VJCL Fall Forum 2017
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Intermediate
For people that have never been to Castra, can you share a little about what it was like?
Gwynn Major: Castra was a great learning experience for me. Not only was I able to meet and work with some of Virginia's best Latin students/teachers, but I was also able to bond with my teammates and have fun. Each day at Castra consisted of about three hours of hardcore studying of a specific subject (for me it was grammar), and the remaining three hours were devoted to playing practice rounds of Certamen with the entire team. I ended up obtaining knowledge far beyond what was covered in regular Latin class, and I owe it to the highly intelligent people whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the two weeks of Castra.
What were the most difficult teams you played while at Nationals? Any surprises?
Abbie Henshaw: There were the obvious teams of Florida and Massachusetts, but New Hampshire was also killing it. That was kind of a surprise for me.
What was the craziest buzz you made or heard anyone else make at Nationals?
Mary Margaret Lehmkuhler: There were a lot of fun buzzes, especially when my teammate Abbie got the question about the horse-senator Incitatus and was so proud that she stood up to give her answer. My moment came when I had to guess how long Odysseus stayed somewhere and I buzzed before it was named. I guessed one year, because that was the only answer I was certain of, and got it right!
What would be your advice to students new to Certamen?
AH: STUDY! STUDY! STUDY! It behooves you to. Even if it seems like you may have bitten off more than you can chew just study a little bit a day and you’ll slowly get better and better.
Who was your favorite moderator, and why?
MML: Definitely Kyle Smith-Laird from California, whom we had twice, because he had as much fun moderating as I did playing. He treated Certamen like what it is- a game. I love moderators who know what they're doing but appreciate and encourage the joy of Certamen.
What do you enjoy most about Certamen - the studying, the material, the actual playing?
GM: I enjoy the actual playing the most in Certamen. In competition you can meet new people, learn unknown material, and feel the instant gratification of a correct buzz!
If you were going to replace the Aurelia passage, what would it say?
MML: I could be mean and type out the entire Bee Movie script here, but I'd rather leave the pronunciation passage to the professionals.
GM: Honestly, I would just keep the Aurelia passage. It has become such a staple component of Certamen that without it, there would be widespread chaos and activists would emerge from the depths to protest the unforeseen change.
Left: Intermediate team with coach Ms. Lewis (L-R: Hudson Reynolds, Abbie Henshaw, Ms. Lewis, Mary Margaret Lehmkuhler, Gwynn Major)