Exonians Score Major Victory At the National Junior Classical League Convention (NJCL)

By ERIN HAN, JANIBEK SUBKHANBERDIN, and FORREST ZENG

It is not often that you can spectate swordfighting and students conversing in togas, or hear distant Latinate shouts and fervent Ciceronian oratories — all at once. 

This, however, is reality at the annual National Junior Classical League Convention (NJCL), a seven-day convention hosted by the National Junior Classical League each year for both competitive and recreational opportunities in Latin and Greek. This year, the convention was hosted on the campus of the University of Tennesee, Knoxville, where attendees boarded in college dorms. Exeter sent nearly a dozen classicists ranging from beginner Latinists to now-graduated classical diplomists to represent the New Hampshire Junior Classical League (NHJCL), the New Hampshire state branch of the NJCL. They were joined by students from other New Hampshire schools, including Pinkerton Academy. 

One of the main events at the convention was “Certamen” or Latin quiz bowl. Exeter’s team, which is constituted by members of the Kirtland Society on campus, has an impressive record behind them, having secured podium and first place prizes in local and statewide competitions. The intermediate team, composed entirely of Exonians, won a stunning third in the nation in their best result in nearly a decade. The advanced and novice teams played close games, both making it to semifinals against fierce competitors. 

Specifically for the novice team, their entry to the semifinal round came down to one last question, one of the tensest moments at the convention. “It was down to the very last question,” said faculty advisor and Instructor in Classical Languages Nicholas Unger. “I was so proud of that team because that [final round really] came out of nowhere. The students had done all of the training and practicing on their own, while some of these teams [they were up against] had professional coaches that they’d hired. They did incredibly well.”

But what really set this year’s team apart from previous years was an impenetrable team spirit. Although Exonians have always excelled academically, when put in high-pressure Certamen rounds at previous NJCL Conventions, Exeter teams would falter.

Upper Cecily Reed, a member of the intermediate team that reached the finals, said, “Last year, when we went to nationals, we were prepared, we were good, we knew our stuff. But, when we got to the semifinals, we got scared and fell. What really killed us fundamentally was that we didn’t have this idea of ‘soul.’”

Reed and her teammates quickly realized the supreme importance of team spirit in high-pressure rounds. They began to develop systems to solve this problem. Reed described, “Far before this year’s Convention even started, we started to prioritize team spirit a lot more. We started making traditions and rituals in the round — and we began to develop a very rigorous system for working together and keeping up our soul. And we were going from round to round to round against really talented opponents — but because we knew how to build up our soul, we felt confident and settled easily.”

In addition to a brazen team spirit, the Exonians were backed up by weeks of preparation and trainTeams coming from larger states such as Florida and Texas proved to be the toughest competition. Lower and novice team member Marvin Shim recalled competing against these teams. “In my case, the very first run was against a very large state with a lot of people that were very good. So we didn’t really have high expectations for ourselves. You really have to have your hands on the buzzer, and[I remember my hands feeling a little bit cold, a bit stiff.” 

Shim continued, “So the first round was probably more difficult than the others in that respect, but we were just trying to have fun mostly, and we definitely accomplished that.”

However, Certamen wasn’t the only area in which Exonians excelled. Exonians partook in daily academic testing, covering all topics of classical knowledge. Latin-learning attendees tested themselves in Reading Comprehension, Derivatives, and Vocabulary. Other attendees recalled Latin and Greek poetry, grammar, and mythology. 

Upper Sam Altman described the testing setting. “You go into this massive assembly hall, and everyone’s taking tests — around a thousand people! Afterward, they rank you.”

In many cases, Exonians performed unexpectedly well. Reed noted that she received third in the nation for Intermediate Reading Comprehension, without ever taking Latin at Exeter.  “I managed to tie with our amazing teammate, Drona Gaddam, which was super funny. I studied Latin over the summer and I ended up being able to get on third place.”

Although academic testing is proportional to the test-taker level, and some returning attendees found themselves struggling with comparatively more advanced tests, Exonians still did excellently on difficult tests. “In academic testing, last year I got first place in mythology,” Reed said. “And yet, this year, I studied as much as possible in myth and ended with seventh. Nobody wants to go from first to seventh.” Nevertheless, Reed was happy with and proud of her fellow Exonians’ overall success in academic testing. “When you put everything together, we really crushed it as a team.”

“I’m so proud of all my buddies who did so well. I know Sam Altman and Jinmin Lee did very well in Advanced Grammar, and Forrest won Intermediate Reading Comprehension. Mitchell Carson too, who did crazy well.” she described. “I’m extremely proud of them and they’re so smart.”

The convention certainly wasn’t all work, no play. On the contrary — attendees participated in a plethora of exciting and fun events, such as oratory contests and sports competitions. Although they didn’t win, a group of Exonians found themselves in an intense soccer tournament called Ludi Soccer. 

“We were matched up against the best team from Wisconsin, who were actually prepared,” Reed said. “They were huge guys with jerseys, shin guards, and all this equipment. Regardless of that, we actually managed to get very close to winning! We got a goal, but due to a rule violation, we ended with a tie at 0-0. Mansa Awuah, who plays soccer at Exeter, really got her chance to shine there. It was kind of an opportunity to recognize everyone’s skills — even if you weren’t playing Certamen or doing academic testing.”

After putting on a commendable performance, many of PEA’s competitors left the NJCL with a sense of pride and accomplishment. “They reached the finals for the first time in a long time and came in third, which is really impressive,” said Unger. “And our novice team, they were facing the number one seed in the assign and nearly pulled off an upset. It was down to the very last question, but I was so proud of that team because that last round really was an unexpected one.”

Although some would be discouraged after losing in such close fashion, Yoo left the competition with satisfaction. “Obviously we’re pretty disappointed because we came so close and we lost at the last point. But, coming out of the last round, I was still grateful for the experience I had because I think it’s definitely a unique one. I’m very glad that I was able to do it and I was glad that I had my team with me and that we still were pretty close to winning the last round.” Her teammate Shim echoed that point while looking to the future with ambition, “I guess I basically take it as an experience, not as a win.” Shim plans on using the experience of the NJCL as a platform to build off of to improve his team’s future results.

The advanced and intermediate teams left with a similar takeaway: “Going back next year is going to be better than ever,” said Reed. “We are hiring the coach that coached the Tennessee people. We’ve got a combination of all of our smartest minds in advance and intermediate, and we’ve got that team spirit. And we know that that is what it takes to win is not just studying, not just hiding alone in your room, grinding on and acing the Latin tests, or acing the mythology quizzes, or getting good and reading comprehension, but working together as a team and putting in the work, not just in academics, but in your relationships.”

Altman, a member of the advanced team, recalled a specific challenge that his group faced and left feeling improved. When placed against difficult teams, they were challenged to go beyond their stored knowledge, but to be able to infer the whole question before it was fully read out, and to buzz quickly thereafter. “We knew we were not perfect at that. And so it really put us to the test, to have to be able to buzz quickly, which is exciting. So I think after the final round, we were better at that, if a little bit shaken up.” 

A common theme emerged in the reflections of many of our NJCL participants: the importance of community. While performing spirit chants at the afternoon assembly, Huang understood something.“There was a moment where I realized that all the hundreds and hundreds of people were here screaming and jumping because they love their state, because they love classics, and because they love the community that the NJCL has built. That realization alone was by far my most memorable moment.” 

Altman shared that sentiment, highlighting what the NJCL meant for lovers of the classics. “I think a lot of the people in the classic department feel sometimes like, ‘Okay, should I really have done this? Was taking Latin too much of a challenge? But then, it’s a very unique opportunity. As a student in Exeter’s classics department, you know you already have a leg up on the rest of the competitors. You know no one else can go to the classics convention and no one else can do so well. And we have a very good legacy there. And so, I think people have been really pleased with that.”

However, the event did more than just reinforce the bonds of a pre-established group of Latin competitors, it also invited new people to that community. “I feel like coming out of it, I became friends with basically everyone, and I got to know them and it was a lot of fun to bond and to talk,” said Shim. Beyond the Kirkland Society, Shim noted that he made lots of connections with people passionate about Latin from other states and delegations. “The best part about this is to know each other in different ways outside the Exeter bubble and to meet other students from around the world who share this bizarre interest in the classical world,” said Unger. “And we realized there are thousands of students out there, and to have them all together packed in this huge stadium screaming at the top of their lungs to make those connections and make really good friends, it’s really special.” 

As Exeter collects their thoughts on this year’s NJCL and looks to prepare for the next one, lower Drona Gaddam offers an inspiring message: “We did this one year, so we can do it next year.”