The Ontario Student Classics Conference (OSCC) 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 Brock University is a public research university in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is the only university in Canada in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, at the centre of Canada's Niagara Peninsula on the Niagara Escarpment. The university bea ...

of St. Catharines,

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

. Initially, the Conference was established as an

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of the

National Junior Classical League The National Junior Classical League (National JCL or NJCL) is a youth organization of secondary school students sponsored by the American Classical League (ACL). Founded in 1936, the NJCL comprises more than 1,000 Latin, Greek and Classical ...

(NJCL) 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 from 15-20 schools. The conference is dedicated to the study of Classics; students compete in over 100 academic, athletic, and creative competitions all based on aspects of Classical life. In addition to competitions, students also participate in different classically themed events, one of these being the "Pompa" (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...

for "Parade"). For this event everyone is required to dressed appropriately in classical attire, namely

toga The toga (, ), a distinctive garment of ancient Rome, was a roughly semicircular cloth, between in length, draped over the shoulders and around the body. It was usually woven from white wool, and was worn over a tunic. In Roman historical tr ...

s, and line up with their school to parade around the campus before attending a celebratory banquet and awards ceremony. The OSCC is not affiliated with the

Ontario Classical Association The Ontario Classical Association (OCA) was founded in 1944 with Eric A. Havelock as its first president. The association promotes the study of classics through lobbying, scholarships, and colloquia for members. Its membership consists primarily ...

(OCA).

Competitions

Academic contests

These competitions are designed to challenge students' knowledge of the cultures of

Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–50 ...

and

Ancient Greece Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cult ...

through the writing of a wide variety of contests. Most contests are offered at three different levels: Junior, Intermediate and Senior. The Greek Derivative and Greek Oral Reading tests 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. The Academic Pentathlon consists of all five of the 'cursus' contests where Pentathletes' total score is determined by their total score achieved in all five contests. * *

Athletic contests

The athletic competitions are modeled on the Ancient Olympic Games of

. Most events are divided by age and gender. The Relay Race, Slinging, the 50 meter freestyle race and the 100 meter freestyle race are divided only by gender. Discus Ultimus and the Chariot Race are open to everyone together.

Creative contests

Students complete in a variety of creative events and competitions that feature the production of both ancient and modern art forms. Listed below are each of these events; the number in parentheses following the event indicates how many entries each school may submit. Also, the winner of the Best Costume event is awarded no points.

Awards

Listed below are the trophies for each of the various OSCC competitions, which are given in addition to ribbons recognizing the top 5 placements in each event.

University of Toronto Schools University of Toronto Schools (UTS) is an independent secondary day school affiliated with the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school follows a specialized academic curriculum, and admission is determined by competitive exa ...

has won the Phyllis Morgan Trophy — generally considered the top prize — every year since 1996 (as of 2016);

York Mills Collegiate Institute York Mills Collegiate Institute (York Mills C.I., YMCI or York Mills) is a public high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Toronto District School Board, offering grades 9–12. It is located in North York along York Mills Road ...

had won nine straight years before 1996.

Conferences by year

Listed below are the locations, hosts and themes for each of the past OSCC conventions (as of 2016).

References

External links

*{{Official website, http://www.classicsconference.org/
Ontario Classical AssociationNational Junior Classic LeagueAmerican Classical League
Student organizations established in 1968 Recurring events established in 1968 Classical associations and societies Architectural competitions 1968 establishments in Ontario Brock University Intellectual competitions Youth sport in Canada Visual arts competitions