Fall 2026 · Torch: U.S. · NATIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS
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It has been a gift to serve the NJCL next to Jennie Luongo. During her time on the NJCL committee, Ms. Luongo always spoke up for every JCL member and in support of their experience. In her eight years as Certamen chair, she worked diligently to ensure that Certamen let all students feel welcome and successful, which is apparent in the positivity and friendships between different teams and states, and through the impressive number of NJCL officers who first found their place in JCL through Certamen. Ms. Luongo has also been a safe space for the whole committee: always ready to listen and lend her advice whenever anyone needed it. On top of all of that, she was also serving as American Classical League President, where she worked passionately to ensure that educators, students, and friends of the Classics have a place to learn and grow. Like I said at Convention: Latin teachers are the hardest working teachers anywhere, but no one works harder or puts more of herself into her work than Ms. Luongo. Thank you, Jennie, so much for your time and service to the JCL and ACL, and for being a friend and mentor in my own journey!
During my time in the JCL, I’ve learned the beauty of passion, and I do not think it could be better demonstrated by anyone other than Boo.
As the board knows, I always referred to Ms. Boius or “Boo,” as she liked to be called, as my “bestie Boo.” She always made me smile when I got to see her cats, hear her jokes, talk to her, or just while writing, “Hi Boo!” in my emails and texts. Boo was one of the sweetest committee members and is one of the best role models I’ve ever had. When most people think about convention, they see the JCLers coming together at general assemblies to sing the JCL Song. What many don’t see is the hard work that Boo put into us coming together, her timing general assemblies to see if we run late, or sitting in the NJCL office, shoes off, ready to help at any time. Convention is truly a love letter to the JCL and it’s daunting, but Boo handled it with such grace and prestige. It’s no wonder, however, since Boo has been on the NJCL Committee for the span of my entire life, literally serving for 18 years, and her service extends even further to NSCL as a secretary, vice president, and president; and GJCL as state chair, convention chair, and secretary in her senior year of high school. The impact of her service and passion did not stop at myself and the board, however, but to her students like Mr. Ward, who says, “It is because of her that I became a Latin teacher, both because of her positive influence and because, quite literally, she called me up to take on a Latin I part time position.”
To put it simply, Boo is an absolute titan of the JCL, and someone that I hope to be even an ounce of as I grow up in this organization. She has taught me so much about leadership, planning, kindness, and grace just by being able to serve alongside her for two years, and I could not thank Boo more for being my “bestie Boo” and my role model nor for her impact on the rest of the board and JCL community.
Valete, National Committee Members
Ms. Liz Bouis
By Reesey Lai
2025-26 NJCL President
By Todd Wegenhart
NJCL Committee Chair
Ms. Jennie Luongo j