Ontario Student Classics Conference

The Ontario Student Classics Conference, is an annual event, committed to the promotion and appreciation of studies in Classics. It is a four day competition that occurs in early May at Brock University. Initially, the Conference was established as an extension of the Junior Classical League [1] but has since expanded and grown to become one of the largest and most popular conferences in Ontario, with over 500 students attending each year [http://www.oct.ca/publications/professionallyddaddsdadad

OSCC Mission Statement

"The Ontario Student Classics Conference brings together students and teachers from across the province to promote and nurture a deeper understanding of the Classical World by providing opportunities to celebrate our Classical heritage through a variety of social events and competitions. While the goal of each club is the pursuit of excellence, following the philosophy 'mens sana in corpore sano', it is an essential mandate of this Conference to promote the pursuit of this goal in a spirit of cooperation, mutual encouragement, and sportsmanship." [2]

Academic competitions

These competitions are designed to challenge students' knowledge of the cultures of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece through the writing of a wide variety of contests[3]. Contests are offered at three different levels: Junior, Intermediate and Senior with the exception of Greek Derivative and Greek Oral Reading which only have two: Junior and Senior. Quaerite Summa does not have levels. Levels in some contests are determined by the years of language study while others are based on grade level or a combination of the two.

Cursus Competitions:

• Latin Vocabulary (written by all participants)
• Latin Derivatives (written by all participants)
• Roman Life
• Roman History
• Mythology

Academic Pentathlon:
This competition consists of all five of the 'cursus' contests where Pentathletes' total score is determined by their total score achieved in all five contests.

Other academic competitions:

• Latin Sight Translation
• Greek Sight Translation
• Latin Comprehension and Grammar
• Latin Derivatives
• Greek Derivatives
• Latin Oral Reading
• Greek Oral Reading
• Roman History
• Greek History
• Classical Geography
• Oral Mythology
• Quaerite Summa: Roman Life

Academic Awards

• Junior Pentathlon Trophy and Medal: awarded to the top Junior Academic Pentathlete, rededicated in 1998
• Intermediate Pentathlon Trophy and Medal: awarded to the top Intermediate Academic Pentathlete, rededicated in 1998
• The Nancy Karrandjas Trophy and Senior Pentathlete Medal: awarded to the top Senior Academic Pentathlete, rededicated in 1998
• Latin Sight Contest Trophy: formerly (1968 ff.) awarded to the winner of the North York Latin Sight Competition; presented by the North York Board of Education, 1975
• Classics Conference Greek Sight Translation Trophy: inaugurated in 1987
• The Ron Walters Award: Senior Student Latin Derivatives, inaugurated in 1993
• Ontario Student Classics Conference Greek Derivatives Trophy: inaugurated in 1998
• Senior Latin Oral Reading Trophy: donated by Dr. Katarina Cicogna through the generosity of the Consulate of Italy in 1998.
• Gordon Brooks Trophy for Latin Oral Reading: awarded to the school with the highest total number of points in Senior, Intermediate, and Junior readings, inaugurated in 1978
• Senior Greek Oral Reading Trophy, dedicated through the generous support of the Consul of Greece in 1996
• The John Dixon Memorial Trophy for Roman History: awarded to the individual with the highest score on the Written Roman History Competition, inaugurated in 1975
• Classics Conference Greek History Trophy: awarded to the individual with the highest score on the Written Greek History Contest, inaugurated in c. 1988
• The Dorothy Loch Trophy for Mythology: awarded to the school with the most points in Junior, Intermediate and Senior Oral Mythology, inaugurated in 1980
• Classics Conference Quaerite Summa Roman Life Trophy: inaugurated in 1987
• John Bell Memorial Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement at the Classics Conference (plaque and medal): awarded to all students who place first in five academic competitions, three of which must be single events, or, if no student has won five academic firsts, to the highest-scoring student among those with three or four academic firsts; donated by Shademan Akhavan, May 14, 1988
• The Academic Medal of the Ontario Student Classics Conference: awarded to the student with the greatest number of academic points; donated by Michael Bales and the Toronto French School, June, 2002
• Latin Conference Academic Award: Awarded to the school with the greatest number of points in academic competitions, inaugurated in 1973
• O.S.C.C. Top Per Capita Academics Trophy: Awarded to the school with the greatest number of points per capita in academic competitions, inaugurated in 2004

Athletic Competitions

The athletic competitions are modelled on those that took place at the Ancient Olympic Games in Greece.[4] These consist of:

Field Events:

• Chariot Race
• Tug-of-War
• Discus Ultimus
• Relay Race
• 100m Dash
• Mini-Marathon
• Long Jump
• Frisbee Toss
• Slinging

All events are divided by age and gender except the Relay Race, and Slinging, which are divided only by gender, and Discus Ultimus, and the Chariot Race which are open to everyone together.

Water Events:

• Swimming
• 50m Freestyle
• 100m Freestyle Relay
• 100m Mixed Medley Relay
• Certamen Navale

The 50 and 100 meter freestyle races are divided by gender.

Athletic Awards

• The James Lynd and Stephen Low Swimming Trophy: awarded to the school with the greatest number of points in swimming competitions, inaugurated in 2005.
• The Jeff Maybee Trophy for Field Events: awarded to the school with the greatest number of points in field events, excluding the Chariot Race, inaugurated in 2005.
• Chariot Race Trophy: awarded to the school which achieves the fastest time in completing the Chariot Race. It was formerly the S. C. I. Chariot Races trophy and was inaugurated in 1968.
• Discus Ultimus Trophy: awarded to the school which achieves the first place in the Discus Ultimus competition, inaugurated in 2006.
• Ontario Student Classics Conference Top Athlete: awarded to the student with the greatest number of points in individual athletic competitions, inaugurated in 1988.
• Latin Conference Athletic Award: awarded to the school with the greatest number of points in athletic competitions, inaugurated in 1974
• Top Per Capita Athletic Trophy: awarded to the school which achieves the greatest number of points (per capita) in Athletic competitions, inaugurated in 2004

Creative Competitions

Students complete in a variety of creative events and competitions that feature the production of both ancient and modern art forms[5]. These consist of:

Archaeological Dig Excavations

• Archaeological Dig
• Fashion Show
• Skit
• School Display
• Chariot Design
• Scrapbook
• Small Model
• Large Model
• Mosaic
• Painting
• Drawing
• Sculpture
• Pottery
• Jewelery
• Posters, Charts, and Maps
• Illustrated Notebook
• Audio-Visual Presentation
• Computer Presentation
• Individual Performance
• Miscellaneous

Other Awards

• Thomson Award: awarded to the school with the highest points per capita at Classics Conference, presented by David and Mary Thomson C. I. in 1991
• Phyllis Morgan Trophy for Overall Excellence at Classics Conference: awarded to the school with the greatest number of points overall, inaugurated in 1972
• Ontario Student Classics Conference Host Trophy: awarded to the school hosting the next OSCC, inaugurated in 2005
• Minerva Award: awarded to the school with most well rounded performance in all Creative, Athletic and Academic competitions, inaugurated in 2007

Conferences by Year

Year	Location	Host School	Theme
2010	Brock University	Waterloo Collegiate Institute	-
2009	Brock University	Markham District High School & Banting Memorial High School	"regia res est succurrere lapsis, δόσιs δ'ỏλίγη τε фίλη τε", "It's a kingly act to help those who fall, the gift is still precious though be it small."
2008	Brock University	St. Clement's School	"festina lente," "Make haste, slowly"
2007	Brock University	University of Toronto Schools	Euripides’ Bacchae 881: “ὃ τι καλόν φίλον άεί”, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”
2006	Brock University	Elmwood School	“de his factis in perpetuum dicant”, “Let them speak of these deeds forever!”
2005	Brock University	North Toronto Collegiate Institute & Toronto French School	“χαλεπα τα καλα”, “Fine things are difficult”
2004	Brock University	Barrie Central Collegiate Institute	“fides et pietas”, “Faith and piety”
2003	Brock University	Humberside Collegiate Institute	“felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas”, “Happy is he who is able to know the causes of things”
2002	Brock University	Leaside High School	“mirabile dictu”, “Marvellous to speak of!”
2001	Brock University	Elmwood School	“σε θυµω τερψοµαι εισοροων νεον αλλοθεν ενδον εοντα", “Let me feast my eyes on the wanderer just home,”
2000	University of Guelph	University of Toronto Schools	“bona iam peractis iungite fata”, “Link happy destinies to those already past”
1999	University of Guelph	Bishop Strachan School	“facilis descensus Averno”, “Easy is the descent to the underworld”
1998	Brock University	Barrie Central Collegiate Institute	“multas per gentes et multa per aequora”, “Across many lands and across many seas”
1997	Brock University	O'Neill Collegiate	“vivamus atque amemus”, “Let us live,and let us love”
1996	Queen's University	Leaside High School	“integer vitae”, “The upright life”
1995	Queen's University	Barrie Central Collegiate Institute	“fortuna fortibus favet”, “Fortune favours the brave”
1994	Trent University	Banting Memorial High School	“mens sana in corpore sano”, “A healthy mind in a healthy body”
1993	Trent University	Branksome Hall	“ad astra”, “To the Stars”
1992	University of Waterloo	Elmira District High School	“amor omnia vincit”, “Love conquers all”
1991	University of Waterloo	David and Mary Thomson Collegiate
1990	Queen's University	Elmwood School
1989	Queen's University	Bishop Strachan School
1988	Barrie North Collegiate Institute	Barrie North Collegiate Institute
1987	Brantford Collegiate Institute	Brantford Collegiate Institute
1986	Havergal College	Havergal College
1985	Banting Memorial High School	Banting Memorial High School
1984	Barrie Central Collegiate Institute	Barrie Central Collegiate Institute
1983	York Mills Collegiate Institute	York Mills Collegiate Institute
1982	Park Street	Park Street
1981	Banting Memorial High School	Banting Memorial High School
1980	Barrie North	Barrie North
1979	Chippewa High School	Chippewa High School
1978	Banting Memorial High School	Banting Memorial High School
1977
1976		No conference was held in this year.
1975	Chippewa High School	Chippewa High School
1974	Chippewa High School	Chippewa High School
1973	Barrie North	Barrie North
1972
1971	Chippewa High School	Chippewa High School
1970	New Liskeard High School	New Liskeard High School
1969	Korah Collegiate	Korah Collegiate

External links

• Classics Conference Official Site
• Ontario Classical Association
• National Junior Classic League