Harker takes first place at state JCL Convention

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This story was submitted by Scott Paterson, middle and upper school Latin teacher.

From March 31-April 1, 17 upper school Harker students attended the 68th California Junior Classical League (CAJCL) State Convention after a four-year hiatus from in-person conventions. Harker’s JCL chapter had a dominant performance at the event, winning first place of the 22 schools in its division. 

The advanced Certamen (Latin Quiz Bowl) team, comprising senior Rupert Chen, sophomore Felix Chen, junior Trisha Iyer and (competing up a level) and freshman Rahul Sundaresan, won first place. Harker’s chapter T-shirt, designed by Suhana Bhandare, grade 9, with creative input from sophomore Ainslie Chen, sophomore Audrey Cheng, and freshmen Holly Templeton, Rupert Chen, Felix Chen and Trisha Iyer, won second place. 

Felix Chen was also selected to serve on next year’s California Junior Classical League board as editor of “Nuntius,” the official publication of CAJCL.

The following students were recognized for earning the overall high score on individual academic tests:

Rupert Chen, Classical Art and Reading Comprehension; Audrey Cheng, Derivatives (tie); Trisha Iyer, Daily Life; and Eric Zhang, grade 10, Advance Grammar (tie).

Three Harker students were also recognized as the top delegates of their level, earning more total points than any other delegate in the state. Rahul Sundaresan, was recognized in High School Level 3, and Rupert Chen and Trisha Iyer tied for recognition in the High School Advanced level.

A complete list of awards that Harker students won on the various individual competitions within their levels is as follows:

High School Level 1

Suhana Bhandare: First place Reading Comprehension, second place Open Certamen (as a member of a mixed-school team)

Holly Templeton: First place Dramatic Interpretation

High School Level 3

Rahul Sundaresan: First place Roman History, second place Derivatives, third place (tie) Mythology

High School Advanced

Ainslie Chen: Third place (tie) Grammar, third place (tie) Reading Comprehension

Audrey Chen: First place (tie) Derivatives

Felix Chen: Second place Classical Art, third place Daily Life

Rupert Chen: First place Classical Art, first place Reading Comprehension, second place Roman History, second place Sight Latin Reading

Tiffany Chang, grade 12: First place Open Certamen (as member of a mixed-school team), third place Mottoes/Quotes/Abbreviations

Trisha Iyer: First place Daily Life, first place (tie) Latin Sight Reading, second place Pentathlon, second place (tie) Reading Comprehension

Hannah Levanon, grade 10: First place Track, 1600 meters; third place Track, 800 meters; third place Open Certamen (as a member of a mixed-school team)

Lindsey Tuckey, grade 10: Second place Derivatives, third place (tie) Reading Comprehension

Eric Zhang: First place Grammar, first place Vocabulary

Jeremy Ko, grade 12: First place Open Certamen (as a member of a mixed-school team), second place Daily Life, second place Grammar, second place (tie) Reading Comprehension

Ethan Wang, grade 10: Second place Open Certamen (as a member of a mixed-school team), third place Mythology

Justin Yang, grade 9: Third place (tie) Reading Comprehension

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