Lakeview Academy’s Living Wax Museum Brings History to Life

A Tradition More Than 20 Years in the Making

At Lakeview Academy, history does not just stay on the page. For more than 20 years, teacher Rhonda Crane has helped students step into the lives of historical figures, scientists, leaders, and changemakers through the school’s fourth grade Living Wax Museum.

Crane said the project began when she was teaching kindergarten and has followed her ever since. “It’s my baby,” she said. “It’s something I’ve done every year, and I just get the teachers to join me and do it.” Over the years, The Living Wax Museum has become not only a gathering of historical figures, but a gathering of community as well.

4th Grade Teacher Rhonda Crane meets a longtime friend at the LVA Living Wax Museum

Research, Writing, and a Little Bit of Magic

The Living Wax Museum gives fourth grade students the chance to research a famous figure, read about their life, write a research paper, create a display, and dress as the person they studied. By the end of the project, students stand proudly beside their displays and present what they have learned to visitors.

Crane describes it as a month-long project and “truly a work of art for these students.” What may begin as a research assignment grows into something much bigger: a chance for students to practice public speaking, build confidence, and see themselves as capable learners.

Growing With the Students

Over the years, the project has grown right along with Crane’s students. In its earliest days, kindergartners dressed as historical figures and shared a few simple facts. Now, as a project for the entire fourth grade hall, the Living Wax Museum includes deeper research, written work, memorized speeches, displays, costumes, and presentations.

That growth is part of what makes the tradition so meaningful. Students are not just learning about history. They are learning how to organize information, speak clearly, work through nerves, and take pride in a finished project.

Rising to the Occasion

For Crane, the best part is watching students discover what they can do. “These children rise to every occasion,” she said. “No matter what their title, what their lives or where they’ve come from, whether they believe in themselves or not, they always rise to the occasion.”

She said many students begin the process unsure of themselves, sometimes wondering if the project will be too hard. But by the end, they are eager, prepared, and proud to share what they have learned. As Crane put it, “Show them the fun. You can learn it.”

Honoring the Teachers Who Came Before

Crane is also quick to point out that the tradition did not begin with her alone. She credits the mentor teachers who shaped her, especially her former mentor teacher, Linda Santaroni, for helping inspire the project. “I always want to pay homage to the teachers before me,” Crane said.

That spirit of passing something meaningful forward is part of what makes the Living Wax Museum feel so special. It is more than a classroom assignment. It is a Lakeview Academy tradition built on curiosity, confidence, and the kind of teaching that stays with students long after the costumes are packed away.