Julia Soper, TAA ‘06, Swarthmore ‘11 and Kate Anthony, TAA ‘05 and University of Pennsylvania ‘10, have  been admitted to the prestigious Middlebury Language program this summer in Middlebury, VT. Julia will participate in the Russian language program, and Kate will participate in the Arabic program.  Congratulations, Kate and Julia!

In the Spring 2008 issue of The Intercollegiate Review: A Journal of Scholarship & Opinion, an article by Peter J. Leithart, entitled “The New Classical Schooling,” refers specifically to The American Academy (p. 7). In the milieu of classical schooling, Leithart quotes the status quo: “At the Veritas School in Lancaster, students take Latin for six years before switching to Greek for two years, but Headmaster Ty Fischer admits that his students do not yet learn the languages as well as they should. Veritas initially taught Latin with the real aim of achieving ‘English mastery,’ but Fischer says they are now ‘moving in the direction of mastering Latin.’ … From his vantage point at CiRCE, Andrew Kern points to some language success stories, including [T]he American Academy in Philadelphia and St. Peter’s in Dallas. Yet he laments that many classical schools have ‘concluded that “classical” means three stages and a lot of books.’ Few schools ‘see mastery as the goal.’ Instead classical schools [often] teach Latin to help with English grammar, to raise SAT scores, or to increase vocabulary….”

Leithart adds that “What draws people to classical Christian schools is the children [and the teachers] they see who are different—more articulate, more respectful, and more intelligent.”

The entire article is available online at the Intercollegiate Study Institute’s web journal, “First Principles“

Last Monday, our students had the privilege of attending a lecture by George Weigel, entitled Faith, Reason, and the War against Jihadism. The lecture was sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute and was given at the Union League of Philadelphia. George Weigel is a Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington. Mr. Weigel is very concerned about American “cultural self confidence,” and whether Americans know enough about our country to be convicted that the American system is worth preserving. Mr. Weigel was heard on Thursday being interviewed by WNTP radio host Dennis Prager, about the deplorable state of law in Britain where enclaves of muslim sharia law has been protected, including allowing “honor killings” of young women who do not wear the veil, etc.

Winter time means time for The Philadelphia Classical Competition, sponsored by the Philadelphia Classical Society!  Grades 6-12 are busily working on original poems or stories in Latin or English inspired by classical mythology, history, or literature, for the Sixty-Ninth Annual Latin Week Competition.  Because creative writing involves so many revisions to get the entries into good and proper form, these pieces are written over a period of several weeks.  Our students have also completed Greek Pottery to be entered into the art portion of the competition, and we are working on posters with this year’s theme of “love” as expressed in classical mottoes in latin.  Students are encouraged to build models for the model category, or make classical jewelry or clothing items.  Judging will take place at the Baldwin school in February.

Congratulations to Stephanie Meell, whose poem “My Sledding Machine,” and to David Null,  whose poem “The Slingshot Sled” won “Honorable Mention” for Cricket Magazine’s poetry contest on a “beautiful moment you experience during the winter holiday season,” to be published in March 2008.

Congratulations to former student Julie Soper, TAA ’05, Swarthmore College ’11, who has received an invitation to be a “key speaker” at the International Convention of Rotary International,” Los Angeles, CA, June 12-14.  Winning a year scholarship to Siberia last year, Julie has been asked to speak about her experiences throughout the region.  Her presentation at the winter Rotary Eastern States Student Exchange was described as “excellently delivered, well organized, very insightful, and quite entertaining,” thus earning her the trip to Los Angeles.  Julie will speak immediately after the Rotary International President addresses the convention.  What an honor for Julie—and for TAA.  BRAVA!