LatinSummer 2009: Meet the Faculty & Staff

Lena Barsky is a junior at Yorktown High School in Arlington, Virginia. She has been a student of Latin since seventh grade and the Classics have been one of her passions for as long as she can remember. She is the secretary of Yorktown's chapter of the Junior Classical League as well as Yorktown's Latin Honors society. She is especially interested in mythology, as well as Latin poetry (especially that of Ovid). Her interests outside of the classics include playing the clarinet, reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, and stargazing.

Mrs. Kristen Bortner teaches Latin at Lafayette High School and Rockwood Summit High School in St. Louis County, Missouri. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Classics from the University of Virginia. Mrs. Bortner's professional memberships include the Classical Association of Virginia and the American Classical League.

As Director of Operations for Ascanius, Mrs. Bortner helps to coordinate logistics, publicity, public relations, and outreach projects.

Charlie Caplan is a junior at St. John's School in Houston, Texas. He will be in his sixth year of Latin, and is attempting to teach himself Greek. He has competed in Certamen for the past five years, and will be captain for the next two. He loves studying anything vaguely Classical, especially mythology. From June eighteenth till July eighth he will be participating in an archaeological dig in Pylos, Greece, with the Iklaina program.

Stuart Davis is a kindergarten teacher at Crossroads Elementary School in Norfolk, Virginia. Ms. Davis earned her B.A. (in English) and M.Ed. from the College of William & Mary. Her master's thesis investigated the influence and importance of the Virginia Governor's Latin Academy on the preservation and perpetuation of Latin. For several years she has taught a Latin class for gifted 3rd - 5th graders in Norfolk Public Schools' Summer Academic Enrichment Program. She helped develop and teach LatinSummer's special curriculum for students in grades 1 and 2.

Ms. Suzanne Henrich is a Latin teacher at Dover High School in Dover, New Hampshire. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Classics from Lawrence University in Wisconsin, and a Master's degree in Teaching Latin and Classical Humanities from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

As Director of Student Programs for Ascanius, Ms. Henrich helps to organize and coordinate both the major LatinSummer programs, as well as smaller student outreach programs.

Kevin Jefferson is a second-year Classics Major (with a Latin concentration) at the University of Virginia. In 2006, he served as Latin Instructor at LatinSummer Alexandria. While a student at Park View High School in Sterling, Virginia, he helped organize the school's Certamen teams. He also attended the Virginia Governor's Latin Academy. His personal interests include mythology, philosophy, and omelets.

As a board member, Mr. Jefferson assists the other members in their duties especially those involving Ascanius workshops.

Molly Kriva is an undergraduate Classics major at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI, but still calls Milwaukee home. She started taking Latin in high school and has not stopped since! Molly is also studying Ancient Greek. Her favorite Roman authors include Catullus, Vergil, and Lucretius. When not studying, she is probably at rowing practice, taking a run along the river, or volunteering at an elementary school near her campus.

Laura Tait is currently a graduating senior from Maggie L. Walker Governor's School in Richmond, Virginia. She has been taking Latin for six years and is now in her second year of AP Latin. During those six years she has read works from many Latin authors such as Catullus, Ovid and Vergil. Laura does not yet know where she will be attending college in the fall, but she plans to continue her studies in the classics. In her free time, Laura participates in Irish dance and Taekwondo, in which she holds a second degree black belt. She is very excited for the opportunity to be a part of LatinSummer Williamsburg this July.

Mr. Matthew Webb is Latin instructor for the Moultonborough School District in Moultonborough, New Hampshire. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Classical Languages and Literatures from the University of Maryland, and a Master's degree in Teaching Latin and Classical Humanities from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He has also studied at The American University of Rome. Mr. Webb is the author and editor of numerous publications related to Classics pedagogy, and serves as Immediate Past Chair of the American Classical League's Excellence Through Classics for Elementary and Middle School Levels Committee. Mr. Webb's other professional memberships include the ETC's Exploratory Latin Exam Committee, the New Hampshire Classical Association, and the Classical Association of New England. A recipient of the Outstanding Maryland Classicist Award, Mr. Webb is the founder of the nationwide Medusa Mythology Examination.

As Director of Teacher Programs for Ascanius, Mr. Webb organizes and coordinates workshops for teachers. In addition he helps to develop and compile publications for both teachers and students.

Katherine Williams is currently a junior in the Princess Anne High School International Baccalaureate Program. She has been studying Latin for 6 years, and she has attended numerous state and local Latin Conventions. She is a member of the National Latin Honor Society, and she is currently historian of Latin Club at her school. Her special interests include mythology, in which she has received a gold medal on a national exam, as well as Greek and Latin culture; in fact, she has also taken 7 years of Greek, and she has taught Greek Dancing at the past three local Latin Conventions.