Menlo JCL Hosts Convention at Stanford on Halloween!
by Rachel
On October 31, the Menlo Junior Classical League (headed by Grace ‘15 and her magnificent team of JCL officers) will be hosting more than four hundred students from 20 schools all over Northern California at an event called Ludi Octobres. Menlo has hosted this annual event many times in the past, but for the first time it will be held at Stanford. The event is the first of a four conferences throughout the school year which bring middle school and high school students of the Classics together to get to know each other and to compete in a myriad of activities such as sports, academics and artistic endeavors.
One of the favorites is Certamen, a quiz game where players compete to answer questions about Roman and Greek history, grammar, mythology, daily life, literature, derivatives, mottoes, abbreviations, and vocabulary as well as Latin names for modern books, movies, TV and Broadway shows, and modern culture – really anything connect however tenuously to the Classics. Have you ever thought about how to say cellphone in Latin? Try telephonium portabile.
Of course, there are academic tests in seven catagories and four different workshops related to death, monsters, ghosts, witches, etc. given by Stanford faculty – all in keeping with our Halloween theme of MOTA MONSTRORUM (MONSTER MASH). In the afternoon there will be a panel of Stanford undergraduates talking about the joys of majoring in Classics. There is even a special tour of the Stanford Campus for anyone interested.
Olympika events this year will include volleyball and ultimate frisbee on the Stanford oval. There will also be an exciting Project Runway competition and fun activities like decorating cookies and pumpkins for the Lytton Gardens Assisted Living, a Roman Monster Murder Mystery (written by our own Jeff and Mr. Morris), Monster Bingo, Mythology Spelling Bee, Harry Potter Trivia, and a Selfie Scavenger Hunt. Finally, there will be a costume contest at lunch because it is, after all, Halloween!
Please contact Grace (grace.costello@menloschool.org) if you would like to help out or if you just want to know more.
Menlo JCL 