PERU — Dirigo Elementary School fourth grade teachers Kristi Holmquist and Erin Deprey decided to “do something different and a little more creative this year” with their students’ biography presentations, Deprey said.

Each student chose a famous person’s biography to read, took notes and wrote a report about the biography, and they also prepared a costume and memorized a 30- to 60-second speech for a wax museum character presentation, which happened recently in the school gym.

“The only criteria was that we wanted to make sure that it wasn’t somebody they already knew a lot about, (for example) if they’ve already studied about (Crocodile Hunter) Steve Irwin they should find somebody else,” Holmquist said. The class’s new reading curriculum, Lucy Calkins Units of Reading, teaches students to “always sit back and reflect: ‘What can I learn from this and how does this apply to my own life?’,” she added.

Among the students posing and giving their speeches in the wax museum was Madeline Huggins, who portrayed Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai. “I changed the world and fought for girls’ rights to learn and have an education,” Huggins said during her speech.

Grace Averill portrayed country music singer Dolly Parton and said Parton’s favorite hobby is singing and she has a theme park called Dollywood. “I would like to be remembered as a famous singer and for my bubbly personality,” Averill said about Parton.

Jacob Snowman portrayed former NBA basketball player Shaquille O’Neal, saying, “When I was 16 I ‘slam dunked,’ also, I played basketball around the world. When I was a kid I was bullied for my name by the other children.”

Carleigh Arlene Smith portrayed Marie Antoinette, who Smith said is famous for being the 16th Queen of France. “I was kind of an infamous person, which means evil, but don’t worry, it was for a good cause,” Smith said about Antoinette’s life, which ended by her death by beheading in a guillotine.

Diana Cayer portrayed Joan of Arc and said the heroine of France believed in angels and thought she could see St. Margaret, St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Michael. “I had to dress up like a boy and cut off my hair to go into war,” Cayer said.

Dakota White portrayed former NFL football quarterback Brett Favre. “I am famous because I won the Green Bay Packers the Vince Lombardi trophy and I would like to be remembered as an NFL star that won the Green Bay Packers the Super Bowl,” White said.

mhutchinson@sunmediagroup.net

DES Fourth-grade student Carleigh Arlene Smith portrayed Marie Antoinette in her class’s wax museum presentation. 

Fourth-grade Dirigo Elementary student Madeline Huggins portrayed Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai during her class’s wax museum presentation.

DES fourth-grade student Grace Averill portrayed country music singer Dolly Parton for her class’s wax museum presentation.

DES fourth-grader Jacob Snowman gave his wax museum presentation of former NBA basketball player Shaquille O’Neal to fellow students. 

DES fourth-grade student Diana Cayer portrayed Joan of Arc for her class’s wax museum presentation.

DES fourth-grader Dakota White portrayed former NFL football quarterback Brett Favre during the class’s wax museum presentation.