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: "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."

NJCL official colors are Roman purple and gold.

NJCL Creed

We, the members of the Junior Classical League, covenant to hand on the torch of the classical civilization in the modern world. We believe an acquaintance with the civilizations of Greece and Rome will help us to understand and appraise this world of today, which is indebted to the ancient civilizations in its government and laws, literature, language, and arts.

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

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 Classic's truths that last.

In knowledge, truth, and fellowship,

We're growing every day.

The friendly hand of JCL 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!

National Convention

The NJCL hosts a week long national convention annually at a college campus in late July or early August, where 1200-1500 students compete in academic tests and creative arts competitions. Other components of the convention in which students may participate include Certamen, seminars commonly known as Colloquia, and Ludi (literally "games" — various athletic and recreational events). A theme for the following year's convention is chosen by the incoming president each year.

Most state-level NJCL chapters 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; participation can be countywide, regional, or even statewide. Awards are given out to schools based on sweepstakes points, earned by placing high in competitive events.

A popular event is the talent show, known as That's Entertainment!, always held on the night before the final farewell dance. It consists of skits put on by the NSCL between the individual acts, and since aroung 1985, a final surprise performance from a group of three mysterious men in suits and sunglasses, known by most JCLers only as the Racketeers (for the matching red tennis racket bags they wear on their heads). They walk on stage, perform a silent dance routine to a mixtape-type compilation, and walk off.

Convention locations

The National Convention has been held at many sites since 1954, usually in late July or early August.

Year	University	Location	Theme
2010	North Dakota State University	Fargo, North Dakota	Non est ad astra mollis e terris via (There is no easy way from the earth to the stars) -Seneca
2009	University of California, Davis	Davis, California	Fortuna nobis vi animi tantum frenabitur (The level of our success will be limited only by our imagination) -Aesop
2008	Miami University	Oxford, Ohio	Non nobis solum nati sumus (We are not born for ourselves alone) -Cicero's De Officiis
2007	University of Tennessee	Knoxville, Tennessee	Carpe Diem, quam minimum credula postero (Seize the day, trusting as little as possible in tomorrow) -Horace in Ode I-XI
2006	Indiana University	Bloomington, Indiana	Amicitiae nostrae memoriam spero sempiternam fore (I hope that the memory of our friendship will be everlasting) -Cicero
2005	University of Missouri	Columbia, Missouri	Nil sine magno labore (Nothing without great labor)
2004	University of Richmond	Richmond, Virginia	Facta non verba (Deeds not words)
2003	Trinity University	San Antonio, Texas	Natura inest in mentibus nostris insatiabilis quaedam cupiditas veri videndi (Nature has planted in our minds an insatiable longing to see the truth) -Cicero
2002	University of Kentucky	Lexington, Kentucky	Magnos homines virtute metimur, non fortuna (We measure great men by their virtue, not their fortune) -Cornelius Nepos, Eumenes I
2001	Tulane University	New Orleans, Louisiana	Vultus ac frons animi ianua (The face and its expression are the door of the soul) -Quintus Cicero, Commentariolum Petitionis Consulatus 11
2000	University of Oklahoma	Norman, Oklahoma	Faber est suae quisque fortunae (Each one is the architect of his own fate) -Appius Claudius Caecus
1999	Florida State University	Tallahassee, Florida	Audentior ito qua tua te fortuna sinet (Continue to go more boldly where your fortune will allow you) -Virgil
1998	University of Massachusetts Amherst	Amherst, Massachusetts	Patria est communis omnium parens (Our native land is the common parent of us all) -Cicero
1997	North Dakota State University	Fargo, North Dakota	Aspirat primo fortuna labori (Fortune smiles upon our first effort) -Virgil
1996	Indiana University	Bloomington, Indiana	Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus (Virtue is the true and only nobility)

Convention activites

Certamen

Certamen is a quiz bowl game with questions about Roman history, life, and literature, and Latin vocabulary, grammar, derivatives, and use in English.

Academic contests

There are sixteen written tests that JClers may compete in at National Convention.

Graphic arts

JCL delegates can submit artwork in various categories for contest judging.

Creative arts

Creative Arts at National Convention include Sight Latin Reading, Costume Contest, Latin and English Oratory, and Dramatic Interpretation.

Olympika

Olympika are athletic events at National Convention. There are Olympika in Swimming and Track.

Ludi

Ludi are athletic events for which sweepstakes points are not awarded. There are Ludi in chess, soccer, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, and kickball.

National 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 state, with JCL delegates in each state casting two votes (for or abstention), with the exception of a delegation of only one JCLer, in which case only one vote is allowed.

Current NJCL Officers (2009-10)

• President: Jacob Welch (Richmond, KY)
• 1st Vice-President: Taylor Locks (Spotsylvania, VA)
• 2nd Vice-President: Jack Trunzo (Brookfield, WI)
• Secretary: Katelyn Stermer (Barrington, IL)
• Parliamentarian: Elliot Wilson (St Louis, MO)
• Historian: Charlotte Morrow (Northville, MI)
• Editor: Olivia Ortiz (Mesa, AZ)
• Technology Coordinator: Adam Safadi (Westminster, CO)

State chapters

As of 2009, more than fifty-one U.S. states and Canadian provinces maintain their own JCL organizations acting under the affiliation of the NJCL:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• British Columbia
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Ontario
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Quebec
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Publications

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. Until recently, this convention highlights issue included the contact information of all delegates in attendance for keeping in touch, but given the prominence of online communication and cost/space concerns, is no longer included.

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.

See also

• National Senior Classical League - The college-level affiliate of NJCL
• Living Latin - A movement dedicated to promoting spoken Latin

References

External links

• National Junior Classical League (NJCL)
• National Senior Classical League (NSCL)
• American Classical League (ACL)