NORTH WEBSTER – Historical Americans like Martin Luther King Jr., George Washington and Walt Disney took to the hallways of North Webster Elementary School Friday. The famous Americans were actually students in Mitch Willaman's fifth-grade American history class, participating in the 11th annual wax museum. The students act as wax statues. When someone hits a “button,” the wax figures “come to life.” Each student gave a speech they had memorized. Pictures of the famous person also were hung up behind the student that they drew in art class. Willaman said the project is a nice way to end the school year. It brings everything together the students did over the course of the year and involves every subject area. Students get to pick their topic from a list of names Willaman’s class touched on over the course of the school year. They do their research, write a speech based on the person, do a sketch in art class and then give their speech during the wax museum. He said there are several presentations this year that no students in the past have done, like Maria Mitchell. Student Phoenyx Niedermeyer studied Mitchell, who lived from 1818 to 1889. “I liked what she did and how she studied stars. I also like studying stars because it’s cool,” said Niedermeyer. Mitchell was the first female astronomer in the United States. Niedermeyer said it was “cool how in 1847 she discovered a comet and got awarded for it.” Katelyn Trimble presented on Clara Barton, who lived from 1821 to 1912. “She was my distant aunt one time,” Trimble revealed. “I wanted to know all about the American Red Cross and how she got her job and how she helped soldiers in the Civil War.” William Henry Harrison, 1773 to 1841, was a former U.S. president who served the least amount of time, according to fifth-grader Joshua Metcalf. Harrison served 30 days, 12 hours and 30 minutes as president. “I’ve always had an interest because he was the shortest-term president and I thought that was cool,” Metcalf said. Harrison died from pneumonia after giving a speech, Metcalf said. Laney Ramirez portrayed Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1811 to 1896, who wrote “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” “I like books, I like to read. The book was really interesting so I thought it would be fun to pick her,” Ramirez said. Susan B. Anthony lived from 1820 to 1906, and was portrayed yesterday by Brianna Smith. She said she picked Anthony because she was against slavery and fought for women’s rights. TyRell Cook wore a fake moustache to portray Martin Luther King Jr., who lived from 1929 to 1968. “Because he’s a good man. Because he changed people’s lives,” Cook said of why he chose King. “He risked his life for everyone.” Willaman said the students spent a lot of time on their speeches in Writer’s Workshop. “They came up with some excellent hooks to draw the listeners in,” he said.
