Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
In 2021, Hillsboro Elementary School fifth grade teacher Nicole Mitchell started a special project with her students for Black History Month. She assigned each student a historical figure on whom they would do research then present a speech and display.
The students not only researched the figures for the project, they became the figures by dressing the part and giving their speech in the first person.
That first year was during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the students could only portray the historical figures for other students at HES, but since then, the project has grown to be a living museum in the school’s gymnasium.
In its fifth year, the gym was again transformed into a museum last Friday and the public was invited to be a part of it.
“It’s bigger and it’s better every year,” Mitchell said.
The small class of eight was staged around the gym, motionless as they waited for visitors to tap their displays with a pencil to “bring them to life.”
Then the students introduced “themselves” – the historic figure – and gave a brief history of their life and the impact they made during their lifetime.
Kendyl Hummel portrayed Carter G. Woodson, an innovator who was an author and journalist known for being the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History and for establishing Black History Month.
Dominick Blankenship portrayed Amos G. Beman, an abolitionist and pastor at the Temple Street African Church in New Haven, Connecticut.
Cambree McLaughlin portrayed Alice Coachman, an athlete who specialized in the high jump and was the first black woman to win an Olympic gold medal.
Symphony Aiello portrayed Emmett Chappelle, a scientist who is known for his work on bioluminescence, as well as his contributions to the fields of medicine, philanthropy, food science and astrochemistry.
Elena Friel portrayed Ossie Davis, an award-winning actor and author who won an Emmy, a Grammy and a Writers Guild of America Award.
Tucker Greenleaf portrayed Alex Haley, the author of “Roots: The Saga of an American Family,” a novel based on his family’s history, including slave Kunta Kinte. The book was later developed into a TV miniseries in 1977.
RileyAnn Hamons portrayed Nat Love, a cowboy who was born into slavery and later worked on the Duval Ranch with cattle drivers. He also was an active writer after the Civil War and published his autobiography in 1907.
Tristan Bennet portrayed Stevie Wonder, a famous singer-songwriter, musician and record producer, who is still actively creating music and collaborating with other musicians.
It was a long process for the students to collect information, create a display and memorize their speeches, but it was a rewarding process that Mitchell said she is always happy to see the students embrace.
“It’s the most valuable and impactful thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “As long as I’m a fifth-grade teacher, we will do this project.”
