May 2023 – Collinsville High School Latin teacher James Stark reports another strong year for the CHS Latin program. Students earned a record total of 105 state and national awards (the previous record was ~76 awards, pre-pandemic).
To see a listing of all awards, use THIS LINK to visit the Hall of Fame on the CHS Latin website which also includes award lists from previous school years and general Latin program information.
Here are 2022-23 CHS Latin award highlights:
Seal of Biliteracy
For 2023, one graduating senior earned an Illinois Seal of Biliteracy in Latin (which also awards college credit). Five CHS seniors are graduating with a Commendation of Biliteracy.
Seal of Biliteracy
Madeline “Nox” Eversmann
Commendations of Biliteracy
Peyton “Lacertus” Beeles
Mason “Ursus” Foley
Olivia “Nemesis” Frawley
Ian “Apollo” Marlow
Amber “Pandora” Vargas
In addition to the above students, several juniors and sophomores also took the biliteracy exam, earning a qualifying score for commendations (and 1 qualifying score for a seal). These students will have seals/commendations of biliteracy when they graduate their senior year:
Qualified for Seal
Elliott “Fabius” Schusky
Qualified for Commendation
Donovan “Mercurius” Barker
Addison “Casea” Bicanic
Brian “Fulmen” Castro
Gus “Neptunus” Dorman
Charles “Apis” Lane
Gavin “Cucuphas” Leech
Isabel “Aurelia” Perez
Emma “Tinea” Pope
Tristan “Tiberius” Schubert
Kailey “Iocosa” Stauthammer
National Latin Exam
Fifteen awards on the National Latin Exam (close to the school record of 16, which was set in 2021-22). These include:
Cum Laude Awards
Giovanni “Primus” Roman (Beginning Latin Exam)
Charles “Apis” Lane (Intermediate Latin Exam)
Peyton “Lacertus” Beeles (Advanced Poetry)
Magna Cum Laude Awards
“Nerva” Rangel (Beginning Latin Exam)
Laila “Numeria” Hutchison (Beginning Latin Exam)
Mia “Luna” Aldana (Beginning Latin Exam)
Gavin “Cucuphas” Leech (Intermediate Latin Exam)
Olivia “Nemesis” Frawley (Advanced Poetry Exam)
Isabel “Aurelia” Perez (Advanced Poetry Exam)
Maxima Cum Laude (Silver Medalists)
Joseph “Iosephus” Reilly (Beginning Latin Exam)
Brian “Fulmen” Castro (Intermediate Latin Exam)
Donovan “Mercurius” Barker (Intermediate Reading Comprehension Exam)
Madeline “Nox” Eversmann (Advanced Poetry Exam)
Elliott “Fabius” Schusky (Advanced Poetry Exam)
Summa Cum Laude (Gold Medalist)
Gus “Neptunus” Dorman (Intermediate Latin Exam)
Illinois Junior Classical League – South Convention
At the first ILJCL South Convention since pre-Covid times, Collinsville students placed 2nd overall, with first place school finishes in academics, artwork and all levels of certamen (classically-themed scholar bowl).
Despite the 2nd place overall finish, students did earn new record number of individual awards for South Convention, totaling 31 academic, artistic and performance awards:
Costumes
2nd Place
Scylla & Charybdis – Kylie “Vera” Noonan & Numeria “Laila” Hutchison
Graphic Arts
1st Place
T-Shirts – Amber “Pandora” Vargas for her Ceezer – Blue Album Latin Club Shirt Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous – Madeline “Nox” Eversmann for her authentically baked Roman Placenta Cake|
Sculpture – “Nerva” Rangel for her Roman pottery
Drawings – Hannah “Sabina” German for her depiction of Arachne
Paintings – Amber “Pandora” Vargas for her depiction of Pandora’s box
Academic Testing
3rd Place:
Level 3
Roman Life – Tristan “Tiberius” Schubert
Mythology – Isabel “Aurelia” Perez
Academic Testing
Both our upper level and lower level certamen teams achieved first place finishes as well. The teams were comprised of:
Brian “Fulmen” Castro
Gus “Neptunus” Dorman
Charles “Apis” Lane
Gavin “Cucuphas” Leech
Olivia “Nemesis” Frawley
Ian “Apollo” Marlow
Elliott “Fabius” Schusky
Tristan “Tiberius” Schubert
Amber “Pandora” Vargas