Parkway North Latin Students Create New Accelerated Latin Club

Students at Parkway North have created a new accelerated Latin group to further their learning of the language. HSALSWAB, which stands for Honors Society for Advanced Latin Scholars Who are Brilliant, was started by Latin 3 students to become more advanced in the language.

“Accelerated Latin was [Drew Sigler and I’s] idea,” said junior Abby Lammers, who helped organize Advanced Latin. “After gathering a few other people, we had a meeting with Dr. Marquart,” said Lammers.

At first, students in the accelerated group wanted to prepare for the AP Latin exam. However, after learning that it was not an option, the group settled on an after-school Latin enrichment program to expand their Latin skills and to get a fuller grasp of the language.

Students in this year’s Latin 3 class “wanted a faster, accelerated pace,” to help them excel, said Latin teacher Adam Stiller.

“Latin students can be at a disadvantage…we don’t have a Latin program in middle school” said Lammers, “We didn’t think it was fair that students in other languages could take Honors level 5 courses…while Latin students were not afforded these same opportunities”.

“The school supported an after-school group and facilitated this by putting most of the students interested in higher-level Latin in the same class”, said Lammers.

The eight-member club studies the Wheelock’s Latin Seventh Edition textbook.  Unlike the Cambridge Latin course, which is used in Parkway North Latin classes, the accelerated group uses a book that emphasizes Latin grammar. This allows for students to get a fuller grasp of challenging Latin grammar subjects.

The meetings last about one hour and they discuss grammar, write, and translate passages from their Latin book.

Latin gives students the opportunity to learn about past culture and to read literature from authors such as Cicero, Vergil and Horace.

“We meet every Tuesday after school in Mr. Stiller’s classroom” said Lammers.

Students in Latin 3 or 4 are welcome to attend the advanced Latin club. Future goals for HSALSWAB include “becoming a chapter of the National Latin Honors Society” said Lammers.

Vale! (Goodbye!)

By: Lauren Sparks  Staff Writer