Latin III and IV Students Race Into Roman History

What may have looked like a scene from Gladiator on Rutgers Prep’s Upper Turf Field on May 21 was actually Latin class.

During Community Time, Mr. Bennett’s Latin III and IV students brought their study of ancient Rome outside and raced a chariot they had built as part of an end-of-year project.

The project asked students to think beyond vocabulary, grammar, and translation. Working together, they designed, built, tested, adjusted, and decorated the chariot while learning more about the role of games in ancient Roman culture.

The event was an early version of something Mr. Bennett hopes to expand in future years. Chariot racing among local high schools was once a larger tradition, and Rutgers Prep’s Latin students may help bring it back.

Watch Highlights from the Races

See Photos from the Races

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