Students stepped into the shoes of history-makers this week, transforming classrooms into a showcase of ideas, creativity, and storytelling.
St. Mary’s Elementary School in Lloydminster hosted its “Voices of the Past” biography fair on April 15, giving Grade 7 students a chance to present research projects on influential figures from around the world.
Each student selected a person they believed made a positive impact, then dug deeper through research, writing, and hands-on creation.
Grade 7 teacher Brianna McKay said the project was designed to go beyond basic learning.
“This is our Voices of the Past biography project,” McKay said. “Each student got to pick a figure from the history of the world and they were able to do all the research.”
Students were given three guiding questions by teachers, then challenged to create three more of their own to explore their subject further.
They presented their findings in eight written paragraphs, along with a visual display and a handmade item representing their chosen figure.
“They had to create an item by hand, they did it all themselves, that represented this person,” McKay said.
The fair invited younger students and families into the school, giving presenters a chance to share their work and build confidence.
For McKay, the goal went beyond grades.
“I really hope that they take away the fact that anybody can make a positive difference in the world whether it be big or small,” she said. “And I hope this encourages them to try and make a positive difference.”
Projects ranged from well-known figures like Terry Fox to lesser-known individuals, as well as athletes and cultural leaders.
“I’ve seen some really cool ones with Terry Fox. They made prosthetic legs and stuff,” McKay said. “I’ve also seen some ones that are just different that you don’t really hear often. And then just some of the cool, even like taking sports figures and showing that they can make a difference in the world too.”
Younger students touring the displays were not just learning history. They were seeing what their own future projects could look like.
“I think that they’re going to be excited that maybe in Grade 7 they get to do this,” McKay said. “And they’re also going to learn about all of these figures that they didn’t know even in our own country that affected the world and changed it. And they can see the excitement and they can see that, oh wow, these Grade 7s are so passionate about their projects. And maybe that will make them and inspire them to be a little bit more passionate about projects and stuff.”
For the students presenting, the day was about overcoming nerves and finding pride in their work.
“I’m really hoping that they go home and say, wow, this was such a great experience,” McKay said. “I thought this was going to be so terrifying, but it was so awesome. I knew all about my person. It went so well. I’m just so excited about the day.”
McKay said both she and fellow teacher Mandy Sopp were proud of the effort students put into the project.
“I am just very proud of my students,” she said. “I know Ms. Sopp, is also very proud of her students. We’re just so happy that they invested in this, and we thank them for all their efforts.”
