Stike a pose: Burgettstown Elementary hosts live wax museum
Gianna Muscaro, as Abe Lincoln, keeps a close watch on the photographer as she poses for students during the Burgettstown Fourth-Grade Wax Museum held in the elementary school gym Wednesday.
Aubrey Krivak poses as Sacagawea during the Burgettstown Fourth-Grade Wax Museum held in the elementary school gym Wednesday.
Students pose as famous figures as part of the BAEC fourth-grade Wax Museum held in the elementary school gym Wednesday. Students and adults were able to tour the student figures during the day.
Hunter Guiday poses as Thomas Edison as he peers through a large electric bulb during the 2014 Burgettstown Fourth-Grade Wax Museum held in the elementary school gym Wednesday. Students and adults were able to tour the student figures during the day.
Students gather round Kaylyn Caffardo, posing as famous chef Paula Deen, during the Burgettstown fourth grade Wax Museum held in the elementary school gym Wednesday.
BURGETTSTOWN – Sporting a stick-on mustache and stuffed Mickey Mouse tucked under his elbow, Joe Seruppi modeled nonchalantly on a barstool.
Similar to the other pint-sized historic figures posing around Burgettstown Area Elementary Center gymnasium, Seruppi was acting as a historic or famous figure for the day – in his case, Walt Disney.
“I learned what (Disney) experienced, going through the movie and theme park business,” said Seruppi, a Burgettstown fourth-grader. “It was a tough ride for him.”
For the second year, students impersonated characters from history in the BAEC fourth-grade Wax Museum. The school hosted two showings Wednesday.
About 90 students created multicolored exhibits stationed along the sectioned-off gymnasium. A tri-fold poster board bearing the subject’s name and a brief biographical timeline accompanied his or her setup as the student posed as a “wax figure.”
Classes of students and parents filtered through the gym dropping “tokens” into a cup in front of each exhibit. Upon the token’s insertion, each costumed student gave a brief prepared speech detailing the subject’s date of birth, children’s names, accomplishment and a noteworthy fact or quote.
Lucas Rendulic, a Burgettstown fourth-grade teacher, pitched the wax museum idea to his fellow fourth-grade teachers in an effort to bring the social studies curriculum to life.
“I get upset when people say history is boring, because it’s not boring,” Rendulic said. “This is just an example of how you can make (history) interesting.”
Students spent the past two months researching their subject, crafting a typed biography and conducing rehearsal presentations.
A majority of the assignments were completed in class.
The students selected three potential subjects in October. Rendulic and the other fourth-grade teachers chose the student’s role from their provided options.
“We wanted it to be historical figures but sometimes some nontraditional characters have popped up,” Rendulic said, explaining that he wanted students to pursue a subject that drew their interest.
Rendulic also stressed the sense of togetherness cultivated by parents, community members and students attending the event.
Last year, he estimated 150 attendees participated. He hopes the project will become an annual tradition.
“We set the event up (Tuesday) afternoon,” Rendulic said. “And you hear the third-graders walk by (and say), ‘Oh I can’t wait ’til next year.'”
Melissa Mankey, BAEC principal, praised the project.
“The fourth-grade team and Mr. Rendulic do a fantastic job preparing the students for the event,” said Mankey.
Costumed teachers also patrolled the gym.
Rendulic donned a feathered headdress and introduced himself to incoming classes as Crazy Horse, a Native American war hero.
Among the winding trail of exhibits: Betsy Ross sat on a rocking chair in her bonnet and American flag shawl, William Penn wielded a quill and wore gold-buckle shoes, authors JK Rowling and Beverly Cleary sat as though conducting a book signing and Sacagawea kneeled on a faux-bearskin rug.
Aubry Krivak, the fourth-grader who played Sacagawea, took inspiration from her character’s courage.
“I decided on (Sacagawea) because she showed the world that just because you’re a woman, you can do everything that a man can do,” she said.
Students grew so immersed in their figure’s persona that when asked, Cole Davidson, a fourth-grader who portrayed Henry Ford, spelled his name, “H-E-N-R-Y.”