National Club of the Year: LSMSA Eagles Soar at 2024 National JCL Convention

LSMSA students who attended were: Issac Billiot (’26), of Bourg; Bailey Derouen (’25), of Reeves; Jacob Hypes (’25), of Natchitoches; Daniel Norwood (’25), of Bogalusa; Mary Schrader (’26), of DeRidder; and Gray Thibodeaux (’25), of Iowa. During the annual convention, LSMSA’s JCL chapter was named the 2024 National Club of the Year.

Reasons cited for this honor include LSMSA’s promotion of the Classics at events, both on-campus and throughout Louisiana, and for the club’s service work in Natchitoches. From volunteering at the Food Bank of Central Louisiana to hosting "gladiator fights" during LSMSA’s annual Blue and Gold Week, LSMSA’s JCL chapter was commended for spreading their enthusiasm for Latin and the ancient world.

“LSMSA's Latin chapter is one of those most spirited, passionate, and fun clubs I have had the pleasure of meeting during my terms on the Louisiana Junior Classical League board,” said London Dupree, President of the Louisiana Junior Classical League. “Their award as National Club of the Year is well-earned, and I sit at the edge of my seat waiting to see what shenanigans they will get up to next.”

NJCL is one of the largest academic youth organizations in the world, with thousands of members and chapters in most states as well as several foreign countries. The NJCL Convention brings together more than one thousand delegates each year. Delegates spend a week competing in academic, creative, and graphic arts contests as well as athletic, spirit, and service competitions. All competition events focus on the Latin and Ancient Greek languages and the ancient cultures of the Mediterranean.

LSMSA believes that the successful study of world languages can not only expand a student's horizons, it can better equip them for the competitive college admissions process, prepare them for unique job opportunities, and outfit them with an important tool in a global society. In addition to French, Spanish, and Latin, LSMSA’s Languages Department also offers courses in Chinese, Arabic, and German. LSMSA’s participation in the event was supported by the LSMSA Foundation’s Student Enrichment Fund, which covered a portion of travel expenses for the trip. LSMSA club sponsor and Associate Lecturer of Latin, Dr. Morris Tichenor, and College Counselling Coordinator, Bonnie Rutledge, took nine days out of their summer vacations to chaperone these exceptional students.

 

LSMSA is Louisiana's preeminent state-supported residential high school with competitive admissions for Louisiana's high-achieving, highly-motivated sophomores, juniors, and seniors. As a public school, there is no tuition to attend, and assistance from the LSMSA Foundation ensures that the program is accessible to all qualifying students regardless of financial circumstances. For more information, or to apply for admission to LSMSA, visit www.lsmsa.edu.