Fifth-Graders Bring History to Life in 'Wax Museum'

Fifth-graders at Most Holy Redeemer School brought history to life in the Famous Americans Wax Museum on May 20. | Photos by Lorraine Swanson

Evergreen Park, IL, May 24, 2016 -- Fifth-graders at Most Holy Redeemer School in Evergreen Park showed off their history smarts last Friday by staging a living Famous Americans Wax Museum in the school gymnasium while raising money for brain tumor research.

The students dressed up and gave brief presentations is exchange for spare change, which is being donated to the American Brain Tumor Foundation in honor of school library Marsha Spokas’’ 9-month-old granddaughter, Lucy Spokas, who is being treated for a brain tumor..

The Wax Museum was the inspiration of fifth-grade teacher Bronwyn Azzarello, who wanted history to come alive for her students.

“It wraps up all the people they’ve studied in social studies and the chance to learn more about someone who interests them,” Azzarello said.

As students, parents and grandparents roamed around the “exhibits,” they got to meet the Wright Brothers, Paul Revere, Clara Barton, Daniel Boone, Abraham Lincoln, Abigail Adams and host of other famous Americans. Pope Francis even managed to snag a spot in the wax museum.

“Grandparents get to see their grandchildren in a different light, performing and talking about someone they know,” Azzarello said.

For example, Phillis Wheatley was the first African American to publish a book of poetry in the United States. James Madison is often hailed as the “Father of the Constitution.”

And Martha Washington was married before she met her husband, George, fifth-grader Isabella Harmon said, decked out in a Martha Washington outfit that she purchased off of Amazon. .

“She traveled with him through the Revolutionary War,” said Isabella Harmon, who likes learning about new things. “She was the nation’s first First Lady and she made a huge impact on history.”

The students didn’t just dress up. A lot of work went into the exhibits, which included dioramas with historical facts, pictures and props about their American heroes.

“It’s a great way for kids to show what they’re learning and bring the community in to show off the school,” said principal Nancy Harmening said.

Fr. James Hyland, pastor of Most Holy Redeemer, said he was impressed by the detail the students put into their costumes and exhibits.

“I’m learning a lot of different things,” Fr. Hyland said. “Some people I never heard of before.”