History Comes Alive at Marston School

Students and community members got a chance Thursday to chat with underground railroad legend Harriet Tubman, revel in the storytelling of Walt Disney, and take a walk on the moon with Neil Armstrong during a lively annual event at .

Sixty third grade students came to school in elaborate costumes as cultural and historical icons of their choosing Thursday morning as a part of the school's annual "Wax Museum" exhibit. Students pretended to be wax figures that came to life at the push of a button in order to tell passers-by a little about their character.

Lucas Rayder, 8, an aspiring astronaut, said he wanted to portray Armstrong because he realized he "didn't know much about him." Rayder said he's "really interested in space" and enjoyed getting the chance to showcase his passions to his fellow classmates and parents.

"I'm enjoying it because he's a real interesting subject and people enjoy learning about him," said Rayder, who said his first large step for mankind would be used to "jump really high" because it "seems like it would be a really fun" thing to do. "I always get the feeling I'm in space and want to be in space because it's cool.

"Really all the time we're actually in space. We're on Earth, but it's still a part of space."

Barack and Michelle Obama, Amelia Earhart, Dr. Seuss, Drew Brees, ketchup magnate H.J. Heinz and Douglas MacArthur were among some of the other guests who visited Hampton during the exhibit — a Marston staple that has been putting book reports to shame for roughly a decade.

The event has been something to which teacher and organizer Michele Croteau said her students have been eagerly anticipating, and she said this year was successful because of the students' "excitement" and weeks of preparation.

Jana Goldstein's and Jason Schrack's students also participated in Thursday's Wax Museum. Goldstein, who is in her first year at Marston, said she enjoyed how some students' character choices were inspired by classroom lessons, while others "made connections" through other parts of their lives.

"It's been kind of fascinating seeing how a small seed has grown into a larger idea," said Goldstein. "A small dream can grow into something bigger if they put effort into it, and that's an idea we want to encourage to all our third graders."

Brett Marelli, 9, dressed as famed escape artist Harry Houdini and was one of many students who took the effort to memorize his lines, which enhanced the already-commanding image of a magician chained in a straightjacket.

"I want to be a magician, but I don't know any tricks," said Marelli, who took "a day or two" to memorize his four paragraphs of information. "I thought it would make it look better if I wasn't looking at a card and was looking at the people."

Sue Schmettler, a mother whose daughter, Lauren, chose to become Princess Diana, said she most enjoyed seeing students make "such a great accomplishment" and succeed in "finding out information" about people that made them happy.

She said the Wax Museum, which will be performed by the school's other four third grade classes later this year, is an "amazing" event that will help ensure the information and lessons contained within resonate with the students.

"It'll stick with them because they picked their characters," said Schmettler. "[My daughter] has always been interested in Princess Diana because she's beautiful inside and out. The way she did charity work and helped her country is something [Lauren] really enjoyed and is why she was excited to be her character."