On May 12, 2025, in an assembly in the Mother Mary Campion Center for the Performing Arts, 17 Oak Knoll Upper School students received accolades for their tremendous performance on the annual National Latin Exam. 

Students across the country volunteer to take the exam each year, which assesses their knowledge of not only the Latin language and grammar but also history, literature, and culture. The NLE is sponsored by the American Classical League and the National Junior Classical League. It is a multiple-choice test with a time limit of 45 minutes, offered to students on eight levels.

Students at different stages of their Latin careers may take it and test their skills and knowledge. Each year, many avid Latin scholars at Oak Knoll give up free time to participate in extra study sessions for the exam and join the Latin Roundtable Club, which meets each cycle to not only prep for the exam but expand students’ interest in Roman language, culture, art, architecture, medicine, and many other aspects of day-to-day Roman life.

Seventeen of the most successful exam-takers received certificates of accomplishment for outstanding performance. However, the Oak Knoll community applauds every student who opted to sit for the exam for their dedication and passion for learning.

The award tiers are in tight ranges based on the total number of correct answers each student gets out of the total pool of questions.

Receiving a Gold Summa Cum Laude certificate and medal (top tier):

• Kelsey Wincko ’29 in Introduction to Latin
• Abigail Han ’26 in Intermediate Latin
• Reagan Moore ’27 in Intermediate Latin

Receiving a Silver Maxima Cum Laude certificate and medal (second tier):

• Brigid Flynn ’29 in Introduction to Latin
• Winifred Ohene-Ologo ’28 in Beginning Latin
• Ana Rizvi '26 in Intermediate Latin
• Kaitlin Wincko ’26 in Intermediate Latin

Receiving a Bronze Magna Cum Laude certificate (third tier):

• Kelsey McGowan ’29 in Introduction to Latin
• Anaïs Picciano ’27 in Beginning Latin
• Isabella Ceballos ’28 in Intermediate Latin
• Vittoria Gentile '27 in Intermediate Latin
• Therese Ohene-Ologo ’27 in Intermediate Latin
• Emma Walters ’26 in Intermediate Latin

Receiving a Cum Laude certificate (fourth tier):

• Nina Hinic ’28 in Beginning Latin
• Gianna Mazzoni '27 in Intermediate Latin
• Aureliana Basso-Wiideman ’26 in Intermediate Latin
• Lilly Venezia ’25 in Advanced Latin Reading Comprehension

For more on Oak Knoll’s dynamic and thoroughly relevant Latin program, read this curriculum Spotlight entitled Breathing Life into Latin. Congratulations to all our exam gladiators.