Garden City High School’s Kathleen Durkin receives grant and award for leadership in Latin program
Garden City High School’s Latin teacher Kathleen Durkin was recently awarded a professional development grant from the Classical Association of the Atlantic States and has been named a 2024 recipient of the Society for Classical Studies Award for Excellence in Teaching at the K-12 Level. Magistra Durkin was selected based on her passion for Latin and love of learning, dedication to her students’ growth, and unwavering mentorship, making her a leader throughout the classical education field.
Magistra Durkin has been teaching since 2008, and she currently leads the Garden City Latin program and related extracurricular activities. She believes in the power of Latin to inspire students, and her students’ posters, pottery and three-dimensional models line the school’s hallways. She continuously meets the diverse needs of each student, ranging from additional support for those who need it to extra enrichment opportunities for those eager to pursue a challenge.
Magistra Durkin has been involved with the Classical Association of the Atlantic States for many years, and the $1,000 grant funded her first attendance at the annual joint meeting between the Archaeological Institute of America and SCS, which occurred in Philadelphia from Jan. 2-6. She serves as an associate editor for a classics journal, and along with her co-editors of The Classical Outlook, presided over a session called "How Do We Teach Introductory Language?" sponsored by the American Classical League and will be published in the CO journal later this year.
The SCS is the leading organization in North America dedicated to the study of ancient Greek and Roman languages, literature, history, material culture, and their connections to the wider ancient Mediterranean world and beyond. Magistra Durkin’s award includes a prize of $500, airfare and accommodation to the 2025 ACL Institute, and a $200 donation to GCHS for educational resources selected by her.
Magistra Durkin was honored at the SCS meeting and will receive the award at the 2025 American Classical League Institute in Chicago later this year. She is grateful to Jessica Anderson, her former colleague and current Mineola High School Latin teacher, for the nomination and is thankful for the ongoing support she receives from Garden City High School.