HAMPDEN – Micah Valliere, a student at Hampden Academy, earned first place in the test on Greek life during the National Junior Classical League convention July 28-Aug. 2 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

It was the first time a Maine student had won an academic competition at the national convention.

Valliere was one of 20 Latin students from four Maine high schools participating. The convention is a time to exchange ideas, hear speakers, participate in workshops, compete in academic, Olympic, graphic arts and creative arts contests, and meet league students from all over North America. Some 1,500 students attended the convention.

The theme this year was a quote from the Roman orator and politician Cicero, “Non nobis solum nati sumus,” translated as “We are not born for ourselves alone,” emphasizing the league’s service component.

Delegates from Maine excelled in all competitive areas of the convention.

. Micah Valliere also placed 10th on the mythology exam, 12th on Hellenic history and 16th in Roman life. His board game, based on the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, earned a fourth place in that competition.

. Zachary Malloy, Hampden Academy, took second place in the Latin oratory competition, where he recited, using classical oratorical techniques, a passage from Cicero. Malloy also took fourth place in English oratory, in which he created his own oratory and performed it, in oratorical style, in front of a panel of judges.

. Evan Pierce, Hampden Academy, placed 13th on the Latin derivatives and mottoes exams.

. Hilary Cheney, Greely High School, placed third on the Latin derivatives exam; 13th in academic heptathlon, a test covering seven subject areas; and 14th in Latin vocabulary.

. Ben Jewell, Winthrop High School, earned eighth place on the Greek derivatives exam and placed 13th in reading comprehension. In creative arts, Jewell earned third place in the Latin sight reading competition, poetry division, where he interpreted a piece of Latin poetry out loud, while following the complex structure of ancient poetic meter.

Maine also did well in the Olympic events.

. Ethan Hoksch, John Bapst Memorial High School, Bangor, earned the distinction of the sixth best student in Olympic sweeps by earning these awards in the swimming competition: first place in the 50- and 100-yard backstroke, second place in the 100-yard medley and third place in the 50-yard freestyle. He also placed third in the discus competition.

. Evan Piccirillo, Hampden Academy, placed first in the 5K marathon, second in the 400-meter run and second in the 50-yard backstroke.

. Mitchell Longfellow, Hampden Academy, placed fourth place in the marathon, and fourth in the 100-meter dash.

. AJ Snapp, John Bapst, was fourth in the 100-yard backstroke.

. Zachary Malloy and Jack Swalec, both from Hampden Academy, placed first and third in the chess competition.

. Victoria Pisini, Greely, placed first in the long jump, second in the discus, and fifth in the marathon.

One large component of the convention is a daily display of spirit and enthusiasm for academics and classics. Maine placed second overall for small states among 16 states and provinces.

Also attending the convention were: Shaylyn Adams, Gillian Anderson, Melissa Hoksch, Rebecca Musgrave, Hannah Ruhlin, Kelsey Snapp and Ian Szydlo from John Bapst Memorial High School; Esther Aromando from Greely; and Sarah Soltan from Winthrop.

Students were accompanied by their Latin teachers and league sponsors: Seth Knowles, Greely; Ben Johnson, Hampden Academy; Jeremiah Gorman, John Bapst; and Meg Cook, Winthrop.

Maine had the second-largest contingent at the convention from New England.

For more information on Latin and Junior Classical League, e-mail the Maine league state chairman and Hampden Academy Latin teacher, Ben Johnson, at brj4@earthlink.net.