acrylic/Oils, Third Place

·        Charcoal, Third Place

·        Posters: Drawn, Third Place

·        Charts: Drawn, Third Place

·        Mosaics, Sixth Place

·        Maps, Sixth Place

·        Watercolor, Sixth Place

·        Illustrated Quotes, Sixth Place

·        Colored Pencil, Ninth Place

Creative Arts

The Creative Arts division includes competitions in Costume, Dramatic Interpretation (memorization of a Latin passage and dramatic oral delivery thereof), Latin Oratory (delivery of an Latin speech), and many more.  For more information on how to take part in Creative Arts competitions, contact Madalyn Roth. 

          Joshua Andrews, Level II

·        Costume -  Boys, Third Place (Pluto)

          Lindy Martin, Level I

·        Costume – Girls, Second Place (Ceres)

          Laura Mahaney, Level I

·        Costume – Girls, Eighth Place (Ceres)

·        Costume – Couples, Second Place (Antony and Cleopatra)

          Jonathan Mitchel, Level I

·        Costume – Couples, Second Place (Antony and Cleopatra)

Olympika (Athletics)

Olympika contests included swimming and track events this year.  HCCSA had several impressive athletes who competed in this events with students from around the nation.

          Dacien Barnes, Junior Boys:

·        50-yard Butterfly, Third Place

·        50-yard Freestyle,  Third Place

          Laura Mahaney, Junior Girls

·        50-yard Breaststroke, Sixth Place

          Chloe Policke, Junior Girls

·        200 Meter Track, Forth Place

·        100 Meter Track, Fifth Place