The Latin program here at Edgewood has had great success in their competitions as part of the Junior Classical League (JCL) in recent years. At JCL competitions, called forums, students compete in an assortment of competitions, including academic tests, creative projects, and a trivia game called Certamen (from the Latin word for contest). All of these are based on themes from the ancient Greek and Roman worlds such as mythology and history. This year, 60 Edgewood students won a combined 83 awards at Regional Forum. Many of those students will attend State Forum in March, and some will make it all the way to National Forum over the summer.

“First off, we have a great group of kids,” said Ms. Anna Glenn, Edgewood’s Latin teacher and JCL club sponsor. “Our Latin program is unique. We definitely encourage a more chaotic atmosphere but channeled into something, whether that’s an artistic endeavor, Certamen, or whatever it might be – everyone has a different focus.”

Sophomore Latin student Katherine Hammond gives Mrs. Glenn all the credit for Edgewood’s success in Latin.

“Mrs. Glenn does so much

work to make sure everyone can succeed,” Hammond said.

“Instead of constantly having assignments to do, Ms. Glenn gives work that we can do over a period of time, so we have time to talk to people and have conversations,” Abbie Shepard, senior and Edgewood’s JCL club president, said.

Edgewood’s Latin program wo

n awards for the best advertising and promoting in the entire country last November, and Shepard believes this is one reason for the program’s success.

“I know that at West Shore, Latin class is separate from JCL, but at Edgewood, if you take Latin, you are automatically a member of JCL and entered into the database for competitions,” Shepard said. “So while you’re a part of it, you might as well enjoy it and have fun.”

Shepard says that the closeness and community in the club makes it special.

“My favorite part about being in Latin is the connections you make with other people, not only in class but in JCL and competitions,” she said.

“One thing that’s really big especially at state and nationals is spirit,” Hammond said. “It can be a little strange at first, but it’s fun to yell and show pride for your school once you get used to it.”

While Glenn is proud of her students’ success, she would like to continue improving and win even more awards in the coming years.

“We’ve been really successful, but I’d like to see us inch up the rankings at the state level,” she said. “The higher our ranking, the bigger trophies and more kleos (glory) we get for our program.”

Edgewood’s Latin program has found a great balance between focused and fun. While students do good work in class and succeed at competitions, they can also have fun and connect with other people while they’re at it. With both dedicated students and a dedicated teacher, Edgewood’s achievements in Latin should only continue to grow.