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Fifty-one state chapters of the National Junior Classical League are currently active in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom: one for every U.S. state except for Alaska, Idaho and Iowa; one for the District of Columbia; one for each of the Canadian provinces Ontario and Quebec (British Columbia shares its chapter with Washington state); and a single chapter for the U.K.
Contents
- Membership
- Arizona JCL
- State Convention Arizona
- California JCL
- History
- State Convention California
- Connecticut JCL
- 2015 16 Board Members
- Annual Events
- Florida JCL
- State regional and local events
- Illinois JCL
- Annual events
- Convention locations
- Indiana JCL
- Current Board Members
- Kentucky JCL
- Maine JCL
- Executive Board 2014 2015
- State Chairs
- Massachusetts JCL
- 2016 2017 Board Members
- New Hampshire JCL
- North Carolina JCL
- Ohio JCL
- State Convention Ohio
- Ontario JCL
- Chapters
- Virginia JCL
- State Convention Virginia
- Wisconsin JCL
- References
Membership
Below is the complete list of NJCL state chapters. Each entry includes the chapter's location, a link to its sub-section within the article (if one exists), the number of local chapters affiliated with it (e.g., high school Latin Clubs) and its total number of individual members.
Arizona JCL
The Arizona JCL has over 250 members and has consistently sent delegates to the National Convention every year. The head of the program is Sarah Palumbo. There are occasional Certamen competitions held around the state aside from the State Convention, with Arizona State University holding an annual Certamen competition. The eight schools involved in the 2016 Convention consist of three private schools (Phoenix Country Day School, Brophy College Prep, Xavier College Prep) and five charter schools (Glendale Prep Academy, Scottsdale Prep Academy, Chandler Prep Academy, Gilbert Classical Academy, Seton Catholic). Brophy and Xavier competed as a single school whereas Phoenix Country Day School was divided into the high and middle school.
State Convention (Arizona)
The State Convention in Arizona has been held at various schools such as Seton Catholic and Phoenix Country Day School, with the 2015 State Convention being held at Seton Catholic. There are two large awards given out every year. The Omni award is given out to the school that earns the most points while the Spirit award is given to the school that demonstrates the most spirit. The current Omni winner is Phoenix Country Day School's High School while the current Spirit winner is Scottsdale Preparatory Academy.
Contests feature prominently at every State Convention. Individual members and their Latin Clubs compete in a variety of academic, artistic and athletic events. Certamen matches are among the academic contests held. In recent years, attendance ranges anywhere from 200 to 300 delegates; both middle school and high school students are welcome.
† In 2015, a separate Omni Award for small schools was awarded to Gilbert Classical Academy.
†† Before 2006, the Omni and Spirit awards were combined into the same trophy.
California JCL
With more than 2,900 members, the California Junior Classical League (California JCL or CJCL) is the fifth largest state-level chapter of the NJCL. The California JCL has participated at every National Convention since 1956, and has hosted the annual event four times: 1965 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles; 1973 at Claremont Colleges in Claremont, California; 1992 at San Diego State University in San Diego; and, most recently, in 2009 at the University of California, Davis in Davis, California.
History
The California JCL was established on October 22, 1955 at the first State Convention held at Oakdale Joint Union High School in Oakdale, California. In 1959, the CJCL began awarding various scholarships funded by membership dues; over the years, the total amount awarded annually has grown from $100 (1959–1966; 1967; 1970) to more than $5000 (2003–2005).
State Convention (California)
The California JCL first held a State Convention in 1955 at Oakdale Joint Union High School in Oakdale, California. Although no convention was held the following year in 1956, a second convention was held in 1957 at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, California; CJCL State Conventions have been held ever year since. Just as with the first two State Conventions, the annual event generally has been held at a different member high school each year. Exceptions include the 1967 State Convention held at San Jose State College (now San Jose State University) in San Jose, California; 1975 at the PSA San Franciscan Hotel in San Francisco; and 1977 at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California.
Contests feature prominently at every State Convention. Individual members and their Latin Clubs compete in a variety of academic, artistic and athletic events. Certamen matches are among the academic contests held. In recent years, attendance ranges anywhere from 1,200 to 1,900 delegates; both middle school and high school students are welcome.
Connecticut JCL
The Connecticut Junior Classical League (Connecticut JCL or CTJCL) is the Connecticut state chapter of the National Junior Classical League. James Pezzulo has served as its State Chair for several years. His school, Classical Magnet School in Hartford, CT, serves as the core of the Connecticut JCL chapter.
2015-16 Board Members
Annual Events
Florida JCL
With nearly 4,100 members (as of February 2017), the Florida Junior Classical League (Florida JCL or FJCL) is one of the largest state-level chapter of the NJCL. Florida is also known for being the best Certamen state in the nation in the last 20 years (Virginia, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Texas following). Florida has hosted the National Convention three times: twice at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida (1977, 1999); and once at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida (1987).
State, regional and local events
In addition to participating at the National Convention, the FJCL sponsors its own statewide competition, the State Latin Forum. The three-day event is usually held in early April—in Orlando—and features academic, artistic and athletic events. Eight Regional Fora are also held annually, on a Saturday in late January or early February. In addition, various local chapters sponsor mini-fora and certamen competitions.
Illinois JCL
Illinois Junior Classical League (Illinois JCL or ILJCL)
Annual events
Convention locations
Board 2016–2017
Board 2015-2016
Indiana JCL
Indiana Junior Classical League (Indiana JCL or IJCL)
Convention locations
Current Board Members
Kentucky JCL
The Kentucky Junior Classical League (Kentucky JCL or KYJCL) is the Kentucky state chapter of the National Junior Classical League (NJCL), an organization dedicated to the study of Classics, namely Latin and Greek. One notable school chapter is Louisville Classical Academy. They have excelled in all areas of JCL over many past years.
Maine JCL
The Maine Junior Classical League (Maine JCL or MEJCL) is the Maine state chapter of the Nation Junior Classical League (NJCL), an organization dedicated to the study of Classics, namely Latin and Greek. The Maine chapter has 520 student members across 13 member schools. This chapter's website may be found here.
Annual Events
Executive Board 2014-2015
State Chairs
Massachusetts JCL
Massachusetts Junior Classical League (Massachusetts JCL, Mass JCL, or MAJCL)
2016-2017 Board Members
Annual Events
Convention locations
Prior to the 2002 convention, the state convention was hosted at the school of the current President.
New Hampshire JCL
The New Hampshire Junior Classical League (New Hampshire JCL or NHJCL) has six school chapters.
North Carolina JCL
With more than 2,500 members (as of 2010), the North Carolina Junior Classical League (North Carolina JCL or NCJCL) is the sixth largest state-level chapter of the NJCL. The NCJCL hosted its first ever National Convention in the summer of 2012 at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Annual events
The NCJCL sponsors three main events each year. Fall Forum, usually held in November, is composed of general assemblies, a lecture by a visiting professor, Silly Olympika, as well as Mixed-Up Certamen. The Spring Certamen tournament, which usually takes place on the last weekend in March, is the qualifying tournament for the Competitive Certamen semifinals, which are held at the NCJCL State Convention, either in April or May.
The two-day NCJCL State Convention is composed of a skit contest, dancing, an essay writing competition, workshops for officers and candidates, academic testing, dramatic interpretations, English oratory, arts and crafts competitions, Silly Olympika, Open Certamen, as well as the semifinals and finals of Competitive Certamen. The 65th NCJCL Spring Convention was held on April 15 and 16, 2016.
Ohio JCL
With more than 1,900 members (as of 2010), the Ohio Junior Classical League (Ohio JCL or OJCL) is the 8th largest state-level chapter of the NJCL. Along with Florida, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, the Ohio JCL is also home to some of the most competitive Certamen in the nation, having won the novice competition at the 2012 NJCL Convention. Ohio hosted the National Convention in 1956, 1970, 1981, 1993 and 2008: all were held on the campus of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, with the exception of the 1970 convention held at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. Official colors of the Ohio Junior Classical League, in accordance with the NJCL, are purple (differing slightly from the Roman purple used at the national level) and gold.
History
Prior to 1966, the National Junior Classical League was known simply as the Junior Classical League (JCL). JCL chapters of this type had begun forming in Ohio at least as early as 1942, but no state-level organization existed until October 1950 when Lois Bickelhaupt, a Latin teacher at Clay High School of Oregon Township, was appointed state chairman of the Ohio Federation of the Junior Classical League. On May 12, 1951, this newly formed organization became the Ohio Junior Classical League.
On April 4, 2000, in honor of the OJCL's 50th anniversary, Representative Dennis Kucinich (D) of the 106th United States Congress submitted the following statement for publication in the day's Congressional Record:
"In a period of diminishing participation in classical languages, the [Ohio Junior Classical League] has been able to keep classical enthusiasm alive ... to keep young people interested in and appreciative for the language, literature, history and culture of classical civilizations. My fellow colleagues, please join with me in honoring the OJCL on their continued success."
Ten years later, the Ohio Junior Classical League held its 60th annual State Convention.
Since at least 2000, the Ohio JCL has actively participated in Make A Difference Day: sponsored by USA Weekend magazine, the "national day of helping others" is held on the fourth Saturday of October each year. Past events have ranged from canned food drives to trash pick-ups, nursing home visits to charity fundraisers, etc. In addition, each year a worthy charity is chosen as the recipient of funds collected prior to and during the annual State Convention. Past collections have gone to organizations like Mercy Corps, and causes such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
State Convention (Ohio)
In addition to competing at the NJCL National Convention, the OJCL holds its own annual State Convention. For more than 60 years, individual members and local chapters (i.e., Latin Clubs) have come to interact and compete in various classically themed contests, both academic and of the arts. Athletic competitions have also been held, though not for some time.
As of late, the Ohio JCL Convention has been held in either late February or early March, though past conventions have been held as late as the third week of April. While the annual competition – in recent years—has often been held at the Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Center of Columbus, Ohio (formerly the Radisson North), other locations have also served as convention site:
The three-day event officially begins on a Friday evening when the first of three General Assemblies is called to order by the current OJCL President. The State Convention lasts through the following Sunday afternoon when the third and final General Assembly is adjourned by the newly elected OJCL President shortly after his or her installation. Attendance typically ranges between 925 and 1,000 students, sponsors and guests; anywhere between 38 and 45 clubs are usually represented. Members of the Ohio Senior Classical League (OSCL)—the Ohio state chapter of the National Senior Classical League (NSCL)—also attend to assist in various capacities, whether as chaperones, contest entry judges or test session proctors.
At the end of every State Convention, a classical quotation is selected as a theme for the following year's convention, much like the National Convention. Many aspects of each OJCL Convention relate to or are in some way based on the convention theme of that year. Taken from Pliny the Younger's Naturalis Historia, the theme for the 2015 Ohio JCL Convention reads: "Malum quidem nullum esse sine aliquo bono" ("There is no evil without some good.")
Once considered a "powerhouse" at competitions, Stow-Munroe Falls High School won the Overall Sweepstakes trophy – the annual convention's top prize—an unrivaled 28 consecutive years from 1979–2006. Indian Hill High School very nearly beat Stow on several occasions, but it was Summit Country Day that ultimately ended Stow's "quarter-century reign" in 2007. Summit has gone on to win every year since. However, in 2014, Shaker Heights High School swept academic and overall capita sweepstakes.
Ontario JCL
The Ontario Junior Classical League (Ontario JCL or OJCL) is one of only three NJCL state-level chapters in Canada. Though the Ontario JCL has yet to host the National Convention, the chapter regularly attends the annual event. The chapter should not be confused with the Ontario Student Classics Conference (OSCC), the annual convention organized by the OSCC Planning Committee. Though the OSCC originally functioned as an extension of the province's JCL chapter, the Ontario JCL and OSCC now operate separately.
Chapters
The Texas State Junior Classical League (Texas State JCL or TSJCL) is divided up into five areas by geographical location, due to its large size. Each area hosts its own area competition prior to the annual state competition, which is hosted by a different high school each year. The five Areas are:
Convention locations
Virginia JCL
The Virginia Junior Classical League (Virginia JCL or VJCL) is one of the largest state-level chapters of the NJCL; with more than 4,300 members (as of 2010), the VJCL is second only to Texas in overall membership. Along with Florida, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas, the Virginia JCL is also home to some of the most competitive Certamen in the nation. Virginia has hosted the National Convention three times: once at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia (1972); and twice at the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia (1984, 2004).
State Convention (Virginia)
In addition to competing at the annual NJCL National Convention, the VJCL hosts its own annual State Convention. Both individual members and their Latin Clubs come to interact and compete in various events. In recent years, the Virginia JCL Convention has been held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Virginia, usually in mid-to-late November; 1,200 Virginia JCL delegates were in attendance for the 2006 Convention.
Members of the Virginia Senior Classical League (VSCL)—the Virginia state chapter of the National Senior Classical League (NSCL)—also attend to assist in running the annual competition.
Wisconsin JCL
The Wisconsin Junior Classical League (Wisconsin JCL or WJCL) is a medium-sized state level chapter, with enrollment hovering at about 1,000 members. Consistently fielding competitive Certamen teams, the WJCL has won two national championships at the Advanced level, once in 1996, and most recently in 2016 and one championship at the Intermediate level, in 1990. The WJCL holds its annual state convention in Madison at the end of every January.