Something's Blooming in Bloomington

2016 National Junior Classical League Report

Social Media and Editorial Assistant Connor Hart working
the B-C booth after Don and he set up on Wednesday.

This year marked the 63rd Annual National Junior Classical League Convention. It was held at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, from July 24 to July 29, 2016. Forest Hall was open to book exhibits July 27 to 29. Don Sprague and Connor Hart, having braved the congested traffic of Tristate-294 and monstrous trucks of Interstate-65, made it to Bloomington Tuesday night to represent Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers. During their time there they managed a booth of books and buttons while teachers, students, and parents of classicists came and went.

Editor Don Sprague with student
Carlos Cerda who took home the 
B-C book bundle.

Traffic was steady and interest strong at the conference. Students seemed very interested in the wide selection of prose authors and poets to choose from in the BC Latin Readers. Many students were also thrilled about the Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein books, as well as the children's books authored by B-C president Marie Bolchazy. However, they were most enthusiastic to have a copy of Ubi Fera Sunt in their hands. Also, like last year in San Antonio, many of the students showed an interest in Greek language books, primarily for independent use.

We held a fish bowl drawing again this year, and had even more teachers and students sign up than previous contests. Student Carlos Cerda of Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in Houston, TX, took home the book bundle of culture resource books that included Classical Mythology & More, To Be A Roman, Latin Everywhere, Everyday, and A Roman Map Workbook. With his busy schedule sending him all over the beautiful limestone campus, his mother, Elizabeth Cerda, who introduced Carlos to Latin when she home schooled him, stopped by and said hi and picked up the bundle. Later, Carlos stopped by to meet Don and Connor.

NJCL proved a great opportunity for Connor, our social media and editorial assistant, to experience the fruits of his labors. Ruth Osier, whose class entry won Martia Dementia, stopped by to redeem her prize—a $100 gift certificate for B-C materials. She shared with Connor in real time how much her students enjoyed participating in the contest. Matthew Moore, who was the Roman Calendar winner for the month of June, also stopped by and chatted with Connor. (Note: Learn how Ruth Osier employed Martia Dementia as a class project. Check out the April 2016 issue of eLitterae.)

The Trojan Horse in downtown Bloomington, IN.

Did you attend NJCL this year? How was your experience, and what did you like? Will you be attending next year? We will! See you in Troy, Alabama!

-Connor Hart