Activities - NJCL Convention - 2000 - Daily Highlights - Tuesday, August 1

Although convention officially began today, about half of the attendees has already arrived on Monday, taking advantage of the extra night's housing offered by the university and allowing them to get registered in plenty of time for the opening assembly.

The first day of convention is a chance for convention regulars to renew old acquaintances and for new delegates to get their first glimpse of the non-stop activities and excitement the next five days hold in store. As the convention schedule had undergone some major changes this year, the first NJCL assembly began right after lunch, instead of after dinner as in previous years.

NJCL President Chris Olry brought NJCL Assembly I to order. The agenda for the first assembly included the introduction of the NJCL officers, NSCL officers, and the National Committee. Dr. Nancy Mergler, Senior Vice-President and Provost of the University, extended the official welcome to the delegates. Mrs. Penny Cipolone, the NJCL Chair for Public Relations and Membership presented the following statistics on the state of the organization:

52,617 members
1133 chapters
192 new chapters
103 chapters with over 100 members
9 chapters with over 200 members

Largest Chapter: Boston College High School with 359 members

P.K. Agarwalla, 1st Vice-President, presented the state membership awards also noting that Texas has the most chapters with 130 and Virginia the most members with over 6000. These awards were followed with additional orientation information and closing announcements. Following a consultation with a 20th century oracle (i.e., the Magic 8-ball), assembly was adjourned shortly before 3 p.m.

After the assembly, various orientation meetings were on tap for both adults and delegates, and delegates that had not yet had the chance to register their graphic arts projects got that opportunity. For the high-school graduates and the collegians among us, the NSCL also held the first of their General Assemblies today.

Many delegates took the opportunity to meet the National Officers, up close and personal over dinner, giving potential candidates a chance to ask questions of their would-be predecessors and other delegates a chance to get to know the seven people who helped craft this year's convention.

Tonight's dinner was an outdoor event and included a number of activities such as the Watermelon Seed spitting contest.

Competition began right after dinner as the first academic testing session was held in Dale Hall. In this session, students had their pick of Hellenic History, Grammar, and Greek Derivatives. Following the grueling brain drain, delegates headed off to the Memorial Union for the first of many dances held during the week - this one with the theme of 'Rome, Rome on the Range.'

Each night of convention is capped off with a state fellowship in which all the delegates of a state come together to review the day's activities, make necessary announcements, and plan for the next day's activities. Curfew this night was at midnight sharp.

Convention Ear, Tuesday, August 1, 2000 (requires Adobe Acrobat)