
By ERIKA MARTIN | Reporter
Photos by RICH SCHMITT | Staff Photographer
An illustrious cast of characters including Neil Armstrong, Clara Barton and Sacagawea hobnobbed at Corpus Christi School last Thursday, March 17, as the second grade put on its Wax Museum.

Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
The annual event showcases the students’ history knowledge and performance skills as they line the perimeter school’s gymnasium like statues in a museum, dressed as their favorite historical figures to deliver speeches on that person’s life.
Taryn Wood, as suffragist Susan B. Anthony, said the project was kind of hard but her work paid off. “I enjoyed learning new facts about how she fought for women’s rights, and I thought that was really cool,” Wood said.

Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
The students ran the show—picking the character they would portray, researching that person’s life, then composing and memorizing a 30-second address.
The theatrics were heightened with amazingly detailed costumes and props. Lucy Neilsen as Frida Khalo, for example, completed her ribboned peasant blouse and full skirt getup with a large palette of colors, an easel and, of course, a drawn-in unibrow.

Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Devon Lopes, who portrayed Margaret Thatcher, said she picked the former British Prime Minister because she was an inspiring woman.
“I liked how she didn’t give up,” Lopes said. “And it’s cool how she was Prime Minister for so long but only died a few years ago. That made it more recent for me.”

Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Sloan Mayer, who selected Jane Goodall, said she was drawn to the common interests she shares with the famed primatologist.
“I really like animals, and I figured she would be really interesting to pick,” she said. “She liked to play outside and get messy and she didn’t care, so I really liked that.”

Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Each student had to recite his or her speech at least 25 times, and all were impressively dedicated to staying in character as wax figures in between monologues.

Devon Lopes as Margaret Thatcher
Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Ronald Reagan was depicted by Owen Camacho, who was lucky to have some personal ties to his character.
“[Reagan] was a member at Los Angeles Country Club, and I am a member at the same golf club,” said Camacho, who was surprised to learn the President saved 77 lives as a lifeguard during his youth.

Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Others went out of the box with their characters, like Stella Kennedy, who portrayed Dr. Seuss. “I really like his colorful books and since I’m a girl, another girl would have been easy to act out,” she said. “So I picked him because I wanted a challenge.”

Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Corpus Christi Principal Ryan Bushore expressed pride when surveying the second grade’s display. With students picking figures they are inspired by, he said the project allowed for self-exploration through history.
“For them it’s bringing history to life,” Bushore said. “It makes it more real and takes it off the page, which at this age is so important.”

Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer

Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
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