Best of the Week 2019-2020: Excellence in College Prep

NATIONAL LATIN EXAM TESTERS SOAR WITH ACCOMPLISHMENTS, INCLUDING GOLD MEDALISTS AND PERFECT SCORERS

Congratulations to all our National Latin Exam testers and their amazing achievements during such an unprecedented time. Minutes before starting the exam on Thursday, March 12, students received the news that classes would resume off-campus through remote learning starting the following day. "Despite receiving this heightened and emotional news, students gathered in the St. Ed's cafeteria to take the exam and their string of accomplishments as a result of this change is all the more epic," says Latin teacher Mr. Daniel Cavoli. "It's definitely interesting how this exam came to be the single, last event at St. Ed's for the school year that these students experienced on campus. Regardless of the intensity and drama of the situation, there is so much to celebrate for what these students managed to achieve."

"I am very proud of our students' accomplishments since I can only imagine the emotional strain they were under," says Latin teacher Mr. Eric Mentges. "Having just learned that their school was closing until further notice, and not having any answers as to what this actually entailed (would sports be canceled? The spring play? Concerts? Graduation?), they still managed to focus and excel on a challenging Latin exam. To me, that demonstrates the grit and tenacity that we try to instill in our students."

Having just received the results of the National Latin Exam, our Edsman testers received 16 gold medals (with the Summa cum Laude distinction), 14 silver medals (with the Maxima cum Laude distinction), 8 Magna cum Laude certificates, and 9 cum Laude certificates. Three gold medalists including Sam Richardson '22, Justin Salazar '23 and Ty Wiggenhorn '23 also received perfect scores. Additionally, members of St. Ed's Knights of the Tiber received stellar achievements including all Latin I testers receiving gold or silver medals, Sam Richardson '22 earning his second straight 100% and Leo Burden '22 earning a gold medal after moving up to Honors Latin II at the end of the semester (only being in the class for less than a quarter). "The exam's results not only align with our focus on excellence in college prep in the academic sense, but also in how we are preparing students who will be capable of adapting to difficult and unexpected situations," says Mr. Mentges. "While we certainly hope that these types of situations do not arise again, at least these students now know that they have the focus and perseverance necessary to achieve success even in such highly challenging circumstances."