National Junior Classical League

The National Junior Classical League (National JCL or NJCL) is a youth organization of secondary school students sponsored and organized by the American Classical League (ACL). Founded in 1936, the NJCL comprises more than 1,000 Latin, Greek and Classical chapters in the United States, Canada, South Korea and the United Kingdom, and with over 45,000 members, is the largest Classical organization in the world today. Its mission is "to encourage an interest in and an appreciation of the language, literature and culture of ancient Greece and Rome and to impart an understanding of the debt of our own culture to that of classical antiquity."

NJCL official colors are Roman purple and gold. It sponsors a Latin Honor Society and Greek Honor Society for high school students.

History

The idea of creating a junior organization to the American Classical League was first proposed in 1927 at the organization's annual meeting. A committee was appointed to study the matter, but it decided two years later that it wouldn't be worth pursuing at the time. In 1936, a pin was made and lifetime membership cost thirty cents, as it was decided to pursue the creation of a junior organization. The Junior Classical League was announced in November 1936 in Classical Outlook, with headquarters being established at New York University.

Today, chapters exist in the United States, Canada, and Australia and has over 50,000 members.

National convention

The NJCL hosts a week-long national convention annually at a college campus in late July or early August, where 1200–1500 students compete in academic tests, graphic and creative arts competitions, and meet many classics students from around the country.