Highlands Latin School students have once again taken home a load of awards from the National Latin Exam. Every year, HLS students take the NLE, which is administered by the National Junior Classical League to measure the knowledge of Latin students across the country. HLS always performs well, and this year is no different.
Of the 291 HLS students who took the NLE, 261 (90%) received awards. Of the students who received awards, 89 received the Gold Summa Cum Laude award; 55 received the Silver Magna Cum Laude award; and 16 the Magna Cum Laude award. And 23 students received perfect scores on their tests.
One student, Andrew Thibaudeau, won his sixth Gold Medal.
“Our performance on the NLE is a direct reflection of the effectiveness of our curriculum and our teachers,” said Michelle Luoma, head of the Latin program at HLS. “We are so proud of our students this year, and particularly proud of those who received awards. Two of our seniors are eligible to apply for college scholarships through the NLE. What a testament to the value of consistent study and diligent preparation!”
HLS students begin their Latin study with Latina Christiana I, then First through Fourth Form Latin, and then continue with the study of Caesar and Cicero through the Henle Latin program. Many students continue on to the study of Virgil’s poetry.
Originally Published in The Classical Teacher Late Summer 2015 edition