A lone, sharp clap echoes throughout the empty halls of Jesuit. After a moment’s pause, another rings out, along with another pair of hands colliding. More start to join in a slightly faster rhythm, gaining speed and intensity. Soon a bellowing voice begins to count one to three. The Jesuit JCL students erupt in a day-ending Jesuit yell. The roar can be heard through every hall in the school. After the students have completed the chant, they drop from the exhaustion of hosting the Area C competition on Saturday March 21st.
Salvete omnes rursus! (Hello again all!)
Jesuit Junior Classical League students took major victories in a multitude of tests and contests at the Area C competition for Latin scholars. If that wasn’t enough of a success in itself, they also hosted the event, serving fellow JCLers and helping keep our twenty-eight acres safe and clean. After nearly twelve hours on the job, they were certainly happy by the time it was over.
“It was the best Area C ever,” exclaimed Ms. Vanessa Jones, Magistra (teacher) of the Latin students. “Jesuit students won sixty two first through fifth place ribbons. It’s actually ridiculous how many we won,” she remarked. “We did so well this year as com
pared to last.”
“Our Jesuit boys ran it like clockwork,” she continued. “Patrick Miramontes ’15, especially helped out, he helped run the whole day and was basically my right hand man. We also had our other JCL officers, who worked tirelessly.” Magistra pointed out a few prime examples: “Zachary Shutze ’15, John Galindo ’16, Jack Mason ’16, Aidan Leahy ’16, Tyler Schrakamp ’15, John Sauer ’16, and many other students who stepped up and showed leadership potential, and I was very impressed.”
In total the convention attracted around “eight hundred students from schools around North Texas. Over thirty five school from around the area converged on our campus for our fun filled day,” she said.
“There are always a lot of tiny problems to be dealt with,” said Magistra, as she seemed to struggle to recall hard times. “There’s no way to plan for every little thing, I remember I was proud as I watched the test runners overcome some administrative snags, and soon the officers came together and fixed the problem.”
She seemed to be overjoyed with their performance: “This is why I love JCL: I get to see so many boys grow in their leadership skills.” Magistra remarked that “there’s so much more to it than just Latin.”
Co-consul (club president) John Galindo ’16 only had great things to say about the convention. “The students did very well. Our helpers were given many compliments from other schools.” He remembered several teachers and students from other schools seemed very appreciative of the dedicated work.
“The high point of the day for me was being able to read the names of students that I knew and worked with during the awards. When you recognize some names doing well, it’s always a good feeling,” Galindo recalled.
He remarked that the overall atmosphere “brought everyone together in the spirit of competition and also brought people from different backgrounds, who normally wouldn’t be so close, together as well.” Ending the comment on a school oriented note, Galindo added that “they also really came together in the spirit and love of Jesuit.”
One of Galindo’s other favorite moments was the sports competition. “It’s kind of funny, but in ludi (athletic competitions), girls need to be on a team” said John with a smile. Notorious for their interactions with ladies, it was “fun to watch Jesuit guys fan out and recruit for that.”
Galindo finished his comments on a conjugal quote on how “getting to know some people that you may not normally know, in other grades, or your own” is one of the best parts of JCL. “I got to know a few students from other schools like Greenhill, and even some underclassmen.”
Jesuit JCL proved that we can not only host a well organized event, but also triumph in many competitions. Now the next goal for the team will be State competition, held in Amarillo during the weekend of March 21-23. Stay tuned!
