Meridian Elementary Fourth Graders Showcase History In Living Wax Museum

Meridian Elementary students presented a Living Wax Museum to demonstrate their learning and showcase the public speaking skills they developed throughout the school year. The fourth-grade students spent a month researching historical figures, writing five-paragraph essays, and designing their own trifold display boards to make the Living Wax Museum possible.

The project allowed students to showcase historical figures they are interested in, featuring many known celebrities ranging from musician Paul McCartney to athletes Larry Bird and Pat Tillman.

During the exhibition, students stood still next to their trifold until a visitor pressed a designated button. The students then came to life, delivering a short script they drafted from their research papers. 

Fourth-grade teacher Nicole Delinas started the program four years ago with 22 students in a single classroom. The project has since expanded to involve the entire fourth-grade class of 120 students! 

"It is the most amazing thing to see, and I think, from my eyes, it's to see the students go from being nervous or shy to confident fourth graders at the end of the year," Delinas said.

The entire event was made possible through student leadership and teamwork. Fourth graders prepared the school’s cafeteria for the event by moving tables, spreading tablecloths, sweeping floors, and assembling balloon towers. Additionally, sixth-grade volunteers who previously completed the project helped manage the entry ropes.

“I’m incredibly proud of the entire school. Everyone here is phenomenal, and I’m just proud to be a Meridian Mustang,” added Delinas.

To learn more about Meridian Elementary, including information about the school community and culture, schedule a tour at Meridian.GilbertSchools.net/Tour.