For Latin students and club members like Greta Markey ‘18, every opportunity to further connect to the ancient culture is taken. As a second-year member of the Latin program, she was delighted to find out that a trip to Rome, Italy, during the spring break of 2016 is offered to Latin students to increase their understanding of the old city and culture. Although it is months away, Markey is already looking forward what things this trip has to offer.

“I went to Rome a couple of years ago with my family, but I did not learn much,” Markey said. “This time I really want to learn about ancient Rome and to see what it was like when the Latin language was thriving.”

The enthusiasm Markey exerts about the upcoming trip is shared with other program members and, especially, the Latin teacher and Latin club advisor Laurie Jolicoeur. For the past 31 years, Jolicoeur has strengthened the Latin program at LT. It was her idea to initiate the trip to Rome and she looks forward to the upcoming trip for various reasons.

“I give this trip as a gift to my students,” Jolicoeur said. “Some students bloom as travelers, and they begin to see their Latin studies in the world in a different way.”

So far, there are 16 Latin students that are attending the seven-day trip to Rome, Jolicoeur said. Sophomores, juniors and seniors will be traveling and touring together, and that is part if the reason why certain students are excited for the trip.

“My really good friend that is a senior is going, too” Markey said. “I cannot wait to travel with her, because we are never with each other at school.”

The travelers have much to do on their short trip Rome. Between March 19 and 26, students will be embarking on a custom tour that is organized for Latin students and guided by a former Latin teacher who has decades of tour and travel experience, Jolicoeur said.

Rome is filled with numerous ancient buildings, ruins and artifacts. The group is hoping to see as many sights as they can on their trip.

“Of course, we will start off by spending a day in the Vatican area; the one part of the trip that is not ancient Roman but I think is necessary due to its impact on the world,” Jolicoeur said.

The group will then switch gears into more Latin related sights. Additional tours include the Colosseum and Forum, the underground chapels that expel layers of history, and finally the Pantheon. All sights that are planned to see will be walked to in order to help the students take in the surrounding Roman scene, Jolicoeur said.

Although the Latin trip will set the greatest impact upon the travelers, Latin students who are not attending the trip will see the impact carry into school.

“I am sure there will be experience transferred from the city into the classroom, and I look forward to learning off of it,” Latin student Danny Kilrea ‘18 said.

Jolicoeur is certain that the trip to Rome will solidify the connection between the culture and the students.

“Every time I go to Rome, I experience something anew and something I see for the very first time. I experience this connection for my students.”