By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
Once again, area fifth graders will take on the persona of notable historical icons with the Famous Figures contest.
While the final event is still months away, Hays Arts Council Executive Director Brenda Meder said now is a great time to start working on finding subjects for the program.
And with last year’s event being different due to pandemic precautions, students and parents can use last year’s event as a way to find ideas for this year.
“If families want to see what performance looked like, it's an inspiration ... because it covered the gamut of everything, historical characters, famous authors, scientists, contemporary celebrities and sports figures, you name it,” Meder said. “But those videos are all still there on our website, so you can get an idea of what the kids are kind of coming up with.”
The final presentations will be given by the students, but for many, the program is a family project.
“If they want to be able to chat with their child about who they should pick and why and maybe helping them find material and getting together what they want to do and working with them on their performance skills, that is fabulous,” Meder said. “It takes a village. And so that information for Famous Figures is up there.”
The program is made possible by community support, as well.
“Our civic organizations are amazing,” Meder said. “Kiwanis did theater for us last fall, Rotary does this Famous Figures project.”
For the first step of the program, fifth-grade classrooms across Ellis County will select two representatives for the class.
“For this one, this is a project that runs through the schools, because we allow two contestants for each fifth-grade classroom,” Meder said.
Non-traditional students could also enter if a collaboration to select a student for the presentation was created.
For those students that participate in the program, there are many educational opportunities.
“There's so much to learn along the entire way, not just if you make it to the finals. It is incredible,” Meder said. “It's about writing. It's about researching. It's about organizing. It's about editing, memorizing, honing up your public speaking skills in your acting skills. There are so many aspects of educational curriculum that this one checks the box for.”
But she said the program is also a fun way for the students to learn.
“It's fun, and it is so entertaining,” Meder said. “It's the arts in action. But the things that lead up to that I've had fifth-grade teachers tell me that this one, this one project, checks the box for almost every fifth-grade curriculum goal — which is really awesome, because of the nature of just the way the project works and what is necessary for a successful project.”