Marist Latin Students Progress to Junior Classical League National Convention

Marist JCL students showcased their remarkable talents at the state competition April 14-16, bringing home numerous accolades. The convention, which brought together over 600 students from 27 schools, provided a platform for both friendly camaraderie and fierce competition. Leading the team in scoring were Irene Kim, Lilly Chill, Taylor Leigh Hartwell, and Lena McMorrow from the Class of 2027; Flannery Hipp and Jane Bennett from the Class of 2026; Cole Saunders ’25; Andrew Albright ’24; and Patrick Sheesley ’23.

Dr. Anne Washington Saunders, Marist Latin teacher, highlighted the students' exceptional talent in the creative arts, in which “Marist Latin students showed their mettle. It takes a good bit of discipline to learn a Latin passage with correct pronunciation, get inside the text, work up voice and character, and then have the courage to go before the judges at State. We're really proud of them."

For Ryan Akin ’26, the convention was a memorable experience. "My favorite part about the Latin state convention was performing at the talent show in front of 600 people," he said. "I got to have fun singing and acting out the song ‘Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien’. I had the time of my life." Akin’s enthusiasm showed throughout his performance and left a lasting impression on the audience and his teammates.

Andrew Albright, the junior webmaster of Marist JCL, cherished the opportunity to reconnect with friends from other schools. "I caught up with my friends whom I met at the national convention last year," he shared. “Contributing to my team’s first place finish felt amazing after the countless hours working on my architectural model—my third in three years.” In recognition of his creative work on the Marist JCL website, Albright was appointed Georgia JCL webmaster for 2023-2024 and will commence his duties over the summer.

Co-consul Patrick Sheesley ’23 expressed his delight in witnessing the hard work of his peers be rewarded. "It was great to see the extensive preparation of students, from 8th graders to seniors, pay off," he remarked.

Sophomore webmaster Cole Saunders enjoyed the wide array of activities at the state convention. "My highlights include the early morning distance run, chariot races, Roman procession, certamen tournament, and late night—or rather, extremely early morning—fellowship with our delegation," he said. His enthusiasm also helped earn the passionate Marist JCL team a second place award in the spirit contest for their roll call cheer, procession, scrapbook, t-shirt, and publicity efforts.

 

Marist Latin teacher Mr. Thomas Marier remarked, "There's a dizzying array of academic tests, and Marist students placed in nearly all of them.” The students' expertise in areas such as reading comprehension, Latin grammar, vocabulary, Latin derivatives, classical art, mythology, Roman daily life, ancient geography, history, and literature was evident and reflected the comprehensive education they receive in Latin studies at Marist.

The Georgia JCL state convention served as a testament to the unwavering commitment and exceptional abilities of Marist Latin students. Through their hard work, passion, and unwavering dedication, they have solidified Marist JCL's position as a powerhouse in the classics community. As they look forward to representing the Georgia delegation at the national convention, we applaud their achievements and wish them continued success in their classical endeavors.