Best of the Week 2022-2023: Teaching to the Future

ST. ED'S CELEBRATES CLASSICAL LANGUAGES WEEK AND RECOGNIZES NATIONAL LATIN EXAM MEDALISTS

In celebration of last week's Classical Languages Week, St. Ed's Knights of the Tiber hosted week-long festivities including the St. Ed's Chariot Races where students revived the ancient Roman art of chariot racing. On the front lawn of campus, four student teams, led by Latin teacher Peter Knittel, used the first-ever St. Edward Circus Minimus, a modern day counterpart to the Roman Circus Maximus stadium right here in Lakewood. St. Ed's also welcomed Professor Timothy Wutrich from Case Western Reserve University's Classics Department who sat with students and shared his passion for ancient Greek theater and the origins of drama. Students were invited to partake in a Latin-themed game show, a cross between Academic Challenge and Jeopardy, enjoy a Latin musical theater feature film, celebrate the 2,776th anniversary of the legendary founding of Rome, and listen to a presentation led by Mr. Knittel on the video game and mythical origins of Hades entitled, "Hell of a Journey: An Interactive Introduction to Myths Behind the Popular Video Game, Hades."

Some students even took a tour and attended a centuries-old traditional Latin Low Mass at the historic St. Stephen's Church. "I never cease to be amazed at the young crowds which this antiquated expression of the liturgy draws in the 2020's," says Latin teacher Daniel Cavoli. "This may be the liturgy of our parents and grandparents, but it is attended mainly by people under the age of 40. You see many young families with women in veils and men in suits as they engage in this mystical form of worship."

Concluding this week, St. Ed's community would like to congratulate our Latin Eagles on their 2023 National Latin Exam results, with nine gold medalists, 12 silver medalists and six cum laude certificates and two perfect scorers, Carter Riordan '26 and Cameron Sheldon '25.