National Junior Classical League

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The official seal of the National Junior Classical League
The official seal of the National Junior Classical League

The National Junior Classical League, or NJCL, is an organization of secondary school students sponsored by the American Classical League. Founded in 1936, the NJCL comprises Latin, Greek, and Classical chapters worldwide, including in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Italy. With over 50,000 members, the NJCL is the largest Classical organization today. Its mission is "to encourage an interest in and an appreciation of the language, literature and culture of ancient Greece and Rome and to impart an understanding of the debt of our own culture to that of classical antiquity." Its official colors are purple and gold.

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[edit] Conventions

Most state-level NJCL counterpart organizations with larger numbers of members hold annual conventions at locations central to their attendees, where schools compete in varied events. These events are divided into academic levels for scoring purposes (generally Roman numerals I-V); participation can be countywide, regional, or even statewide. Awards are given out to schools based on sweepstakes points by school size. Placing in most competitive events (e.g. academic tests, Certamina, art, costumes, poetry) earns sweepstakes points.

The NJCL hosts a weeklong national convention annually, generally in late July or early August, where 1200-1500 students compete in written tests and creative arts categories (such as oral Latin performances). Other components of the convention in which students may participate include competitive and non-competitive Certamen, seminars commonly known as Colloquia, and Ludi (literally "games"—various athletic and recreational events).

The 2007 National Convention was hosted by the Tennessee delegation at the University of Tennessee Knoxville from Tuesday, July 24 to Sunday, July 29. The theme, chosen by incoming president each year, was originally announced at the final General Assembly of the 2006 convention as simply "Carpe Diem" (to an audible groan of disappointment from the audience, given its overuse both colloquially, as well as its use in the recent past as a convention theme). The National Committee subsequently expanded it to the full "Carpe Diem, Quam Minimum Credula Postero" (written by Horace in Ode I-XI), which translates: "Seize the Day, Trusting as Little as Possible in Tomorrow."

The 2008 National Convention will be hosted at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. The theme, from Cicero's De Officiis, is Non nobis solum nati sumus, translated "We are not born for ourselves alone."

[edit] NJCL Song

Seeking the best, the highest our goal
Working for greatness through glories of old
Searching the realms of the golden past
We follow the Classics' truths that last

In knowledge, truth, and fellowship, we're growing every day!
The friendly hand of J-C-L!
Aids in every way

In Rome's proud steps we're marching on
With every true colleague
And forever we'll hold...
To the Purple and Gold...
Of the Junior Classical League!

[edit] Notes

Delegates generally join arms and sway as they sing, with two exceptions:

  • The swaying changes to clapping in unison at the lines "In knowledge, truth, and fellowship we're growing every day/The friendly hand of J-C-L!" and the last three words of the song; though on "J-C-L," the clapping changes to fist pumps before returning to swaying. These practices often cause syncopation issues.
  • Long holds at the lines ending with "hold" and "Gold" often also make uniform transitions to the following lines difficult.

[edit] NJCL Creed

We the members of the Junior Classical League, covenant to hand on the torch of classical civilization in the modern world.

We believe an acquaintance with the civilizations of Greece and Rome will help us understand and appraise this world of today, which is indebted to the ancient civilization in its government and laws, literature, language and arts.

We affirm the JCL experience develops responsibility, fosters brotherhood, promotes enthusiasm, encourages competition, inspires dedication and enriches our total growth.

[edit] Notes

  • The last line is read with increasing volume, to shouting by the end, always followed by extensive cheering.

[edit] Officers

At each National Convention, the student delegates elect officers from their own ranks. Each state may only field one candidate each year, and never for a position whose incumbent is from the same state. The offices are President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Parliamentarian, Historian, Editor, and Technology Coordinator. Voting is conducted by each school within a state, allowing two votes (for or abstain), with the exception of a representation of one, where only one vote is allowed.

The current National Junior Classical League officers are President Grace Jeong (Duluth, GA) 1st Vice President Brandon Bark (Baton Rouge, LA) 2nd Vice President Maggie Marshall (Sterling, VA) Secretary Emily Calder (Wilmington, NC) Parliamentarian Carissa Williams (Lunenburg, MA) Historian Kathryn Kukla (Crown Point, IN) Editor Pranish Kantak (Fargo, ND) and Technology Coordinator Noah Young (Irvine, CA).

[edit] Publications

The Torch:U.S. is the NJCL's official publication which details the events of the organization, reports scores, and issues stories. Published four times a year, the only issue sent to all convention attendees (including non-subscribers) is the fall issue, shortly after convention. Previously, this issue included the addresses of all delegates in attendance, but this information has been omitted in recent years.

Until October 2007, the NJCL also published JCL Highlights in months when the Torch:U.S. was not published. JCL Highlights publicized administrative details about the League, including details about applying for JCL scholarships, information about the upcoming Convention, and requests for information from NJCL officers and national committee members. According to the Fall 2007 Torch:U.S., the National Committee decided at the October 2007 Fall Planning Meeting to eliminate the JCL Highlights in favor of online distribution of the same information.


[edit] External links

[edit] See also