Kristen Bortner has been involved with Ascanius: The Youth Classics Institute since 2002 and currently volunteers as an Executive Committee member.  Kristen resides in Fairfax Station, Virginia, where she currently stays home with her children. Previously, she taught Latin for eleven years in public schools in Virginia, Missouri, and Illinois.

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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 thousands of students and teachers on the east coast, west coast, and many places in between. Through our resources and grants, 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 bringing life to Latin and the ancient world by giving teachers and families the resources they need. Our publications, such as the Activitates Liberis series and Vocabula Picta, provide ideas, materials, and information to breathe life into the Classics at own home or in the classroom. In addition, we offer free resources (the "For Teachers" tab on our website), such as The Shooting Star, an online collection of ready-to-use lessons and materials on various topics.

This year, we are excited to announce the availability of three grant opportunities for teachers and students. Brief descriptions follow below, but more detailed information, as well as the application forms, can be found on our website.

The Classical Promise Grant allows enterprising teachers and students to engineer programs using both the organizational and financial support of Ascanius: The Youth Classics Institute. These grants are available to individuals who wish to create or maintain a Latin and/or Classical Studies program or event geared toward elementary/middle-school-aged students. The "parva" grant awards amounts ranging from $50 to $200 for small events, while the "maxima" grant provides up to $1,000 and supports a longer, more in-depth program. For more details and to apply, please visit the Classical Promise Grant webpage.

The new Ascanius grant, the Rudolph Masciantonio "Classics for All" Grant, supports events, programs, and projects geared towards teachers who are instructing elementary and middle-school-aged students about Latin and the ancient Mediterranean. Grants of up to $500 are available for teacher use. Each year, the grant will focus on projects centered on the year's chosen theme. Applications may be submitted at any time and will be reviewed by the committee on a rolling basis. For more details and to apply, please visit the Rudolph Masciantonio "Classics for All" Grant webpage.

We are also pleased to announce the Ascanius Grant for Professional Development at the Elementary and Middle School Level. This grant is intended to support continuing education for teachers (and teachers-in-training) whose instruction or programming, focused on Latin and/or the ancient Greco-Roman world, will ultimately benefit elementary and/or middle school students. Amounts up to $1,000 are available to assist teachers with registration/tuition, travel, room, and board for programs, conferences, or courses. For more details and to apply, please visit the grant webpage.