About Ascanius: The Youth Classics Institute

Ascanius: The Youth Classics Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the knowledge of and inspiring lifelong learning about Latin, Greek, and the ancient Greco-Roman world, especially at the elementary and middle school levels. Since 2000, we have served hundreds of students and teachers on the east coast, west coast, and many places in between. Through our programs, we encourage today's youth to think critically about ancient societies and compare them to their daily life in the modern world.

We are dedicated to giving individuals the tools they need to share Latin and Classics with children. Through three grant opportunities which we have made available to teachers and students, our aim is to spur growth of Latin and the Classics at the elementary and middle school level, and to help create and strengthen foreign language partnerships between elementary and secondary schools. With our publications, we provide teachers and families with the ideas, materials, and information they need to breathe life into the Classics in their own home or classroom. Finally, we also offer free materials on our website, including The Shooting Star, a collection of ready-to-use lessons and materials on thirty different Classical topics.

Over 2000 years since Vergil wrote the story of Aeneas and his son Ascanius, Latin and classical civilization are still alive and well. Through our efforts, today's youth can experience the excitement of the culture that inspired our art, politics, literature, architecture, social values, and sense of history. We invite you to join our quest to share some of the world's most ancient cultures with the next generation!