Teenage boys with Aphrodite costumes, slave auctions, and workshops on Roman Curses could only occur at one event: SCRAM (Southern California Regional Amici Madness)—also known as Latin Convention.

On Nov. 9, Archer’s Latinists participated in the Junior Classical League Southern California convention. Around 800 students and 25 schools participated at Palos Verdes Peninsula High.

Gloria Ryoo ’14 says, “It’s an enriching experience for us budding classicists.” Ryoo adds, “Not that us Latinists aren’t nerds, but we like to play and be social butterflies!”

At the conference, students take at least one academic test, which range from mythology to derivatives, or Roman daily life and history to Latin grammar and vocabulary. Students who do well on these tests, get recognized (see placings below).  Participants can also take part in Mythological Spelling Bees and sports such as Fuge Pilam, also known as dodgeball.

Athena Schlereth, who is the California Junior Classical League’s historian, says her job “is to photograph the events of the CJCL (particularly the regional and state conventions) and to create a digital scrapbook of the year for submission to the national convention in the summer.”

Marisa London ’14 says she “appreciates being able to meet with people who have similar passions.”

Students can congratulate Archer’s classicists at the Classics Club, which meets Monday at lunch in room 173.

12th Grade
Gloria Ryoo: Third Place – Mythology Academic Test
Athena Schlereth: Third Place – Derivatives Academic Test; Third Place – History Academic Test

11th Grade
Amanda Mihalke: Second Place – Advanced Latin Oratory

9th Grade
Claire Sulzer: Second Place – Grammar Academic Test

8th Grade
Gaby Lu: Second Place – Reading Comprehension Academic Test
Zoe Webb-Mack: First Place – Derivatives Academic Test; First Place – Grammar Academic Test
Cybele Zhang: Third Place – Grammar Academic Test