Mission & Story

Hello fellow students, teachers, and lovers of the Classics!

We are the New York Classics Conference, and we hope to help high school students dive deeper into the world of Classics—whether you're exploring future career options, curious about studying it in college, or simply interested in learning more about Latin and ancient Greek. Join us for a free day-long conference on Saturday, May 10th, packed with engaging activities such as translation workshops, poetic scansion, guest speakers, college panels, Trivia, prizes, and free food just to name a few. Come explore the ancient world and its real-life applications like never before! We’ll be hosted on the 7th floor of the Brooklyn College Graduate Center for Worker Education, which offers incredible views of Wall Street. We’re proudly collaborating with Brooklyn College, the Latin/Greek Institute, and the Paideia Institute to bring this conference to life. We’re also partnering with Paideia to raise funds for their Aequora Summer Grants, which help bring Latin and the ancient world to elementary and middle schools across the country!! Join us and be part of something timeless!

The Story Behind NY Classicon

The idea for NY Classicon was born out of something simple: a gap I noticed. As a student at Brooklyn Latin, I have loved Classics for a while. But I realized that for high schoolers like me, there aren't many opportunities to explore Latin, Greek, and the ancient world in greater depth. There are even fewer chances to connect with peers who share that passion, learn what studying Classics in college is really like, or discover potential career paths in the field. There were few events, and even less student interest mainly because people just didn’t have a space to get excited about it. That’s when it hit me: what if I organized a Classics event just for high school students? After all, I’d met plenty of professors and friends who shared a passion for the subject. “We could definitely organize something great," I thought. With my extensive experience with attending Model UN conferences and even helping organize one, a conference felt like the perfect format.

So I began brainstorming the dream: a conference for students, by students, where highschoolers curious about the Classics could explore, learn, and get inspired no matter their background. I wanted it to be more than just lectures or competitions. I wanted it to be fun, informative, and real: translation games, scanning poetry, workshops, guest speakers, and lots of learning.

None of this would have happened without the support of my mentor, Professor Lucas Rubin, or the brilliant, passionate friends I’ve made through studying Classics who are helping me organize this conference. With their help and a whole lot of organizing we are bringing NY Classicon to life.

My hope is that every student who attends leaves with a deeper understanding of the ancient world, and with the feeling that there's a place for them in it.

- Christian Campos-Rojano, Organizer of the NY Classicon