On March 30th, Latin students from the Upper and Middle Schools will depart for the Latin State Competition! St. Stephen’s Latin students will stay at the Wyndham Orlando Resort and compete against different schools for the ever-so sought after overall first-place trophy, crowning the best Latin school competitor in the state of Florida. The competition revolves around different competitions, the next level for the competition students qualified for at the regional competition. 

The vast culture of the Ancient Roman empire created a rich variety of Latin language topics that students in the 21st century can compete in. Here are just a few of the many topics that Latin students can choose from to compete in: Grammar, Derivatives, Customs, Latin Literature, and the list goes on. If you are on the more artistic side, Latin states may also be a great way to express yourself. Latin students can draw, paint or sculpt something within the Latin realm and it will be judged and awarded. Hao Li intends to submit a drawing and you can see the preview below.   

AP Latin student and club president Elaina Bayard shared her experience with Latin states. “It’s a great opportunity to meet people around the state who you’d never meet otherwise. But it’s also a chance for you to hang out with people you see at school everyday but may not talk to.” 

Furthermore, Latin states is also great for Latin students who want to get a better grasp at the language. Junior Samantha Mascera commented that,  “My favorite part of Latin states is studying for the Regionals and States tests because you get to learn a ton of new things about your topic. A tip I’d give to people going to Latin states for the first time is to study your topic thoroughly and not the night before.”

Not only do students get to take their Latin education to the next level, they also get to take a fun trip to Universal. Latin student Hao Li expressed his love for this element of the trip, agreeing “Latin States is a great opportunity to hangout with friends but also make new ones, one of my favorite things about Latin States would definitely be Universal.”

If you are a Latin student looking to master the language, Latin States is the right place for you! Mr Revard states that, “It’s the most amount of fun that a bunch of Latin students can have at one place at one time!” Latin students aspiring to attend next year should approach Mr. Revard, Dr. Elsner, or Latin Club leadership.