Classics Club Conquers Competition

Each year, St. Mark’s students of the Classics Club (Latin, Greek, Ancient History, Culture, and Linguistics) attend the regional Texas State Junior Classical League Convention (TSJCL), where they compete with other students from North Texas in a broad range of Classical categories. This year, 22 Middle and Upper School students made the short trip to the host school, Jesuit College Prep, and earned praemia plurima variaque (many and various awards). 

  

“My message to the students is Fortuna fortibus favet (luck favors the brave) because our guys have worked steadily, collaboratively, and bravely to ensure their success,” said David Cox, Latin teacher and club sponsor. “In the end, they made their own luck!” 

  

In a quiz bowl about the ancient world, called a Certamen, St. Mark’s students took first place in the Advanced and Intermediate levels and placed second at the Novice level. With their victories, the Advanced and Intermediate teams now qualify for the TSJCL State Finals in San Antonio on April 8 and 9. Congratulations to Jonathan Yin ’22, Spencer Burke ’22, Axel Icazbalceta ’22, Will Spencer ’23, Alex Wang ’23, and Michael Gao ’23 of the Advanced team, Surya Dinesh ’25, Jeremy Mau ’25, Andrew Xuan ’25, Lukas Palys ’25, Hans Hesse ’25, and Daniel Deng ’25 of the Intermediate team, and Henry Roden ’25, Luke Lemons ’25, Hale Peterson ’25, James McGinnis ’28, Winston Lin ’26, James Dunlap ’27, and Andy Wang ’26 of the Novice team.  

  

“We all studied and practiced, and everyone contributed to the victory,” said Surya Dinesh. “I am very proud of the team.” 

  

Marksmen earned 17 individual first-place blue ribbons and nine individual second-place ribbons in academic test categories. Winning first place in two separate categories were Axel Icazbalceta (Roman and Greek History), Will Spencer (Roman History and Decathlon), Surya Dinesh (Reading Comprehension and Decathlon), Ethan Bosita ’24 (Roman and Greek History), and James Dunlap (Grammar and Roman Life). Additional Marksmen earning first-place honors were Adam Wang (1st in Greek Derivatives, 2nd in Latin Derivatives) Akash Munshi ’23 (1st in Vocabulary, 2nd in Greek Derivatives), Alex Wang (1st in Advanced Prose Reading Comprehension), Spencer Burke (1st in Mythology), Jeremy Mau (1st in Mythology), and Jonathan Yin (1st in Latin Literature). 

  

“There’s no time like the present to give the Classics Club a shot — and you definitely do not have to be taking Latin to join,” said Alex Yin. “Classics Club can be for anyone.” 

  

The Sodalitas Classica, better known as the Classics Club, is one of the oldest clubs at St. Mark’s. It is primarily student-run, empowering students to organize meetings, develop study strategies, and communicate with its members. The Club is sponsored by Latin teachers David Cox and Claire Strange.