Inspired by previous service-learning classes, which are classes that connect the course curriculum to ways students can positively impact their community, as well as her graduate classes on Roman philosophy, Ms. Lindsey Stamer, Upper School Latin teacher, has developed a program for her Latin V Honors class this year to provide a unique route for students to explore three Roman schools of thought while positively impacting our community.
“The inspiration behind this class was I took a lot of service-learning classes… they were the most formative classes for me as a human and a student, because it gets you out into the real world,” Ms. Stamer said. “And it all comes together and it’s there. It shows you that Latin is alive, and what you’re doing in the classroom can be applied to the real world.”
Students in Latin V Honors embark on field trips to do relationship-based community service, in which they will commit to creating meaningful relationships with people in the community who greatly benefit from the students’ outreach. Each activity will be themed around one of three central Roman philosophies: Stoicism, Epicureanism and Cynicism.
“[This class’s purpose] is so that we can understand and create our own philosophies around life and death, mortality and what it means, and how you should live your life,” Anastasia Podgornya ‘26 said.
For their first unit on Stoicism, students explored Roman Stoic Seneca’s philosophies. During this unit, students answered various journal prompts and learned about the Stoic emphasis on wisdom, lack of material wealth and the belief that to die well is to die willingly.
The class first traveled to Keystone Care on Oct. 1, a hospice center where students interacted with and built relationships with the residents.
“We got to meet one of the patients. It was really cool to talk to him,” Podgornya said. “He was really excited to hear about what we were doing. He was really excited for the company and just the fact that we could be there. We talked about really simple things, but just being with company was really exciting.”
The second philosophy they will study is Epicureanism, which emphasizes living in the moment and not worrying about the future to strive towards pleasure and happiness. Inspired by author and poet Lucius’s “De Rerum Natura,” the students will collaborate with either the GA Lower School or SpArc Philadelphia. Students will be making creative art projects as a fun, temporary escape from harsh responsibilities and deadlines with one of these groups.
“My goal is to get into a space where we’re not worried about the stress and anxiety of school and our routine, where we can just be kids and be humans, and enjoy life and live in the moment,” Ms. Stamer said.
Finally, the class will study Cynicism, which encourages the rejection of all societal norms. Students will study Cicero’s critiques of Cynicism before partnering with Face 2 Face, a nonprofit that provides free meals and company to people in need.
“My hope is that we not just prepare and serve food, but that we can also eat and sit with the clients and have face-to-face interactions,” Ms. Stamer said.
While this may not be like any other class they have taken, this course provides students with ways to positively impact their community through their learning.
“It feels good to actually do something,” James Gaito ‘26 said. “We’re actually doing something that does matter.”
The service class provides a unique opportunity for Latin V Honors students to gain inspiration from ancient Roman and Greek philosophies and then develop their own ideas by experiencing the world hands-on and giving back to the community.