112 E 11th . Hays, Kansas . 785-625-7522
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    • Home
    • About
    • Heart of Hays
    • Smoky Hill
    • five state
    • school & youth
      • summer classes
      • creative writing
      • famous figures
    • exhibitions
      • Elemental
      • She Is...
      • Friday & Lawrence
      • Wood, Jilg, Epp
      • Mysterious Iconography
    • Quiet America
  • Home
  • About
  • Heart of Hays
  • Smoky Hill
  • five state
  • school & youth
    • summer classes
    • creative writing
    • famous figures
  • exhibitions
    • Elemental
    • She Is...
    • Friday & Lawrence
    • Wood, Jilg, Epp
    • Mysterious Iconography
  • Quiet America
Hays Arts Council

Now in its 29th year, Hays Arts Council FAMOUS FIGURES is a living history and performance project open to 5th grade students in Ellis County public & private schools.  It involves a short performance as a favorite person (living or deceased) from the present through distant past.  The project promotes the use of research skills, awareness and appreciation of the qualities of a positive role model, thinking and writing in a creative manner, and developing acting and public speaking skills.  This year's Famous Figures Final Competition was held on Friday, May 2 in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center. We are proud to have this annual project sponsored by the Hays Rotary Club and HAC operational funding support from the Kansas Arts Commission 


link to 2025 details, rules, & judging form


2025 Performance Video & Photo Album Below

2025 Famous Figures Awards

(right to left)

1st place - Muhammad Camran

2nd place (tie) - Evander Branaman

2nd place (tie) - Hannah Lohrmeier

2nd place (tie) - Layne Haffner

3rd place (tie) - Brynlee Johnson (not pictured)

3rd place (tie) - Griffin Dietz

4th place - Hattee Deutscher

5th place (tie) - Lola Gerber (not pictured)

5th place (tie) - Addyson McMillan 

2025 Photo Gallery


Beach/Schmidt PAC technical staff provided live-stream services, uploaded through FHSU's Tiger Media Network, recording the complete 2025 event, from welcome through awards ceremony (video below).  For ease of targeted viewing, the link below includes the list of performances in order, with the minute/hour time mark noted that each performance occurs in the video

link to list of individual performance time marks

Thank you, sponsors!

2024 photo gallery

2024 Ellis County 5th Grade Classroom Finalists

2023 photo gallery


2022 Photo Gallery

2016-2025 classroom finalists

2025 Famous Figures

school finalists

2024 Famous Figures 

school finalists

2023 Famous Figures

school finalists

2022 Famous Figures

school finalists

2021 Famous Figures

award winners

  * due to pandemic restrictions, the 2021 competition was conducted through HAC recorded performances - and in 2020, the project invited video submissions from 5th grade students, but no final competition was held

2019 Famous Figures

school finalists

Show More

Hays Arts Council

112 East 11th Street - Hays, Kansas 67601

785.625.7522

Copyright © 2024 Hays Arts Council - All Rights Reserved.

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