Some of those famous women were celebrated Thursday at Houlton High School as seventh-graders held their annual Women in History Pageant. The pageant started in 2002 and has been held annually as a way to recognize important women in history from around the world.
“Before they perform on stage, the students are scored on projects that they do collaboratively in the classroom,” explained Karen Bouchard, an English teacher at the school. “They have to create a figurative language poster in which they write a simile or metaphor to explain the importance of their woman in history.”
Women saluted in the pageant included Anne Frank, Babe Didrikson-Zaharias, Edith Head, Hedda Hopper, Grandma Moses, Rosa Parks, Sacagawea, Betsy Ross, Virginia Woolf, Steffi Graf, Sandra Cisneros, Helen Keller, Queen Victoria, Margaret Chase Smith, Annie Oakley and Jan Berenstain.
“The students must write a poem, song, or skit which shows the importance of their woman to history,” she said. “Then during the actual performance, the judges are scoring the kids on: the prerecorded song they chose to represent their woman, how they portray the woman through an interview portion, how well they express to the audience the accomplishments of their woman in history through their talent piece, and how creative their props and costumes reflect the true personality of the woman chosen.”
A performance on Hopper, featuring Willow Sylvester, Megan McLaughlin, Kinsman Corthell, Tyler Fitzpatrick, Brandon Jay, Toni MacDonald and Kiara Lord won first place in the pageant. First runner-up went to the group of Hannah Foley, Kate Newman, Hunter Sargent and Cody Queen portraying Sacagawea. Second runner-up went to the group of Elizabeth Ward, Dylan Johnston, Nate Chambers, Lexi Fore, Julia Langley, Brittany Vargas and Luke Young who portrayed Queen Elizabeth.
Other students participating included Taylor Reed, Justin Fowler, Cameron Stevens, Alexis Hernandez, Hunter Keehn, Josh Sutton, Brooke Howland, Ethan Sawyer, Morgan Grant, Jennah Blake, Drenn Belmain, Zach Reece, Alexis Ireland, Jacob Fox, Andrew McEwen, Maraya Kini, Seth Brown, McKenley Pierce, Jade Clossey, Nick Cowperthwaite, Renee Sirois, Rachel Toupin, Hannah Jacobs, Caleb Tribou, Olivia White, Hunter Graham, Austin McAfee, Tessa McCormick, Jonathan Williams, Olivia Gervais, David Gogan, Austin Russell, Sarah Delano, John Thatcher, J’Lynn Goldston, Nick Botting, Tessa Roshto, Victoria Holmes, Cameron Graham, Zach Quint, John Eastham, Medinah Diane, Nate Young, Emma Peterson,Walker Webb, AJ Thorne, Mikayla Fitzpatrick, Janet Geiger, Stephanie Scott, Chole Davis, Jacob Worthley, Dillon Carmichael, Josie Hare, MacKenzie Hunt, Sarah McGillicuddy, Devon Ledger, Jeremy Fitzpatrick, Lyndsay Jones, Sarah McIver, Tyler Smith, Ben Tuttle, Savannah Shaw, Sage Blake, Danielle Suitter, Abby Schools, Owen Gallop, Mitchell Bragan, Jessica Michaud, Dillan Buzzell, Jeremy MacDonald and Kiana Ramsay.
“This project is a lot of work for everyone involved, but we continue to do it each year because it really makes kids learn about interesting women in history while working together cooperatively to achieve a common goal,” Bouchard said. “It is not always a smooth ride, but when the kids come together on stage and put it all together successfully, it is a special moment that they will always remember.”
