University High Repeats Victory in Latin Students’ Competition

For the second year in a row, Irvine’s University High School won the Sweepstakes Award at the 30th annual California Junior Classical League (JCL) convention.

The three-day convention last weekend at Corona del Mar High School attracted 715 Latin language students--a record number--and teachers and chaperones representing 25 California schools.

As Sweepstakes winner, members of University High School’s Latin club accumulated the greatest number of points during the convention’s numerous academic, art and classic Olympic competitions.

“The kids just went crazy,” said Les Johnson, the school’s Latin teacher and state JCL chairman. “We were totally surprised. We knew we entered everything we could possibly enter and were doing well, but the competition was hot and heavy and we knew it was close.”

First-place winners from University High School:

Anusorn Kengsoontra, vocabulary; Chris Garner, history; Christopher Chu, mosaic (art); David Moskowitz, pentathlon and video movie; Elizabeth Pinamonte, 220-yard dash; Marty Schlacter, 100-yard freestyle swimming; and Jason Garner, collage (art).

In addition, Charles Sakura, Darren Turbow, Paul Ishimine, Jae Kim and rider Ahrie Moon, won first place in the boys’ chariot race.

Johnson said that about 30 of the high school’s Latin students will attend the 1985 National JCL convention, in July at the University of New Hampshire, where their winning chariot will represent the state of California.