Five Classical Cottage School students took top honors at the Virginia Junior Classical League Convention.

More than 1,300 Latin students from middle schools and high schools across Virginia were at the convention, which met in Richmond, Nov. 20-21.

The five students brought home 57 awards, including six best-in-show medals and the top awards for academic excellence, graphic arts and overall achievement at the convention.

Max Heidelberger placed first in other media among ninth graders with his scratch art "Thracian Gladiator" and fifth on the mythology test among Latin Three students.

Sarah Mickahail's quilt, based on a Roman mosaic in Ravenna, placed first among eleventh grade entries. She also captured first-place among Latin Two girls in Dramatic Interpretation of Latin. Her presentation in Latin oratory ranked second, and she placed ninth on her level on the Roman daily life test.

David Herman edged Sarah for first place in level two Latin Oratory, and his presentation was judged best-in-show among all levels of oratory. Some of his other awards include capturing first place among Latin Two boys in dramatic interpretation of Latin and first place among sixth-eighth grade delegates in storytelling and games. David won the fourth place overall sweepstakes ribbon among delegates in grades six through eight.

Ingrid Heidelberger shared a best-in-show medal with Emma Leahy in the couples costume contest. Her other awards in creative arts include, among others, fourth in dramatic interpretation of Latin prose and sixth in advanced Latin oratory. Her sculpture won second place among students in grades six through eight in graphic arts. Ingrid won the seventh place overall sweepstakes ribbon for delegates on her grade level.

Emma Leahy brought home the “gold,” with the first-place ribbon in sixth-eighth grade overall sweepstakes, four best-in-show medals, the Hugh Himwich Award for overall top achievement in academics, the Mary Julia Pomfrey Award for overall top achievement in graphic arts, and the Annie Aldridge Award for placing as the top winner among all delegates to the convention, among many other awards.

The CCS delegation won first place in the small-chapter division of the JCL-spirit contest, third place for its 2004-05 scrapbook, and fifth place for publicity.