Italiam venerint. They will venture through the streets of Ancient Rome, the very streets that men like Julius Caesar and Cicero walked through. Latin students have studied about Rome, reading ancient texts, viewing photographs, and watching videos, but now these students have the opportunity to view these places in person.

Junior Charlie Beard has been taking Latin for the past four years and is excited for this great opportunity.

“Getting to see all of the places we learned about in the classroom will be a real blast.”

The students will explore Italy on an eight day tour during spring break. They will be traveling to Italy with both CHS Latin teachers Stephen Meier and Pamela Skinner. Meier teaches Latin at Wydown along with the beginning levels at CHS, while Skinner teaches Latin II, III, and IV/V at CHS.

Meier was the main organizer of the trip, beginning the process last year when he stumbled across a great deal and found that many of his students would be interested. Now, a year after planning the trip, 12 students will embark on a once in a lifetime trip to Italy.

Junior Tyler Markham, a Latin IV student, hopes to expand his Latin knowledge through this firsthand experience.

“I hope to learn how awesome Italy is,” Markham said. “In other words, I hope to learn its history, particularly that pertaining to Roman times, to learn its customs, and to learn its essence.”

Using the company Explorica (explorica.com), Meier discovered the eight day tour of Venice, Florence, and Rome. Through this tour the students will gain a newfound appreciation of their studies and Roman culture.

“We are going to visit multiple sites such as Pompeii and the Roman Forum to see first-hand what the students have been studying and what the Romans have left behind for us,” Meier said.  “We are also going to see pieces of Medieval and Renaissance Italy.”

Specifically, the students will visit the Basillica, St. Mark’s Square and Doges’ Palace in Venice. While in Florence they will see such landmarks as the Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria  Giotto’s Bell Towe. Lastly, the group will venture to Rome, experiencing the wonders they have seen in their books, including the Coliseum, Roman Forum and the Sistine Chapel.

The students will certainly visit many places they have read about, but their skills involving the language may not be as exhausted during the trip.

“If I can ever translate some writing on a building then I would consider that my Latin skills had been put to good use,” Beard said. “Latin also helps with learning Italian, so we will have an easier time communicating with locals than the average tourist.”

Although the trip may not involve much of the language itself, Meier hopes that the students will return with “a greater appreciation for Italian culture and the legacy of the Roman empire.”