For the first time since 2000, Academy hosted the regional Latin Forum on Saturday, February 4 and ended up first in Academics and second in Athletic competitions and first place in overall in points.  Among the middle and high schools from three different counties,  the girls earned a total of 18 first-place ribbons, in addition to placing frequently in the top five of their respective categories.

First-place winners include: Sherine Hamade, Sarah Castillo, Alyssa Piccari, Carmelle Kuizon, Margret Shumake, Shae Timmons, Maddie Cahill, Hannah Hancock, Natalie Hahn, Carmen Mendez, Natalie Yob, Cassidy Gourley, Emily Dever, Becca Patterson, Carrie Donica, Sarah Davis, and Josie Little.

Hosting a multi-school event can cause major stress. If the stress weren’t enough, imagine other activities happening at the same time. The Latin Department had to plan around an alumna wedding in the Academy chapel, a soccer tournament on the soccer field, and a birthday party. The biggest concern about all of these events was the amount of parking spots. Latin students were encouraged to carpool, get dropped off by their parents, or even walk, if possible.

During the weeks prior to the event, Mrs. Amy Kafantaris, World Languages Department Chair and Latin teacher, tackled the registration papers of fourteen schools. More than 500 students attended. Because of the many different conflicts, Mrs. Kafantaris, with the help from Latin students, reviewed registration forms by each student name, one by one, in order to seek conflicts in scheduling events.

Mrs. Kafantaris said, “Originally, I had thought I read “Wedding Rehearsal” when planning Forum. However, when I checked again after distributing the registration papers, I saw “Wedding.” The biggest challenge of the planning was trying to get everything done prior to 4 pm when the guests arrived for the wedding.”

On the morning of Latin Forum, all schools gathered in the Brady Center for an opening ceremony. Principal Mrs. Camille Jowanna welcomed everyone with a prayer in Latin, followed by Mrs. Kafantaris, who reviewed the schedule of the day.

Afterwards, the students took the academic tests they signed up for at time of registration.  The tests covered many areas of classical subjects.  The test categories included: Ancient Geography, Classical Art, Grammar, Greek Derivatives, Greek Life & Literature, Hellenic History, Latin Derivatives, Latin Literature, Mythology, Reading Comprehension, Roman History, Roman Culture, Vocabulary, and Mottoes, Abbreviations & Quotations.

After the tests were completed, three different events happened at the same time: Creatives, Olympika, and Certamen.

Students participating in Creatives either submitted pre-made art projects, including drawings and pottery, performed dramatic interpretations, or created their own costumes by hand. Olympika ran similar to track and field events with athletic contests, including a mile run, 100 meter dash, long jump, and friscus. Also, schools created catapults. One unique race was the Atalanta race, in which one boy and one girl competed together. The race recreated the well-known myth of Melanion’s Golden Apples. Certamen was a type of quiz-bowl game with trivia questions that range from grammar to culture. Each team consisted of four members. Teams played two rounds, with 10 questions each excluding bonus questions.

Because a few athletic events ran late, tallying the final scores delayed the awards ceremony as well. However, the delay did not stop the enthusiasm of the students. As everyone awaited the scores, Academy students led the rest of the schools in a “Wave”. Once Mrs. Kafantaris stepped into the Brady Center, everyone in the room cheered.

Ribbons of the top five scorers were given in each category. Organized PowerPoints with the names of winners projected onto the screen of the stage as Mrs. Kafantaris read each name.

The Academy’s team results are as follows:

Grade 9: Sherine Hamade: 2^nd pl. Mottoes; 1^st pl. Customs

Sarah Castillo: 1^st pl. Pentathlon; 2^nd pl. Geography

Lauren Calka: 3^rd pl. Pentathlon

Frances Kratz: 4^th pl. Pentathlon; 5^th pl. Geography; 2^nd pl. 100 meter

Alyssa Piccari: 1^st pl. Classical Art

Tiffany Reyes: 3^rd pl. Classical Art; 4^th pl. Greek Derivatives

Maggie Brekka: 3^rd pl. Classical Art/ 5^th pl. Illustrated Booklet

Eleeza Santos: 3^rd pl. Customs; 3^rd pl. 100 meter

Mica Wiley: 3^rd pl. Customs

Jacqueline Do: 5^th pl. Customs

Nicole Sanchez: 3^rd pl. Derivatives I

Caroline Kimbler: 4^th pl. Derivatives I; 5^th pl. Greek Derivatives; 3^rd pl. catapult

Denni Abrahan: 3^rd pl. geography

Juliana Sowers: 4^th pl. Geography; 4^th pl. Mythology

Liv Gessner: 2^nd pl. Greek Derivatives; 3^rd pl. Mythology

Olivia Brink: 3^rd pl. Greek Derivatives

Carmelle Kuizon: 4^th pl. drawing; 1^st pl. 100 meter

Rachel Anderson/Theresa Grandoff: 2^nd pl. Couple Costume

Trysten Flechas: 4^th pl. 100 m

Grade 10:  Margret Shumake: 1^st pl. Classical Art II; 2^nd pl. mile

Hannah McCarthy: 2^nd pl. Classical Art II; 4^th pl. History of the Republic II

Shae Timmons: 3^rd pl. Classical Art II; 1^st pl. long jump

Maddie Cahill: 1^st pl. Customs II

Hannah Hancock: 1^st pl. Derivatives II

Theresa Lopez: 4^th pl. Derivatives II; 3^rd pl. Dramatic Reading

Janelle Enriquez: 5^th pl. Derivatives II; 4^th pl. Geography II

Hilda Delgado: 3^rd pl. Geography II

Siobhan Plummer: 5^th pl. Geography II; 3^rd pl. Mottoes II

Natalie Hahn: 1^st pl. Greek Derivatives II; 1^st pl. mile

Carmen Mendez:  1^st pl. Greek Lit. II

Natalie Yob: 5^th pl. Hellenic History II; 1^st pl. costume

Cassidy Gourley: 1^st pl. Latin Lit. II

Gabrielle Madden: 2^nd pl. Mottoes II

Argie Cabalan: 4^th pl. Mottoes II

Colleen McInerney: 4^th pl. Myth II; 4^th pl. long jump

Emily Dever: 1^st pl. declamation; 3^rd pl. long jump; 1^st friscus

Becca Patterson: 5^th pl. Miscellaneous art; 1^st pl. 100 meter

Grade 11: Carrie Donica: 2^nd pl. Adv. Derivatives; 1^st pl. Greek Derivatives

Li Stalder: 3^rd pl. Adv. Derivatives

Karen Cornett: 4^th pl. Greek Derivatives Adv.

MK Khan: 2^nd pl. Adv. History of the Republic

Emily Jeffrey: 2^nd pl. Pottery

Grade 12: Sarah Davis: 4^th pl. Reading Comprehension; 1^st pl. Dramatic Reading

Josie Little: 1^st pl. Adv. Derivatives

Helen Barrett: 5^th pl. History of the Empire

Katie Elliott: 2^nd pl. Latin Lit. Adv.

Mary Green: 5^th pl. Mottoes Adv.

TEAM AWARDS:

4^th Certamen

2^nd Athletics

1^st Academics

1^st OVERALL IN EVERYTHING!!! REGIONAL CHAMPS!!!!