Torch: U.S. LXXIII Spring 2024 | Page 24

Torch: U.S. · Spring 2024 · STATE UPDATES

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State Updates

Salvete from the oddly-rainy and far-too-chilly CAJCL! Despite temperatures dropping to the upper fifties, we in California have persisted in making the JCL a year-round activity. Our executive board held their first meeting of the new year, where we looked back on Ludi and SCRAMulum, heard officer reports, and prepared for State Convention. In total, 44 chapters and 829 students attended Ludi and SCRAMulum.

Dedicated certamen players from across the state attended CaRCer, the California Regional Certamen rounds, on February 24. Teams battled over the course of a day to determine the contestants at State Convention in levels ranging from MS 1 to HS Advanced. State Convention will take place on April 12 and 13, hosted by Menlo High School. Menlo has been hard at work to prepare for convention, and they have a long and exciting list of activities planned. Meanwhile, students at schools across the state are rehearsing spirit cheers, preparing for pre-convention contests, and studying for academic tests.

california

by Felix Chen, CAJCL Editor

The Arizona Junior Classical League went to Arizona State University for the annual Fall

Forum. At Fall Forum eager Latin discipuli from across the state came and participated in

lectures, contests, workshops, service projects, and social events for the entirety of the day. Over three hundred students attended and had a “bonum tempus.” With the passing of winter there also was the passing of many Ancient Roman events and celebrations. One of the most famous of these events is the ancient holiday Saturnalia, in which agriculture and Saturn are celebrated through feasting, giving gifts, and socializing. This is all greatly similar to the celebration of winter holidays nowadays. Separate branches across the state had different observances of the holiday. Most recently the state met for Agonalia at Tempe Prep, a festival in honor of various Ancient Roman deities, and participated in certamen, chin certamen, and Roman charades. Chin certamen is exactly as it sounds: the act of answering certamen questions, with one’s chin.

Everyone is gearing up for the state convention to be held on the 24th at Gilbert Classical

Academy. Overall, the state has had a busy, but pleasurable winter and beginning of spring.

arizona

by Carter Carmichael, AZJCL First Vice President