(2003-04) Three Riverhead High School Latinists won awards at the First Annual Suffolk County Latin Delamatio, a prestigious contest in which competitors from 8 Suffok County schools delivered dramatically, from memory, celebrated passages from Latin literature. The event was hosted by Commack High School.

Under the scrutiny of six judges (including three university Professors of Classics):

Erin "Daphne" McKenna took second place in the Advanced Division with her moving recital of the famous passage in Vergil's epic Aenid, where the scorned Africa Queen Dido berates her lover, Aneas, as he abandons her to follow his destiny and found the Roman race.

Alison "Anastasia" Schumejda took third place with her rendition of the scene in book One of Livy's History of Rome, where the Roman matron, Livy, reveals to her menfolk that she has been raped by the son of the arrogant King of Rome. This revelation leads directly to the expulsion of dynasts from the city, and the institution of the Roman Republic, the governmental system on which our own American democracy is largely based.

In the pre-regents division, Adrienne "A Squared" Arnau took third place with her recital of the Creation scene ("Let there be light") from the Vulgate bible, the Latin edition of the holy book that, in the middle ages, popularized the scriptures. The High School team was coached by Dr. Jeff Greenberger.

"Even though we didn't take home the coveted first place awards," stated Dr. Greenberger, (they were both won by students from the Academy in Stony Brook) "our students gave an amazing showing. They took the biggest portion of medals."



In the Junior High competition, six students came home with medals: (seventh graders) Estelle Hill, Olivia Chisholm, Caesar Palmer, Hera Yazic; (eighth graders) Flavia Zilnicki (3rd place), Undine Bunch (2nd place). The Junior High students were coached by Ms. Lorene Custer.