High School Student Ashton Murphy Earns National Latin Award

CAMP HILL, PA, August 19, 2010 (Press-News.org) Rising junior Ashton Murphy has been studying Latin since the fourth grade at Grace Academy in Georgetown, Texas. After seven years of Latin studies, she was named as an overall top-performing Latin student at the national convention of the National Junior Classical League this August, taking first place in the convention's competitions. The National Junior Classical League has over 50,000 student members, and is one of the nation's largest student organizations.

To win first place in this year's competitions, Ashton had to compete in categories such as Latin academics, creative arts, graphic arts and "Olympic" athletic activities. Ashton also delivered a dramatic rendition of one of Cicero's speeches...in Latin.

Ashton has grown up in Georgetown, Texas and attended Grace Academy, a local classical and Christian school, since her third grade year. Karen Moore, the Latin teacher at Grace Academy, has taught Ashton Latin since the fourth grade, taking Ashton through the Latin for Children primer series for elementary students (published by Classical Academic Press) and then the Introduction to Latin series (published by Focus Publishing). Karen Moore recalls that even as a third grader Ashton began asking insightful questions about Latin as she observed older students reciting Latin noun and verb endings--and this before she had even started studying Latin.

Ashton reports that Latin has connected her to a tradition of culture and language that is over 2,000 years old, which inspires and motivates her. She notes that her English vocabulary has grown immensely, enabling her to decode English words she has never seen before. Ashton also says that studying Latin has been fun and enjoyable and encourages all students to study the language. She is currently contemplating a career in journalism or law, but also confesses a love for art.

An audio interview of Ashton Murphy and her Latin teacher Karen Moore can be heard at the Inside Classical Education podcast at www.insideclassicaled.com.

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