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Middle School News & Events
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RMS Latin Team
(9/27/04)
The RMS Latin Team was smoking during the 2003-04 school
year. They won trophies and ribbons in every contest they
entered.
During
the summer (June 28-29, 2004) 45 Riverhead Middle School
Latinists, their teacher, Ms. Lorene Custer, and seven chaperones
traveled to Binghamton University (SUNY) to participate
in the 47th State Convention of the New York State Junior
Classical League, an organization of Latin students and
teachers. Approximately 200 delegates attended this event
from all over New York.
The two-day convention provided “something for everyone”:
academic contests, track and field events, chess, volleyball,
tennis, graphic arts competitions, Latin and English oratory,
and a costume contest which included an “Olympic procession”
winding through campus. Students also held a dance and elected
state officers for the 2004-2005 school year.
 All
of the students at the event (grades 7-12) took an exam
that covered nine academic areas including: grammar, derivation,
mythology, vocabulary, geography, etc. Two of the Riverhead
Middle School Latinists recently learned that they placed
FIRST and EIGHTH in the overall academic competition! Allyson,
who is now a ninth grader at Riverhead High School, won
FIRST PLACE IN THE ACADEMIC TEST! Colin, an eighth grader
at Riverhead Middle School, placed EIGHTH!
“This is an outstanding achievement for seventh and
eighth grade Latin students to test higher than their counterparts
from high school, who may have had four or five years of
Latin studies,” exclaimed Lorene Custer, the RMS Latin
teacher. (Riverhead High School Latin students did not attend
the event.) “We haven’t attended for about ten
years,” explained Ms. Custer, “due to scheduling
problems. It was very gratifying that two of my students
placed first and eighth! Allyson, an eighth grader at the
time, came in FIRST! I couldn’t believe it when I
got the trophy in the mail. She’s an amazing Latin
scholar! And Colin placed EIGHTH!”
Riverhead students won awards for themselves and their school
during the Convention in Academics, Graphic Arts and Athletics.
Other highlights included winning for Best Dressed (1st),
Most Spirited (1st), Chariot Race (2nd), Banner Design (2nd),
and T-shirt Design (3rd).
"Special thanks to our wonderfully
helpful chaperones"--Mrs. Phyllis Adams, Mrs. Mary
Butler, Mr. Mario Carrera, Mr. Peter Cybulski, Mrs. Lynn
DiMartino, Mrs. Susan Hockett, and Mrs. Roni Schunk. (from
Ms. Custer)
Ms. Custer concludes, "The Riverhead Latin program
is already busy preparing for next year’s convention
and hopes to include the High School Latinists next time.
Never fear that Latin is dead in Riverhead…No! We
are very much alive and plan to leave Upstate New York quaking
in their togas once again."
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