Mirmala Sukdeo, Sitorie Bachan and Ashley Munoz depicted three of the most recent history-makers – Jimmy Sanchez, Mario Gomez and Luis Urzua, respectively, three Chilean miners trapped underground for 69 days last year. Students researched their characters and found materials for their presentations using school and public libraries, school SMART Boards and the Internet. In selecting exhibit-worthy figures, her class looked for Spanish-speaking individuals who made positive contributions to the societies in which they lived. Paz says this cross-curricular project is fun way to enhance students’ knowledge of three subjects: social studies by researching history and current events language arts through scripting and delivering oral presentations and the Spanish language, which her class began studying last year. Last year’s focus was on figures in American history. Teresa’s seventh-grade class has hosted a living wax museum. Comedian George Lopez was there, too, as were artists Pablo and Paloma Picasso Nobel-laureate physiologist Bernardo Houssay and the 41st Treasurer of the United States Rosario Marin. Sports stars, such as basketball players Marc and Pau Gasol and Olympic tennis medalist Arantxa Sanchez Vicario dominated part of the auditorium.
Among the persons they selected for the exhibits were civil rights activists César Chávez and Dolores Huerta, who were in good company with South American revolutionary leaders Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín and Mexican national hero, Yanga. Over the past six weeks, students researched and studied these historical figures and modern-day celebrities of their own choosing. At the conclusion of their brief, fact-filled speech, they resumed their original postures until the next visitor approached.
Posters about the person and the flag of his/her native land accompanied each exhibit. With the push of a red “button” on each figure’s hand, the posed, costumed characters came to life, sharing their name and country of origin in Spanish and English, and a short monologue highlighting their lives and good works. Eighth graders served as tour guides for the younger grades.
Directed by museum curator and seventh-grade teacher Sandra Paz, the museum was open to the school community, parents and visitors. Teresa of Avila School presented a Live Wax Museum, featuring famous Spanish-speakers, both past and present, in the school auditorium on Friday, June 10. Move over Madame Tussauds! South Ozone Park students opened their own wax museum featuring living, bilingual figures at a one-time only exhibit last week.
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