A student-led classics program

Lumen Classics

Ad lumen per litteras
To the light, through literature

We bring the myths, languages, and ideas of ancient Greece and Rome, free of charge, to students in South Dallas who have never been offered them. Because the classics belong to everyone.

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Our Mission

Out of the Shadows, Into the Light

Lumen is Latin for "light." For centuries, a classical education was the mark of privilege: Latin, Greek mythology, and ancient history were taught behind the gates of elite schools. Lumen Classics exists to open those gates.

Founded and taught by Pedro Bajon Falcao, a student at St. Mark's School of Texas, Lumen Classics designs and delivers free, engaging classics courses for underserved students in South Dallas, from the wrath of Achilles to their first words of Latin.

We believe the ancient world isn't a museum piece. It's a training ground for language, logic, storytelling, and confidence, and every student deserves a seat in the forum.

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Why the Classics?

Students who study classics build vocabulary, sharpen critical thinking, and discover that the big questions of justice, courage, and fate have been theirs to ask for 3,000 years.

The Program

What We Do

I

Free Weekly Classes

Small-group sessions in South Dallas covering mythology, Latin fundamentals, and daily life in Greece and Rome, designed to be fun first, rigorous always.

II

Student-Designed Curriculum

Every lesson is written by students, for students. No dusty textbooks: stories, games, debates, and projects that make the ancient world feel alive.

III

Lumen Scholars

Our participants aren't just attendees; they're Lumen Scholars, part of a community that celebrates curiosity and rewards commitment.

IV

Growing Network

We partner with schools, libraries, and community centers to reach more students, and we're actively expanding to new institutions.

Curriculum

Sample Lessons

Unit I

Gods & Monsters

The Olympians, the Titans, and the creatures in between. Students map the mythological family tree and debate which god they'd want on their side.

Unit II

Heroes & Epics

Odysseus, Aeneas, Hercules. What makes a hero? Students retell epic episodes in their own voice, and write themselves into the story.

Unit III

First Words in Latin

Salve! Students learn greetings, numbers, and the Latin hiding inside everyday English, and leave able to read simple Latin sentences.

Unit IV

A Day in Ancient Rome

From the Forum to the Colosseum: food, school, games, and jobs in the ancient city. Ends with a Roman-style class debate in the "Senate."

Impact

The Story So Far

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Students Taught
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Lessons Delivered
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Partner Sites
100%
Free of Charge
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The Blog

Weekly Writing on the Ancient World

Every week, our founder publishes essays on classics, education, and why the ancient world still matters. Read them on Medium.

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