The eight Herndon High School students at the National Junior Classical League Convention: Rear: Kyle Nielsen, Charlie Shen; middle row: Mary Ogborn, Christina Ngo, teacher Emily Lewis, Angie Ngo, Dora Drezga; front: Grace Bailey. Photo Contributed
Correction: Students from the Flint Hill School--Simon Van Der Weide, Calvin Lucido and Tiam AzabDaftari--were part of the winning team. Woo Jin Kim and Brandy Henricks-Marson were coaches.
Eight Herndon High School Latin students won the National Certamen championship in the National Junior Classical League Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
“They had a lot of fun and all of their hard work definitely paid off,” said Latin teacher Emily Anne Lewis, who accompanied the students to the National Junior Classical League Convention this year.
Bethany Abelseth also coaches the team. “We are extremely proud of their accomplishments,” she said.
Junior Kyle Nielsen was instrumental to the championship, said Lewis.
The trophy will be delivered to Herndon High School later this year.
“Certamen, while huge, is only one facet of this incredible week of celebrating and appreciating the Classics and their influence,” said Lewis.
National Junior Classical League Convention consists of many competitions in the fields of: academics (tests), certamen (quiz bowl), creative arts (oratory, costume), graphic arts (drawing, painting, models), athletics (track, swimming).
Kyle Nielsen earned first place in novice certamen, ninth place in the Roman history test, 10th place in the Latin derivatives test and fourth place in Boys 800 meter track.
Dora Drezga placed fifth in the Roman history test, 10th in the ancient geography test and sixth place in intermediate level certamen.
Christina Ngo was honored for fifth place in traditional photo, and fifth place in girls 800-meter track.
Selina Shupp earned sixth in jewelry creative arts and eighth in the girls costume contest.
Mary Ogborn placed 24th nationally in Latin vocabulary and grammar.
Freshly-minted Herndon High School alumni included: Grace Bailey (first place in small models graphic arts, eighth place in the ancient geography test, eighth place in the mythology test); Angie Ngo (fifth place in the literature test, 10th place in the mottoes, abbreviations and quotes test); and Charlie Shen: first place in reading comprehension prose, second place in advanced Latin grammar, third place in reading comprehension poetry, fourth place in academic heptathlon, Latin derivatives and Latin vocabulary, fifth place in mottoes, abbreviations and quotes and 10th overall in Academic contests and fifth place finish overall in Olympika Contests for excellent swimming results.