COCOLALLA — Rollercoaster engineers, fisherman, tigers and butterflies all found a home at Southside Elementary last week during the school’s sixth annual wax museum event.

The students snaked through the halls of the school presenting on their chosen animal or career. Southside principal Jennifer Smith said this event is one of her favorites of the year because it’s a chance for parents and students to engage with their material together. 

“What makes it the most special is just how it brings the kids and the families together, and it brings them into the school,” Smith said. “The kids are so excited about learning about their careers, and it just gives them one more item on their menu for their potential careers in the future. Then the families get to see that as well.” 

STEM teacher and librarian Lynette Leonard said the event switched gears once Southside became the first school in the state to earn a STEM designation. Instead of the typical wax museum focus on history, students spent months on researching and putting together a poster and infographic on STEM topics. 

Leonard said the event helps students practice their research skills as they work their way up through the grades. She said the project also helps students practice public speaking, which is a skill that becomes critical as they progress into the world. 

“A lot of kids really struggle with that, and so we try to help encourage them to prepare for the future,” Leonard said of public speaking. “In college and high school and middle school, they're going to do more presentations, and we want them to build those skills and their writing skills.” 

Younger students at Southside are tasked with choosing an animal to research as Smith said it ties more into their learning and gets them excited for the presentation. Meanwhile, the older students are looking into future careers that interest them now, which ranged from a passionate fisherman to a video game developer. 

Leonard said she enjoyed seeing the kids who diligently worked on their presentations. She referenced Andrew Zurfluh, a sixth grader, who built a functioning rollercoaster that went around his poster board.  

“Each grade level has a student that obviously may put a little more effort into it” Leonard said. “We have even kindergartners that have great costumes that they have put on. So, I can't really say that I have a favorite, because I think they've all done a wonderful job.” 

    Students at Southside Elementary School's wax museum day present about their chosen animals.
  

    Southside Elementary students present about a potential future career at the school's wax museum event.
  

    Parents listen to students present about careers at Southside Elementary's wax museum event.