Kids enjoy a classical summer: Students learn Latin, get taste of Roman culture at C of C

Latin might be infrequently taught in Lowcountry schools, but a group of local elementary and middle school students are spending part of their summer learning about the ancient Roman language.

They're picking up words for colors and body parts while taking in lessons on Roman culture and Greco-Roman mythology during the 10-day program. It's the first time the College of Charleston has hosted LatinSummer, and it's the first time the nonprofit Ascanius LatinSummer curriculum has been used in South Carolina.

"What we want to do is enrich the educational experiences of students," said Frank Morris, a retired member of the college's Department of Classics who organized the camp.

The program is teaching children primarily through hands-on activities, and the nearly 30 second- through seventh-graders in the camp seem to be loving it.

"We're not sitting down and watching a PowerPoint," said Alaijah Hampton, who'll be a seventh-grader at Haut Gap Middle School this fall. "We're actually getting involved. They make it fun."

Students have created ancient Roman coins from clay, played a game similar to Risk to understand how the Roman empire expanded, and on Monday, they practiced archeological excavation with dirty pennies, oil and toothbrushes.

Hampton's favorite activity involved building roads, which were critical in the Roman Empire. They built the thoroughfares with granola, milk, marshmallows and graham crackers and used it all as a snack when they were finished.

"We ate it all, and it tasted good," she said.

Students are encouraged to find "classical moments," or modern-day references to the ancient world. Hampton noticed Greek letters on sorority houses and Caesar salads, while fifth-grader Jack Taylor pointed out Roman numerals on a watch. Morris said that helps children learn that the past and present are connected.

"It's subtle, but concrete," he said.

Despite its connection to the English language, Latin isn't taught by many South Carolina public schools. Only 29 schools statewide offer Latin, compared with hundreds that offer Spanish. But more than 60 percent of English words have Latin roots.

"If you learn Latin, you start looking at English words differently," Morris said. "You can learn one Latin root, and it'll extend through dozens and sometimes hundreds of English words."

The program cost $300 per student, and it offered scholarships to low-income children. About a dozen more students wanted to attend, but Morris said organizers didn't have money to cover their participation.

Jackson Trigiani, a seventh-grader at the Rollings Middle School of the Arts, has been learning words for foods and having classical moments where he's spotted columns and arches, such as those at McDonald's. He wanted to participate in LatinSummer because he loves mythology and thought it would be cool to learn Latin. He hasn't been disappointed.

"It just goes by really fast," he said.

Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546.