What's Happening in Cougar Country

“Eximium opus tuum nito” 
(Outstanding work on your exam)

Lake Catholic is proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of our Latin students who recently participated in the National Latin Exam (NLE), an annual academic competition that challenges students across the country in their understanding of the Latin language, culture, and reading comprehension. 

Included as part of the more than 100,000 students worldwide who took one of the exams, our Cougars demonstrated exceptional dedication and academic excellence, earning national recognition for their performances.

Junior Max Bock, a standout in the Introduction to Latin exam, scored an impressive 39 out of 40, well above the national average of 30. His achievement earned him the prestigious Gold Summa Cum Laude award—an honor reserved for the top-performing students nationwide.

On the Introduction to Latin exam, there are 40 questions on grammar, comprehension, mythology, derivatives, literature, Roman life, history, geography, oral Latin, and Latin in use in the modern world.

“Honestly, I expected to do well, but I was not sure I would get a gold medal since it changes from year to year,” said Bock, who is in his first year of Latin after studying German during his first two years at Lake Catholic. “I think the hardest part of the exam was dealing with unfamiliar words or conjugations, since the test was for students more advanced than we were. 

“I think Mr. Bergdorf's way of teaching is simple, but he explains it well, and he emphasizes that repetition is key. He taught us the principles behind how the language works, which enabled us to use logic and figure out unfamiliar terms or phrases.”

On the Beginning Latin Reading Comprehension exam, junior Owen Pesek also brought home a Gold Summa Cum Laude award with a score of 34 out of 36, surpassing the national average of 27. His strong reading skills and commitment to classical language study truly paid off.

The Beginning Latin Reading Comprehension Exam contains two Latin passages as the basis for 36 questions on grammar, comprehension, historical background, classical literature, and literary devices.

“The hardest part of the exam was the time constraint - we had 40 minutes to complete 36 questions, said Pesek, who’s in his third year of Latin after studying Spanish in middle school. “I think the combination of Mr. Bergdorf's lessons and the test prep that he put us through helped me succeed on the exam. He did his best to help us prepare for the exam by giving us multiple pre-tests and exam-guided lessons.

“Mr. Bergdorf is very passionate about teaching. He is also an expert in almost everything you ask him about. He loves to teach us new things, and I think this is the only reason I want to continue taking Latin for a fourth year.”

Several other Lake Catholic students earned honors for their outstanding performances:

Introduction to Latin Exam:

• Silver Maxima Cum Laude: Julie Cordova (freshman), Chance Wuhr (sophomore)
• Magna Cum Laude: Ivana Cmeljesevic (senior), Brady Moran (sophomore), Shaun Foley (senior)
• Cum Laude: Finnigan Kilbane (freshman)

Beginning Latin Reading Comprehension Exam:

• Silver Maxima Cum Laude: Juliana Swenson (junior), Keira Schulz (junior)
• Magna Cum Laude: Brian Debevec (junior), Berlynn Beard (junior), Keira Nemeth (junior)

Overall, 56% of those from Lake Catholic who took the Introduction to Latin Exam scored at the national average or higher. That number jumped to 89% for the Reading Comprehension exam.

“I’m so proud of all our Latin students. The work they’ve done this year has been exemplary,” said Latin teacher Kevin Bergdorf, who’s in his first year at Lake Catholic. “The National Latin Exam is a great test for our students, who really only got three quarters to prepare for it. 

“There are kids around the country who have been taking Latin since they were in elementary school and take one of these exams every year. So, for this being their first time taking the exam, I’m really pleased with how they scored.”

We commend all our students for their hard work and enthusiasm for the Latin language and ancient Roman culture. Their success on the NLE reflects not only individual academic strength but also the passion for learning fostered in our classrooms.

The students will receive their medals and awards at the school’s Honors Assembly on Thursday, May 8.