Torch: U.S. LXVIII Winter 2018 | Page 5

Salvete, omnes! My name is Natalie Hilderbrand and I am very excited to be serving as your NJCL Communications Coordinator for 2018-2019. Since taking office, the biggest part of my job has been the website contest. I have been working with my mentors to edit the rubric and have been receiving entries for the September and October currency contests. I judged the September currency contest and provided 3-4 sentences of feedback to each entry to help webmasters can work on fixes for next month’s currency contest. I have also worked on various other tasks, such as communicating with webmasters and secretaries, recording minutes from officer breakout sessions at Fall Planning Meeting, gathering officer profiles to be posted on the website soon, working with the national committee to compile a list of state JCL officers, and more. I have had a great time getting to know the NJCL board and working with JCLers across the country. I am looking forward to the rest of a great year!

E corde,

Natalie Hilderbrand

2018-2019 NJCL Communications Coordinator

TORCH:U.S.

Friends, since our first meeting as the national board, I knew that this would BEE the best year yet for the NJCL and the most memorable year of my time in the JCL. I started out in the California JCL as a young sixth grader. I only attended the state convention to play dodgeball, which we called fugepilum, but I was drawn to the community and meeting new people. I then moved to New Hampshire, where I gave up dodgeballs for Certamen buzzers. There, I was less focused on winning Certamen trophies and more interested in making new friends from Wisconsin or Florida at these Certamen tournaments. Through these years navigating different aspects of the JCL, I never imagined that I would make it to the national board, and I am truly grateful. You are my family.

I know that there are many who do not yet know of this wonderful community. I ask that you spread the message and love of the JCL. We have already raised over $2,000 and collected over 121 books in our first Club of the Month Contest. Let’s raise the bar higher and continue working; as you know, apes non sunt solitaria natura.

E corde,

Michaela Phan

2018-2019 NJCL 2nd Vice President

MICHAELA

NATALIE

5