Immaculate Conception students bring wax museum to life

By Kelly Terpstra, kterpstra@charlescitypress.com

Abraham Lincoln stood right next to Malcolm X on Tuesday afternoon in Charles City.

Two historical figures who lived a century apart were telling their story for anyone who wanted to listen.

No time machine was necessary to make these pivotal American icons come to life.

The Immaculate Conception Elementary School gymnasium was full of past politicians and influential groundbreaking heroes who were a true blast from the past.

It was a wax museum come to life.

Not too far down from the 16th president of the United States and 20th century civil rights leader was Michelle Obama, giving a presentation. If you looked around, you’d also notice Charles City’s own Carrie Chapman Catt, with her distinctive hat adorned with yellow suffragette roses.

These characters were all part of 45 minutes of presentations put on by fifth- and sixth-grade IC students.

All you had to do was push a button to hear a story.

The presentations were a class project that students had been working on for about a month where they got to choose an important mover and shaker who influenced the path and direction of the United States.

Many students dressed up for their roles in the presentations Tuesday. Students also created a “button” that attendees of the wax museum could push and that particular person would begin talking about his or her character’s background.

The idea came about last year from teacher Kim Huff, who taught fourth- and fifth-grade IC students last year. That was the first year the wax museum was acted out by students in front of a public audience. Huff teaches fifth- and sixth-graders this school year.

“It was kind of an idea that I’ve seen floated around in teacher communities online. I thought it’d be really cool to combine social studies with literacy, writing and presenting,” said Huff.

“The dress up kind of brings you into the moment,” she said.

Each student was graded on the project.

Tayleigh Lantz, a sixth-grader, played the part of Chapman Catt. Chapman Catt was a key leader in the women’s suffrage movement and grew up in Charles City. Lantz said she is related to Chapman, who helped campaign for passage of the 19th Amendment, giving allowing women the right to vote in 1920.

“She’s my cousin. I don’t know how. My grandma’s talked about her. I’ve been to her house. I like her clothes,” said Lantz.

Lantz wore yellow — which became the symbolic color of the women’s suffrage movement in 1867.

Anya Ruzicka, also a sixth-grader at IC, said she began reading books penned by First Lady Michelle Obama. That’s why she chose Obama for her wax museum presentation project.

Ruzicka said she liked what Obama stood for after reading her books.

“She likes to kind of try and change the world. She doesn’t like that other people are out there cold and hungry,” said Ruzicka.

Sixth-grader Blake Hoeft had memorized his presentation, which he said took about two days to learn. Hoeft wore a mustache and was acting the part of his wax museum character, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.

“I picked him because he looked really interesting and he sounded like a cool guy,” said Hoeft.

No word on whether Chicago Bulls superstar basketball player Michael Jordan, who was another wax museum character that came to life courtesy of an IC student, was thinking about returning a second time to play professional baseball.

Regardless, students, teachers, parents and friends and family packed the gym to hear the presentations. It seemed like all had a good time hearing everyone’s stories.

“They feel really proud of what they’ve put together, what they’ve researched and being able to share that with their parents, other kids in the school,” said Huff.