Select Oswego County high school students embraced creativity and cultural exploration during the second OCAY League competition of the school year, titled “From Rome to Home: The Romance Languages.”
The event celebrated the beauty and diversity of Romance languages through a series of challenges, particularly surrounding French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian languages. The word “Romance” indicates the connection of these languages with Rome.
The competition took place at Holy Trinity Church in Fulton, NY and tasked students with a variety of activities that tested their linguistic, artistic and analytical skills.
Teams demonstrated their talents by writing French poetry, translating an Italian text, crafting stories in Spanish with English translation, painting Portuguese-inspired tiles, identifying Romanian landmarks, and tackling quizzes that covered language and cultural knowledge.
A panel of judges, comprised of educators and community volunteers, evaluated the teams' performances across each challenge. The panel included Diandra Morse, a bilingual licensed clinical social worker from Central Square; Jesse Joss Kling, a former art teacher and the owner of the local art studio Bridge Street Makers; and Jane Backus, an experienced editor who dedicated 25 years to teaching English.
When discussing the significance of learning languages, Morse emphasized, “Language is a bridge, and the more we expose students to languages and encourage their use, the more they can connect with others.”
Scores were tallied, and the top three teams were announced, recognizing their exceptional efforts in this challenge. The overall first place winning team was from Mexico led by advisor Shannon Bigelow. Team members were Olivia DeStevens, Rachel Gagnier, Jessica Hill, Cosette Laffan, Ian Bigelow, Sarah Marsden, Angelina Nguyen-Truong, Madalynn Tunis, Avery Willis and Hailey Workman.
The team from Oswego finished in second place with Sandy Creek close behind in third place.
OCAY League, short for Oswego County Academic Youth League, provides an opportunity for students from across the county to engage in academic and creative competitions throughout the school year. Each of the league’s four annual events centers around a unique theme, encouraging students to think critically, work collaboratively and showcase their skills in a variety of disciplines.
First-place winners from team Mexico: Olivia DeStevens, Rachel Gagnier, Jessica Hill, Cosette Laffan, Ian Bigelow, Sarah Marsden, Angelina Nguyen-Truong, Madalynn Tunis, Avery Willis and Hailey Workman.
Second-place winners from team Oswego: Miles Bandla, Amanda Connelly, Janessa Coronado, Alaina DiBlasi, Audrey Donovan, Margaret Jerred, Maggie O'Leary, Brooklyn Saternow, Ainsely Wallace and Kevin Waters
Third-place winners from team Sandy Creek: Sophie Harris, Bree Smith, Haidyn Soluri, Jacoby Balcom, Grant Harris, Brody Pecha, Simon Preston, Lola Tessier, Madden Soluri, Alyvia Brown
