Harvard ’24 Salutatorian Blake Lopez Visits CPHS

Blake Lopez returns to inspire Latin students

September 9, 2024

Blake Lopez is a Harvard University Class of 2024 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Classics and Classical Languages Literature and Linguistics. He volunteered his time as the Co-president of the Harvard Undergraduate Linguistics Society and Vice President of the Harvard Classical Club. He earned multiple scholarships, grants and fellowships while in school and still managed to find time to exercise on the Harvard Climbing Team. He delivered the Latin Salutatory: “Distantia Propinquior” (“A Nearer Distance”) first in Latin, then in English.

Before his time in the Yard, many people in the Region remember Lopez as a ’20 Mount Carmel graduate and Crown Point summer Latin participant. He returned to CPHS Sept. 6 to speak to Latin students in the classes of Latin Club Coaches Jeremy Walker and Mrs. Angela Tarakiewicz.

“It was really interesting to hear how in-depth he got into his studies and how he carried his studies of the ancient world from high school and college further into his life and career goals. I was having some doubts about how the study of Latin, which is definitely a dead language, would carry into the world past this experience, and he made it seem like it did have the opportunity to do so,” Lincoln Vickers (11) said.

Donate to Crown Town Media

Your donation will support the student journalists of Crown Point High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

About the Contributors

Isabella Valenzuela, Advanced Photo Editor

Isabella Valenzuela is a junior at CPHS. This is Valenzuela’s third year on the Excalibur staff. Valenzuela is the Advanced Photo Editor for Excalibur Yearbook. Valenzuela appreciates the design and photography aspects of yearbook. She enjoys going to different games and taking photos. Outside of being in yearbook, Valenzuela is a part of Student Council, Key Club, Mock Trial, CASS, and manages wrestling.

Makenna Carmichael, Website and Social Media Editor

Makenna Carmichael is a senior at Crown Point High School. This is Carmichael’s third year on staff. She is the Website and Social Media Editor for Excalibur Yearbook and Inklings Newspaper. Carmichael’s love for photography and writing drove her to join the yearbook and Inklings staff. Carmichael works as a STEAM teacher at the YMCA and as a gardener at Practically Magic Garden. She also does freelance senior and portrait photography. When not working or in the journalism room, Carmichael enjoys performing with the school’s color guard, doing art in the National Art Honor Society and SPLAT club, working with the theatre’s publicity crew, and being a bulldog mentor.