Sixteen Convent of the Sacred Heart second grade students took on different historical identities for the annual wax museum to fundraise money for Sacred Heart’s sister school in Uganda today.
The wax museum took place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Upper School Core Center. For the price of a quarter, a student came to life and recited the facts she memorized about her influential figure. The money raised goes to support the Sacred Heart Primary School in Kyamusansala, Uganda.
The wax museum culminated the second graders’ studies of biographies. It provided the Lower School students with an opportunity to strategically identify and memorize the most significant facts about their figures.
Sacred Heart second graders dressed up and represented historical figures such as George Washington, Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss), and Eleanor Roosevelt.
The second graders researched their figures during school and completed their costumes outside of school.
“While some girls opted to rent or purchase costumes, others used items from their homes to replicate the look of their characters,” Second Grade Teacher Mrs. Suzanne Festa said. “For example, Thomas Edison was dressed in shirt and tie, holding a light bulb while Mary Cassatt had a fancy, ladylike parasol with an easel and palette.”
The wax museum has two major efforts to fundraise for Sacred Heart’s sister school in Uganda. First, the second graders participate in their wax museum and inform the Sacred Heart community about their historical figures. Second, the Broadcast Journalism program created a DVD, which includes a video of before-photos of the second graders in their uniforms, after-shots of the students in their costumes, and pictures from the event.
Due to a snow day and an early dismissal, the date of the museum changed twice. The Lower School rescheduled it from February 6 to February 23 and February 23 to today.
“Rescheduling is not an easy undertaking. Of course, the girls were disappointed that they got snowed-out, but they were happy to have a snow day,” Mrs. Festa said. “Despite the delay, the event was far from anticlimactic, as the girls were well prepared and anxious to demonstrate all they had learned.”
In past years, the wax museums have raised over thousands of dollars from the DVDs of the event and the quarters from the historical figures. Last year, 34 second graders participated, and they collected $2,000 from the two stages of the event.
“I think the fundraising is a beautiful part of the event. It’s a way to bring to light the goals and criteria that we instill in our girls from an early age,” Mrs. Festa said. “It’s not the dollar amount that matters. The gesture from the heart is really what counts and makes a difference.”
– Maddie Squire, Staff Writer