Franklin fifth graders put on wax museum event

Jun 06, 2023

Avanna Lankfard gives her best ballerina pose as she portrays ballet dancer Misty Copeland during the Franklin Elementary wax museum event Tuesday.

Fifth grader Avanna Lankfard knew exactly who she was going to portray at Franklin Elementary's annual wax museum event.

"I was very inspired by Misty Copeland. She's an African American dancer and she broke a lot of barriers for little Black girls to do ballet."

Lankfard does ballet and other dance and spent much of the hour at the wax museum event frozen in a ballet pose, which she admitted was beginning to be a bit of a strain.

Mallory Howk, a fifth grade teacher, said the event is in its ninth year. Part of the fifth grade curriculum is for students to write a biography of someone and the teachers decided to add the wax museum aspect to ramp up students’ interest.

On Tuesday, parents, grandparents and other students toured the museum where the fifth graders were dressed in costume and had a display board with information about their subject.

Heaven Bielke gives information to a visitor about Queen Elizabeth II, whom she was portraying at the Franklin Elementary wax museum event Tuesday.

Howk said they show the students short biography videos to help give them ideas on who they might want to learn more about and portray and then get books and other information for the kids once they pick someone. She said the event lets students find a subject that is compelling to them.

"If you’re interested in gymnastics," she said, "you can do something on a gymnast and be more invested in it."

Connor Wedel, dressed in a top hat, back tie and gray suit, said he chose Theodore Roosevelt for a simple reason.

"I just like presidents."

Fifth grader Connor Wedel portrays Theodore Roosevelt.

He turned to videos, books and online research to find more about Roosevelt.

"I had a lot of information on him. I had to cut it down a lot," he said.

"I learned he got shot in the chest and still delivered a 45-minute speech," Wedel said of a 1912 assassination attempt on Roosevelt in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Preston Overton knew from the start who he wanted to learn about and portray — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

"I’ve always been a fan of his," said Overton, who was sporting a jersey with Mahomes’ name on it.

Preston Overton knew he wanted to portray his quarterback hero Patrick Mahomes.

His research led him to find out new things about his hero. "I didn't know he was in the MLB for the Detroit Tigers and he is one of four Black quarterbacks to get the MVP."

(Overton overstated Patrick Mahome's baseball experience. While the Kansas City quarterback was drafted by the Tigers, he never signed with the baseball team.)

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