Clarke Central High School freshman Vera Hooper studies for her Latin II class in the CCHS Media Center on Feb. 20. The Latin pathway, made up of Latin I and II, has been offered at CCHS since the 2024-25 school year under CCHS English for Speakers of Other Languages and World Languages departments teacher Lloyd Martin. “I hope that (the class) fosters a love of language, not just Latin,” Martin said. “I try to foster a curiosity about where the language comes from (and) how this language works compared to how English works. Hopefully, (students) will take that curiosity and learn other languages.” Photo by Lea D’Angelo
The Latin pathway at CCHS offers students the opportunity to explore and appreciate the language
The Clarke Central High School Latin pathway, currently composed of Latin I-II, was introduced to CCHS during the 2024-25 school year and offers an alternative to the traditionally taken foreign language options of French and Spanish
Since its establishment, the course has been taught by CCHS English for Speakers of Other Languages and world languages department teacher Lloyd Martin. While the class is structured similarly to other language courses by utilizing tests and projects, students aren’t taught how to speak the language, rather how to translate texts and master written grammar.
“A lot of students don’t enjoy learning languages because they are shy or introverted, and (with) languages like Spanish and French, part of the standards are speaking and presenting,” Martin said. “(In) Latin, that’s not one of the standards. You can be quiet and introverted and still be very successful.”
“(I want to teach) students who are curious. I can work with anyone who wants to do the work and has an interest in the language. There’s no reason to take it if you’re not interested over the years.”
— Lloyd Martin, CCHS English for Speakers of Other Languages and world languages department teacher
CCHS freshman Vera Hooper, who took Latin I during the 2025-26 fall semester and is currently taking Latin II, has found that the mechanics of Latin are something that can be carried further and applied to other languages.
“I’m not gonna need to use (Latin) in the real world, but it will help me learn Romance languages (since) they’re based on Latin roots,” Hooper said. “I want to travel and speak different languages around the world, and I know that you can get jobs in foreign countries a lot easier if you know how to speak multiple languages.”
As Martin has taught the course and is working to introduce Latin III during the 2026-27 school year, his emphasis has remained on how the course can help students and isn’t merely an opportunity to gain a class credit. .
“(I want to teach) students who are curious,” Martin said. “ I can work with anyone who wants to do the work and has an interest in the language. There’s no reason to take it if you’re not interested over the years.”
