.::IJCL Dates to Note::.

Upcoming JCL Deadlines

• ~May 15: Deadline to register to be on the Indiana Certamen Teams at the NJCL National Convention
• ~May 15: Deadline to submit applications for a first-place grant for the NJCL National Convention
• ~June 6: Deadline to register for the 2024 NJCL National Convention

Upcoming JCL Events

• ~May 18: Executive Board Meeting, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., St. Theodore Guerin Catholic HS, Noblesville

Upcoming Classics Deadlines & Events

.::Proposed IN Diploma Changes::.

Indiana is looking at changing their graduation requirements. These new requirements would not require students to take a world language. Please read through the proposed changes and give your thoughts. 

Information about the changes: https://www.in.gov/sboe/files/3.27.24-SBOE-meeting_HS-Diploma-Redesign.pptx.pdf
IFLTA has suggested using this language in the jot form. Please make any edits you feel are necessary. May 31 is the deadline to submit public comments.

.::2024-2025 IJCL Calendar::.

Here is a link to the approved 2024-2025 IJCL Calendar. Dates highlighted in pink are subject to final approvals from building administration. 

.::Floralia Certamen Invitational Recap::.

On April 27, the IJCL held the 1st annual Floralia Certamen invitational at Stanley Clark School in South Bend, Indiana. You can find pictures of the event here. Thank you to Stanley Clark for hosting a great event!

.::24-25 Job Openings::.

New Albany High School

Steve Prince is retiring from New Albany High School! Congratulations Steve!

Full-time position, uses Suburani for levels 1-3, and works closely with Lesley Austin, the Latin teacher at Floyd Central, which is the other high school in the district. 

More information and application: https://nafcs.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=1623

Cathedral High School

Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, an independent Catholic college preparatory high school in the Holy Cross Tradition, is seeking a Latin Teacher to instruct students at various academic levels. The chosen candidate will be hired to begin employment at Cathedral during the 2024-2025 school year. If interested, download and complete the application from Cathedral’s Career page at www.gocathedral.com.

More information can be found here: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1712328170/cathedralirish/ydqtv5f1ucgevfspeg1t/LatinTeacher2024-2025JobPosting1.pdf

Cardinal Ritter High School

Cardinal Ritter Junior Senior High School, located at 3360 West 30th Street is hiring a Latin teacher for 2024-2025. Join a team of welcoming, faith-filled teachers and an amazing, diverse group of students. Our school is deeply rooted in its Catholic mission to “provide an academically rigorous education for our diverse student population. Students are challenged to grow in Mind, Body, & Soul and to engage in charitable stewardship of their unique talents and abilities.”

Teacher would teach Latin 1 through 4 as well as Etymology. Teachers teach on a block schedule with 3 classes a day and one block as a prep period.

Contact Kari Jost, Cardinal Ritter Principal, at kjost@cardinalritter.org.

.::Contest Chair Position Available::.

For the 2024-2025 year, we have one open contest chair position available: Academic Contest Chair. Description of the position is below. If you are interested in this position, please email chair@ijcl.org as soon as possible.

Academic Contest Chair: makes original or additional copies of tests as needed, make copies of answer sheets, sharpens pencils, gives academic orientation at convention, works with ISCL Parliamentarian to set up the testing sessions, train proctors, and run the testing sessions, works with SCL to have the tests graded and results compiled, corrects and re-copies tests as needed, stores tests and testing supplies between conventions, and rewrites tests every 10-15 years (this was just done).
If you are interested in this position or have any questions, please contact chair@ijcl.org.

.::National Convention Bus Trip Information 2024::.

We already have 27 fantastic people signed up for the bus trip! Join us!

Every year, the Indiana Junior Classical League (IJCL) rents a charter bus and drives down to convention, making a plethora of stops along the way. This trip allows students to meet and befriend other students from the state of Indiana before convention. This year’s trip will be leaving on Saturday, July 20, and returns Saturday, July 27.  Stops will include the Dollywood Amusement Park, a tour of the Smoky Mountain National Park, Mammoth Cave and other places around the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area. The price of this trip ranges between $550 and $635, depending on when you sign up. This price also includes hotel stays, a state T-shirt, and entry into all stops. Full details are available here.

Please see this informational packet for more details about the bus trip and national convention: tinyurl.com/INnatconinfo2024

Delegate Registration: All Indiana attendees must register with the state via this Google form before registering on the NJCL site: 2024 Indiana National Convention Delegate Registration Form (tinyurl.com/INnatcon2024)  

Becki Bush made a flyer (can print 4 to a page for postcard size) to hand out to kids with a QR code they can scan for the bus trip info packet. It’s in a Canva template teachers can modify as needed here: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGBeWwDGPQ/pOnoz2gKXek0UxXCfxXATA/view?utm_content=DAGBeWwDGPQ&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink&mode=preview

And here is a PDF version: Bus Trip Signup Card.pdf

.::NJCL National Convention 2024::.

This summer’s NJCL National Convention will be held at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN, from July 22-27, 2024.  We encourage all Indiana students, sponsors, and SCL members to consider attending. For more information about the National Convention check out this packet and the National Convention FAX.

The NJCL will also offer Convention Domi again this year for delegates who cannot attend the convention in person for whatever reason.

We also encourage all delegates to join the Indiana Junior Classical League Bus Tour to participate in the group bonding that helps create lifelong friendships and a competitive, unified state delegation. We will tour some of the highlights along the route prior to arriving at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN, where you will join other Latin students at the 71st Annual National Junior Classical League Convention. 

Students who attend the national convention are required to compete in at least three academic contests and at least one additional competition in graphic arts, creative arts, or olympika. We encourage students to sign up for more than the minimum in case of conflicts or other issues that arise.

Essential dates:

May 1: Deadline for registering with early pricing for the 2024 NJCL National Convention

May 15: Deadline to register to be on the Indiana Certamen Teams at the NJCL National Convention

May 15: Deadline to submit applications for a first-place grant for the NJCL National Convention

July 13: Certamen practice for national convention delegates on Indiana Certamen teams, Crown Point HS (9 a.m. Central time/10 a.m. Eastern)

July 13: Picnic and information meeting for Indiana delegates to the 2024 National Junior Classical League convention, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.  (noon-3 p.m. Crown Point time), Crown Point HS, Crown Point

July 22-July 27: 71st annual National Junior Classical League Convention, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (Indiana bus tour: July 20-July 22, July 27)    

The NJCL has a number of opportunities for teachers and students to attend the 2024 NJCL Convention free of charge. We have a summary of the various available awards, but each award has its own application form and requirements, so please refer to the NJCL website for more information and a history of the awards.

IJCL First Place State Grant Forms – Deadline May 15

Any JCL member who received a first-place award in any contest or in certamen at state convention may apply for a state grant by filling out this form by May 15. A member may apply for as many first-place awards as he or she received.

Each nominee must agree to participate in the event(s) at the national convention. No first-place winner is an automatic recipient; application is required. A first-place state winner in certamen must indicate his or her intent by the May 15 deadline. A recipient who does not participate in the event at national convention must return the money to the state.

Indiana Certamen team at National Convention–Applications due May 15

If you have students who are interested in competing on the state certamen team for their level at National Convention, they must complete this form (Indiana Certamen Teams Application) by May 15. Practice will be held at Crown Point High School on Saturday, July 13 (9 a.m. Central time/10 a.m. Eastern).

Those interested in playing Open Certamen at National Convention should also complete this form; they are also welcome to come to the certamen practice on July 13.

If you were on a first-place certamen team at state convention, you can automatically claim a spot on the 8- person state team, if you wish, but you must still complete this form by May 15.

.::Italy Trip – June 16-24, 2025::.

We have contracted with Passports again for our IJCL 2025 Italy trip.  Mrs. Williams-Ihlendorf, IJCL Italy Trip Chair has flyers, cards, and posters that you can use to start advertising the trip.  Please feel free to reach out to her with any questions you might have.  The enrollment option is currently closed to give teachers time to get it approved, if necessary.   It will be live as of May 1.  

Please feel free to reach out to her with any questions.  Also, please let her know if you are actively recruiting at your school, so she will have an idea of who is trying to recruit travelers.   Free adult opportunities will be decided as we see which teachers have the most students going and would like to travel with them.  

If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Williams-Ihlendorf, IJCL Italy Trip Chair. 

Email:  italy@ijcl.org

Phone: 317-410-9944

Trip packet link:  https://secure.passports.com/document/2550CBCCAADE/

.::IJCL Monthly Publicity Contest::.

The purpose of the IJCL Monthly Publicity Contest is to spotlight clubs’ publicity efforts throughout the year, encourage clubs around the state to participate at both the state and national levels, and share ideas for publicity. Schools are encouraged to send their items (limit one item per category) to the state and national contests every month. Submissions should be sent to the IJCL Contest by email at publicity@ijcl.org and to the national contest at publicrelations@njcl.org by the 15th of the following month (e.g., submissions for the January contest must be completed April 1-30 and submitted by May 15). 

The subject line of the email must be: Monthly Promotion Contest.

The IJCL Monthly Publicity Contest will run from August to May. Items will be judged on the following criteria: Impact, Originality/Creativity, Quality of Content, Appeal, and Effort. The national contest will have winners for each category. The state will pick one item to showcase each month. Winners of the monthly contest will be featured on the IJCL’s social media pages

Publicity Contest Rules and More
Google Doc Publicity Contest Template
PowerPoint Publicity Contest Template
Google Slides Publicity Contest Template

.::ACL Institute 2024::.

Registration for the 2024 ACL Institute is now available. Join ACL at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, Thursday, June 26 – Saturday, June 29.

The draft agenda for this summer’s Institute is available on the website. There are in-person and virtual options. 

All Institute information, including registration links for the hotels, is on the Institute Page.

.::IJCL Membership Information 2023-2024::.

There are two steps to registration: State & Nationals. Please make sure to complete both steps. 

State Registration

All Indiana membership work should be done through the state site first. We collect money for both state and national dues to make it easier for you and your treasurer.

Chapter dues are currently $35 ($15 for state and $20 for national).

Individual member dues are currently $9 ($6 for state and $3 for national).

We also offer you the opportunity to renew your ACL membership through us as well (helpful if your school will pay that for you)

Click on the following documents for specific directions:

• IJCL Membership Portal – Sponsor Renewing a Chapter (Previously Registered Online)
• IJCL Membership Portal – Sponsor Registering Chapter for First Time Online
• IJCL Membership Portal – Adding/Renewing More Members Mid-Year

Remember that you are expected to submit payment for an invoice within a week after generating the invoice. This really helps us keep current with the national office.

If you currently have an IJCL State Officer or a Sponsored Student in your chapter, please do not register them in your first round of registration. Please create an invoice for them separately.

National Registration

After you register with the state, please follow the directions in this document so that you generate an invoice that we’ll be able to use to pay for your national dues (you don’t need to send them any money!):

2023-2024 Indiana Membership Directions from National Office

For the low price of a $20 donation to one of the IJCL funds (Scholarship, Bartlow, Sponsor-a-Student, Leadership, National Convention Participation), the IJCL Co-Chairs will complete your NJCL Membership for you!  If you used the service last year, please be sure to donate again for this year.

Use this link to donate: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/785c4058-f0d9-4d7a-9f27-4d885d59d68f

After you make your donation, please send your ACL/NJCL password to chair@ijcl.org. For security purposes, do not send your username as we can look that up. 

If you need any help, please contact us at chair@ijcl.org.

.::High School Latin Tutor Available::.

Alex Brinkman, a recent Classics graduate of Butler University, is looking to tutor high school students in Latin. If you are interested, please contact him at a.c.brinkman@outlook.com.

.::2024 State Convention Recap::.

The 70th Annual Indiana Junior Classical League Convention was a success!

This weekend, 236 delegates, sponsors, and chaperones from 15 schools throughout the state attended the 70th annual Indiana Junior Classical League Convention at Indiana University. It proved to be three wonderful days of competition, learning, and fun for the Latin students of Indiana. We hope that some of you whose chapters did not attend will consider joining in on the fun next year.  We can even offer some assistance via the Dennis M. Bartlow Packet Award if you need some financial help to get your chapter’s attendance off the ground.  Of course, we hope that those who attended this year will join us again next year. 

The top awards went to:

Overall Sweepstakes Awards: Classical Studies of Indianapolis (small chapters) and The Master’s Study (large chapters)

Helen Wampler Spirit Award: Crown Point

Sharon Gibson Community Service Award: Terre Haute South Vigo 

Effie Douglas Membership Award: Cathedral 

Dennis Bartlow Publicity Contest: Crown Point

Local Publications Contest: Crown Point

Certamen Champions Novice Division: Terre Haute South Vigo

Certamen Champions Intermediate Division: Crown Point

Certamen Champions Advanced Division: Crown Point 

Delegate Spirit Award: The Master’s Study

Chapter T-Shirt Contest: Classical Studies of Indianapolis

Scrapbook Contest: Crown Point (Digital) & The Master’s Study (Traditional) 

IJCL Scholarships:

Hayden Smith of Crown Point High School and Sharielis Rodriguez of Shelbyville High School won the scholarships.

These new IJCL Officers will take office on June 1 (August 1 for Historian):

President: Alfredo Ochoa (Cardinal Ritter) 

1st Vice President: Charley Kendall (Classical Studies of Indianapolis)

2nd Vice President: Katie Shannon (Homestead)

Communications Coordinator: Ella Smith (Homestead)

Parliamentarian: Amanda Vollmer (Reitz Memorial)

Historian: Cameron Thomas (St. Guerin Catholic School)

Editor: Melissa Tan (Canterbury School)

The full set of results will soon be available on the website; be sure to check our Facebook page and Instagram account for some great pictures of convention.

All convention attendees should remember to complete the convention evaluation no later than April 10, 2024.  The link for the online form is here.

IJCL 1st Vice President, Hayden Smith, would like to make a promo video for next year’s state convention. If you have any videos from this year’s convention that would be a good addition to the promotional video, please add them to this Google Drive folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fROBFf3ybGX-AMqwna3n5Vw_3Dt1aywq

Our new IJCL Co-Chair for 2024-2029 is Megan Beckman! Congratulations!

These amendments to the 2024 IJCL Constitution passed at the IJCL Convention: 

Amendment Procedure

Committee Chairs

Membership and Financial Coordinator

This amendment failed: 

Parliamentarian Eligibility

.::Indiana Certamen Invitational 2024 Recap::.

Here are the results from the 36th annual Indiana Certamen Invitational at Classical Studies of Indianapolis on Saturday, February 10, 2024: 

Thank you to everyone who came out today to compete or volunteer. We hope you all had a great time, and a huge thanks to CSIndy for hosting!

.::Saturnalia Certamen Invitational 2023 Recap::.

The 1st Saturnalia Certamen Invitational was at Herron-Riverside High School on Saturday, December 9. 

.::IJCL Fall Latin Day 2023 Recap::.

175 middle and high school Latin students and their teachers from across Indiana attended the 46th annual Indiana Junior Classical League Fall Latin Day on November 18 at IUPUI in Indianapolis, IN.

Huge thanks to all of our speakers, presenters, facilitators, committee members, and especially our IUPUI hosts.

Here is a link to the 2023 Fall Latin Day press release: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KaycaQDs0aJ5Ps9zVDJnBLZqprslJpGt-lbsRLHQ_XQ/edit?usp=sharing

Photos from the event can be found here: Fall Latin Day 2023 Pictures

The IJCL At-A-Glance Video is here: https://youtu.be/svDC-7VSD6Y?si=ZWG9KZQ3Wn9Sr1lB

The IJCL At-a-Glance Handout is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DgHRweVJAUJhCnOJSbn2IA7xo1FgdfBd/view?usp=sharing

.::Leadership Development Academy 2023 Recap::.

On Saturday, September 16, 99 participants from 12 schools attended the 10th annual Leadership Development Academy at Cathedral High School. Students were able to learn from the IJCL State Officers, attend breakout sessions on various topics, and meet students from around the state. 

Below are some Large Group Breakout links: 

• Publicity for Dummies (and Latin Nerds) – Hayden Smith
• Fundraising: the Fun You Love to Hate – Jeremy Walker
• Gearing Up for State Convention – Brittany Haworth
• Rebuilding Service for the Local Club – Melissa Perkins (Link to Service Project coming soon)
• Using Games with your Local Chapter – Kim Sole

Thank you for completing the evaluation form at the event. If you have any other questions, comments, or feedback, please send them to Brittany Haworth at chair-haworth@ijcl.org. 

.::National Convention 2023 Recap::.

Approximately 1,200 students, teachers, and chaperones from across the United States gathered at the 70th annual National Junior Classical League (NJCL) Convention held at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and virtually from July 23 to 28. Among those were 24 delegates from the Indiana Junior Classical League (IJCL), including high school students, college students, and adult sponsors and chaperones. Hannah Banks attended her first convention with the Miller Fellowship and Lisanne Thorpe celebrated her 20th convention! Becki Bush also attended her 20th convention, and we will celebrate that when she goes back in person. Thank you to all of our adult sponsors & chaperones. 

Students competed in academic, graphic art, creative art, and athletic events. Additionally, students participated in daily spirit competitions. The Indiana delegation placed first in the nation among small states for Tuesday’s spirit competition Fly Like an Eagle, Sting Like a Bee, led by IJCL 2nd Vice President Alfredo Ochoa of Cardinal Ritter High School. In addition, the state digital scrapbook, created by IJCL Historian Marieke Young of Bishop Chatard High School, earned second place in the nation.

In addition, students from across the state represented Indiana in the national Certamen tournament, a “Jeopardy!”-like competition with questions covering a range of topics about the ancient world. Jackson Herrera (Bishop Chatard HS), Lucas Johnson (Crown Point HS),  Hayden Smith (Crown Point HS), and Griffin Dellinger (North Central HS) competed at the advanced level. 

Here is a link to the press release that you can copy, edit, brag about your chapter’s students, and send to local/school newspapers. 

Next year’s NJCL Convention will be held July 22-27 at University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN. We hope to see you and your students there!

IJCL Italy Trip 2023 Recap

Members of Indiana Junior Classical League traveled to Italy in June 2023! 10 travelers from around the state enjoyed the sights, sounds, and tastes of Italy from June 13 – June 21 with the Passports travel company. 7 students went with 2 adults and 1 chaperone to spend 5 days in Rome and 3 days in the Bay of Naples region. Read more here.

.:: In Memory of Dennis Bartlow ::.

Dennis “Denny” Bartlow – our “Mr. IJCL” – passed away on May 21, 2013, at age 66. He had a long history with JCL, attending 51 NJCL and 52 IJCL conventions. His final IJCL Convention was being held at his beloved Indiana State University where he was often to be found cheering “Go Sycamores!” He enjoyed planning and attending the SCL reunions, travelling to visit family and friends, attending various sporting events – notably those of his Sycamores and the Florida Gators. He was also very active in his church – whether it involved singing in the choir, serving on various committees, or helping with the youth.

Although Denny spent much of his career living in Illinois, his heart was in Indiana. He was buried in his hometown of Montezuma, thus being “Back Home Again in Indiana.”

Visitation was from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, May 24, 2013, at the Montezuma Presbyterian Church, with services occurring at noon.

.:: Denny Memorial Tribute ::.

It was a sunny day as we gathered in Montezuma, Indiana to bid a fond farewell to JCL/SCL legend – our mentor and friend – Denny Bartlow. A gentle breeze was blowing, flowers were blooming, and everything was green. It serves as a reminder to me that although this is the end of our time on earth with Denny, the two organizations that he loved so much are still so alive and vital to all of us.

As people gathered that day, every time I looked up I saw new faces. There were Indiana teachers, retirees, and former state officers from one end of the state to the other – as difficult as it was for them to get there that day due to scheduling conflicts, personal issues, etc. Then there were those who traveled even greater distances; I saw faces from Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Texas. Some of those people truly went above and beyond to say one last goodbye to Denny. I would love to name everyone, but I am afraid that I would inadvertently miss someone. I would like to say a special “thank you” to Ed Long for the donation of his JCL and SCL pins so that Denny’s Indiana State University Sycamores sweatshirt and Cubs cap could look complete.

I had the privilege of speaking on behalf of the JCL and SCL at Denny’s services and as I looked out at the sea of faces in that packed church, I saw so many faces that I knew through those two organizations. As I spoke, looking out at those faces, I began to picture the faces of the all of those whose comments I have seen on Facebook and also those whom I have had the privilege of meeting at Denny’s side over the years at NJCL State Chairs’ Luncheons, “That’s Entertainment,” Sponsors and Chaperones Receptions, and all of the other NJCL events and all of the IJCL certamina and other events (including bus trips) – even those whose faces I could only imagine from his stories. Forget the church – Montezuma herself might not have been able to contain them all!

The outpouring of love for Denny has been a sight to behold and I have been privileged to have seen it, as much as I have been privileged to have been called a friend and colleague by Denny. He is now resting in “God’s country” as he used to say. Imagine that we’ve reached the state line; there’s the crackling of the intercom and Denny is announcing that we’re back in Indiana. This weekend, if you are a race fan – or via YouTube link if you are not – when you hear “Back Home Again in Indiana,” please think of Denny; I know I will.