“Latin isn’t dead; it’s just Roman around.” This popular saying has been stated many times in a Latin classroom; however, how much truth does it actually hold? A good answer to this question could be found at Rock Ridge, where students can sign up to take the classical language of Latin as one of their world language courses.

Rock Ridge offers five levels of Latin for students to take, all the way up to Advanced Placement (AP). Additionally, the school has its very own Latin club, where students can discuss the language outside of school. Each Latin class, no matter the level, is taught by Emily Gilmore. 

Gilmore has been teaching Latin for 18 years, 10 of those years being at Rock Ridge.  She has been taking the subject since eighth grade, and although she initially intended to major in medicine, Latin found its way back into her life. Even after college, when Gilmore worked at a newspaper for five years, the temptation of Latin was too much for her to resist. “I wanted [to become a teacher] to share Latin with people,” Gilmore said. “I have so much fun [teaching]. It helps me maintain my love for Latin, share my love for Latin, and it keeps my brain spry.”

To Gilmore, Latin is not just a language, it is something far bigger. “Latin is about patterns; it is about solving riddles and cracking codes. It helps you approach a problem from different angles, and you can apply that to any discipline. It is history, it is culture, it is mythology, and it is literature, and we have some pretty fun sacrifices during our festivals.” Gilmore said. 

This viewpoint is further displayed in her lessons, where she brings an enthusiastic energy to the subject for her students. “My favorite part of Latin is seeing Ms. Gilmore and everybody in our class; it is so fun,” freshman Sri Ram Chiripurapu, a Latin III student, said. “Whenever we come to class, she’s always like, ‘Hey, how are you guys?’ From the moment we step in, she’s giving us her 100 percent. She wants to know [more] about us, she wants to take care of us.” 

Freshman Bhavangya Pallaki, a Latin three scholar, also highlights Gilmore’s cheerful personality. “No classes with her start off bad,” Pallaki said. “Every single class, she’s really happy, really upbeat. She’s sharing her kindness with others, and in turn, it makes me feel happy.”

Gilmore chooses to educate her students not only on the linguistic aspects of the language itself but also on the culture and history behind Latin and Rome, which has appealed to students especially. “I was always interested in Roman history, so Latin really appealed to me,” sophomore Karthik Pathakota said. “I really like learning about the culture. Every unit we learn about a [new aspect of] Roman culture, so that is interesting.”

Student reception to Latin class is overwhelmingly positive. “It [Latin] is so fun, it is so easy, and it is also good [as] you learn stuff that is good [for you] in the future,” freshman Adiba Alam, a Latin I student, said Pathakota also perceives Latin class in a favorable light. “Latin is really fun for me, our teachers make it fun and educational.”

Although Latin is considered a “dead language”, the spirit of it certainly survives within the community of Rock Ridge. Students across different levels of Latin have recommended it with praise to their fellow peers, citing Latin to be a useful and worthwhile course to take. “[Latin] is beneficial to anyone who enjoys English because English is derived from it,” Pallaki said. “I recommend students to take Latin because you don’t just learn the language; you learn the history, culture, and religion of [the] people who spoke Latin and beyond.” 

Gilmore appreciates the nature and spirit of Latin students at Rock Ridge display. “Latin students are always the best students, out of any school population,” Gilmore said. “Rock Ridge has the best students as a school compared to any other school. So I’ve got the best of the best [students, especially] because they’re motivated, smart, [and] they challenge themselves. They’re kind, interesting, well rounded, [and] they’re talented in multiple areas. It’s a great sample [of students].”