FWCD Students Shine at Colloquium

On Friday, February 21, 2024, 13 junior AP English Literature and Composition students in Catherine Collins-Vecino and Leigh Block’s classes traveled to Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas for an Interscholastic Colloquium celebrating the 75th anniversary of the publication of George Orwell’s dystopic novel, 1984. In the fall semester, all AP Literature students read, analyzed, discussed and wrote essays over 1984. Alice Carlile ’24, Kaitlyn Chu ’25 and Carolina Zamorano ’25, presented academic papers over the novel. Aero McCormack ’25 presented an original poem and reflection inspired by the novel. The students represented FWCD well – reading their insightful works, fielding audience questions, and posing discussion questions of their own.

In addition to the readers, Juniors Nara Acuna Guba, Chloe Barker, Ben Hatem, Jordan Jones, Morgan Miner, Jason Pham, Vivian Richey, Alex Seiden and Maddox Wolf attended the colloquium. The day’s activities included listening to their DFW peers read their essays and participating in lively discussions over the novel. The students also heard from three scholars – Dr. J. Larry Allums, Senior Consultant and Faculty Member of The MacMillan Institue; Dr. Michael Wilson, Professor of European History at the University of Texas at Dallas; and Friar Roy Joseph, S.J., M.D., Chaplain of Jesuit Dallas and Theology Department. They each presented a different perspective on the novel. 

Students from Cistercian Preparatory School, Jesuit College Preparatory School, The Hockaday School, The Oakridge School, Parish Episcopal School, Southwest Christian School, St. Mark’s School of Texas, and Fort Worth Country Day participated in the colloquium. FWCD has been attending these DFW interscholastic colloquia since 2013.