Sixth grade students in Michelle Holda-Vaccaro and Lil Martenson’s cluster were situated throughout the school’s cafetorium on Tuesday, March 31, dressed as “wax museum” characters.

As a reading project, Ms Holda-Vaccaro explained, the students read and researched famous people who had made a positive influence on the world. While working on the projects, Ms Holda-Vaccaro said the students learned about credible sources and how to write a speech.

The students also spent many hours in the school’s library/media center with library/media specialist Pia Ledina researching their person of interest.

By Tuesday, the students were ready for their culminating wax museum presentation. Each student had prepared a speech about the person they had studied, and some of the students chose to dress up like the people they were portraying.

Parents were invited to attend the wax museum presentation, and other Reed Intermediate School students also made their way to the cafetorium to hear the presentations.

As visitors moved about the cafetorium, students shared their speeches and information about the person they had studied.

Ms Holda-Vaccaro said the idea of the wax museum was inspired by Maura Drabik, who has had her students complete the wax museum project for a few years. All sixth grade students, Ms Holda-Vaccaro said, study activists through the grade’s curriculum.

“They really have risen to the occasion,” said Ms Holda-Vaccaro, looking out across the cafetorium.

From President John F. Kennedy to Marie Curie, students shared a range of reasons for choosing the person they studied.

“I was always interested in astronomy and physics,” said Christopher Lindsay, who studied and portrayed Galileo Galilei.

Holding up boxing gloves, Aidan Stout said he wanted to study Muhammad Ali because, “he boxed… and that is interesting to me.”

Connor Smith said he felt compelled to study President John F. Kennedy because he already knew some things about him.

When asked why she wanted to study Helen Adams Keller, Jenna Dunn said, “I think she is very interesting, very powerful, and she did a lot of important things for her disability.”

Refreshments were available for guests, and as Assistant Superintendent of Schools Linda Gejda left the presentation, she was smiling.

“Very cool,” Dr Gejda said. “A very good idea.”