This story was submitted by Shreyas Karnam, grade 9, and Lisa Masoni, middle school Latin teacher.
This summer, Harker sent nine members of its Junior Classical League chapter to the National Junior Classical League Convention held at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. “We braved questionable southern weather, Juno’s hatred of pickleball and Wisconsin cheese conspiracies to spend a beautiful, Latin-filled week together,” said Shreyas Karnam, grade 9. Harker students had many accomplishments during the convention.
Senior Felix Chen was elected to the office of 2024-25 NJCL editor after an inspiring campaign. He will now edit Torch, the publication of the NJCL, as well as assist local and state chapters with their publications. Trisha Iyer, the 2023-24 NJCL historian, released the NJCL scrapbook.
Middle school Latin teacher Lisa Masoni noted that Chen is the third Harker JCL member elected as an NJCL officer. “This is a three-peat for Harker, as Felix follows in the footsteps of Rupert Chen ’23, 2022-23 NJCL first vice president, and Trisha Iyer ’24, 2023-24 NJCL historian,” she said. “To have three in a row from Harker speaks to the dedication of these students. They do an enormous amount of work throughout the year, including planning and running a convention for more than 1,000 delegates.”
Sophomores Chelsea Xie and Demi Zhang performed in a perennial NJCL favorite, “That’s Entertainment!” Both Xie’s dance and Zhang’s opera performance received standing ovations from the crowd of hundreds.
Sophomore Raeanne Li designed the California T-shirt for Nationals. Her design placed third in the overall T-shirt contest, earned a third-place finish for best adherence to the convention theme, and was awarded second place for best visuals. Li also designed last year’s California JCL T-shirt for Nationals.
In Certamen (Latin quiz bowl), the Varsity Intermediate team consisted of Shreyas Karnam and some new friends, while the Junior Varsity Advanced team consisted of sophomores Pascal Qin, William Jiang, Xie and Zhang. The Intermediate team faced some tough competition but made it to the semifinals, while the Advanced JV team placed third in the JV division. The newly formed AGON (ancient Greek quiz bowl) team also reached semifinals, placing sixth out of 26 overall teams.
Harker’s middle school JCL won first place for best recruitment presentation for their activities at Harker’s January Club Showcase. They also won first place in school-affiliated media for the middle school JCL’s publication, The Eureka. Finally, the overall portfolio received third place. The Eureka, started by the middle school JCL officers this past year, won second place in the NJCL Local Publications Contest. The Nuntius Californiensis, the CAJCL publication edited by Chen, won first place in the NJCL State Publications Contest.
“JCL: The Movie,” a promotional video created by the middle school JCL officers, won first place, in the Promotional Video contest.
Finally, the constitution of the Harker middle school JCL placed third in the NJCL Local Constitutions Contest, receiving a perfect score.
Additional individual top 10 awards are as follows:
Reyansh Malla, grade 8, Level 1: first in Hellenic History, ninth in Ancient Geography, 10th in Games
Shreyas Karnam, grade 12, Level 2: first in Classical Art, third in Hellenic History, third in Reading Comprehension, fifth in Roman Life, eighth in Latin Grammar, ninth in Academic Heptathlon, first in Essay, first in Modern Myth, sixth in Overall Creative Arts Sweepstakes
William Jiang, grade 10, Level 3: third in Latin Literature, fourth in Roman Life, ninth in Latin Vocabulary
Pascal Qin, grade 10, Level 3: second in Mottoes, seventh in Latin Vocabulary, eighth in Reading Comprehension Prose, ninth in Latin Derivatives, ninth in Roman Life
Chelsea Xie, grade 10, Level 3: sixth in Reading Comprehension Prose, 10th in Latin Derivatives
Leo Zhang, grade 10, Level 3: 10th in Latin Vocabulary, third in Dramatic Interpretation Prose, seventh in Sight Latin Prose, fourth in Ludi Chess
Demi Zheng, grade 10, Level 3: seventh in Reading Comprehension Prose, eighth in Hellenic History, ninth in Academic Heptathlon, first in Sight Latin Prose, fourth in Dramatic Interpretation Poetry
Felix Chen, grade 12, Level V+: fifth in Classical Art, eighth in Roman Life
Trisha Iyer ’24, Level V+: fifth in Reading Comprehension Prose, sixth in Academic Heptathlon, sixth in Mythology, seventh in Latin Vocabulary, eighth in Mottoes, ninth in Ancient Geography, ninth Latin Grammar, second in Sight Latin, fifth in Latin Oratory