Whiz Kid of the Week: Woojin Kim

Name: Woojin Kim, 17

School: Flint Hill School

Accomplishment: Won a scholarship to the National Junior Classical League

Key to Awesomeness: Woojin Kim never planned on being so entrenched in the National Junior Classical League. But when he attended Fairfax High, he had a Latin teacher, Greg Kfoury, who inspired him.

"He just blew my mind. He introduced me and a lot of other people to this whole world of Latin competitions and conventions," the Flint Hill senior said. "He emphasized how doing all this can get you into a college that you want and that appealed to everyone."

Kfoury introduced him to Certamen — Latin for "competition" — which is a quiz-bowl game in the vein of Jeopardy! or It's Academic.

"It's just a good time all around and a biggest draw for JCLers [Junior Classical Leaguers]," Kim said. "It's really intense if you're actually competitive about it."

He never would have left Fairfax High if Kfoury hadn't left. But Kfoury did, and Kim found himself being recruited to Flint Hill School by the Classical Languages department chair, Howard Chang.

"It's weird. You always hear kids being recruited for football or sports, not Latin," Kim said.

Now a senior, Kim is at his best regarding Latin and his involvement in Classics competitions, recently receiving the Cultural Encounters Award, a scholarship to cover travel costs to the National Junior Classical League Convention in July at Eastern Kentucky University.

Convention participants, made up of Senior and National Junior Classical League members, attend seminars listen to speakers, and compete in various activities.

Success in Classics is not new for him, as he has hit various milestones over the past few years: honorable mentions in Classical Association of Virginia contests, gold medal and summa cum laude certificates on the National Latin Exam, first place in four categories and Best-in-Show in Latin Literature at the 2010 Virginia Junior Classical League Convention, and first place in Certamen in the 2011 VJCL State Final and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology competitions. And more.

Along with Kfoury, Kim credits his Latin teacher Kate Hattemer for keeping his passion for Latin alive while at Flint Hill.

"I wouldn't have been able to achieve any of this without her. She's just the best," Kim said.

And Hattemer returned the compliment: “I have never taught a student with Kim’s intellectual promise and dedication."

Kim knows his deep interest in the subject may be considered quirky, but he would challenge others to get involved.

"For one, it helps enrich your study habits and your all-around knowledge. You personally gain things you'd never really pick up in daily life," he said. "The second reason is more important. You meet the best people you'll ever meet in your life by attending these conventions and competitions and local scrimmages. It's just Latin kids, people who are so not normal but who people can relate to."

Kim is looking to continue studying the Classics when he begins his college career at the University of Virginia this fall for two reasons: 1) He enjoys it and 2) It'll supplement his other studies and things he looks to pursue beyond college.

"I'm a huge history nerd. There's a lot of cool facts and tidbits in Roman history. Latin is just a cool language in general," Kim said. "I geek out about passages and things we've read. I like to think, and philosophy has all those Greek philosophers, who I can understand better with Latin. I'm not exactly a math and science person. I think Latin can help me a lot in the humanities."

To read about past Oakton Patch Whiz Kids, click here.

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