Stellar National Latin Exam Results
Padre Pio Academy is very proud of the stellar performance of our students on the 2025 National Latin Exam. In the 8th grade Latin class, nine out of thirteen students were recognized by the National Latin Exam for excellence! Three eighth grade students received perfect scores! Six of our high school students were recognized for outstanding performance.
Every year, over 100,000 students take the exam which is an opportunity to compare knowledge with students across the nation. The standardized test assesses students knowledge of the Latin language, its literature and culture.
Classical education is built upon the study of the civilizations from which western culture arose. As such, Latin is a core component of a classical curriculum. The impact of the ancient Romans on jurisprudence, government, and the development of language and literature, and the arts, cannot be overstated.
Not only was Latin the language of ancient Rome, but today it is still the language of the Holy See that is enclaved within Rome. As the French theologian Alain de Lille wrote in 1175, “Mille viae ducunt homines per saecula Romam,” which translates to “A thousand roads lead men forever to Rome,” or colloquially as “All roads lead to Rome.”
The importance of Latin in shaping young minds to think critically and appreciate their heritage (both ancient and Catholic) is why our students take on the language.
Congratulations to our winners and many thanks to our excellent 2025 Latin teachers, Mrs Allen (gr. 8, HS Latin 4), Mr. Smith (gr. 7, HS Latin 2 and 3) and Mr. Zeszut (HS Latin 1).
Grade School Awards
Perfect Score - NLE: Cecelia Cudnik
Perfect Score - NLE: Sam Giorgio
Perfect Score - NLE: Caitlin Mahoney
Gold Summa Cum Laude - Introduction to Latin: Cecelia Cudnik
Gold Summa Cum Laude - Introduction to Latin: William Davidson
Gold Summa Cum Laude - Introduction to Latin: Sam Giorgio
Gold Summa Cum Laude - Introduction to Latin: Aidan Kelly
Gold Summa Cum Laude - Introduction to Latin: Norah Kimbrell
Gold Summa Cum Laude - Introduction to Latin: Caitlin Mahoney
Gold Summa Cum Laude - Introduction to Latin: Luke Nolan
Silver Summa Cum Laude - Introduction to Latin: Ben Andrews
Silver Summa Cum Laude - Introduction to Latin: Anne Miller
High School Awards
Gold Summa Cum Laude - Level BL-1: Katie Rotsaert
Cum Laude - Level BL-1: Lea Zachary
Silver Maxima Cum Laude - Level IL-1: Avrill Moravek
Silver Maxima Cum Laude - Level IRC-1: Joseph Rotsaert
Magna Cum Laude - IRC-1: Gabriella Lichter
Cum Laude - IRC-1: Kateri Peralta
Perfect score winners are pictured above. From left to right: Cecelia, Sam, and Caitlin
The benefits of studying Latin are many:
Exercise in Virtue: tackling difficult subjects can be a challenge, but doing hard things teaches mental discipline and fortitude.
Mastery of English: Latin helps students understand English grammar via Latin’s framework for comprehending the relationships between words.
Ancient Texts: studying Latin makes understanding and reading the great texts from the Catholic and Western tradition possible.