25th Annual famous Figures

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.

We are working on the logistics of this year’s county-wide competition. With gathering restrictions & COVID-19 protocols in place at FHSU through the end of May, we will not be able to hold our traditional final competition in Beach/Schmidt. However, we are exploring other options, hoping to return to a somewhat traditional competition format, but with the final performances being recorded by us, providing for a uniform and fair judging review & process. Of course having the performances recorded, we will again be able to share our student's talent publicly through our website!

click links to 2021 - -

2020 Famous Figures Project

Traditionally, following classroom and school competitions, the top two performers from each 5th grade classroom appear on stage before a panel of judges and a large audience, vying for 1st through 5thplace (typically 32-36 contestants). Due to COVID-19, neither the school nor county-wide competitions could take place. However, with the great enthusiasm for by both students and teachers, the 2020 project became a “Performance Showcase” and any interested Ellis County 5th grade student was invited to create a video of their performance, sharing it with our Hays Arts Council audience on Facebook and our website. With schools closed last spring, videos were, of course, done at home – some with help from their parents, some created solely by the 5th graders themselves using only the most basic camera phone and limited sound recording. With there being no restrictions on the number of students per classroom or school and no competition to “bump” some passionate young performers, with 45 total participants, there were more students showcased in 2020 than in our traditional format

As is done each year, the young people showcased here were rewarded for their performances with an engraved gold medal through the support of the Hays Rotary Club sponsorship.

2019 school finalists

students & their "famous figures"

Wilson Elementary School

Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Savannah Clingan

George Washington - Jace Myers

Marie Curie - Jenna Kisner

Michelle Obama - Kaliyah Bannister

Annie Oakley - Mary Elizabeth Vajnar

Kevin Hines - Jaxson Chartier

Roosevelt Elementary School

Sally Ride - Kamryn Daniels

Ruth Handler - Erin Ruder

Annie Oakley - Sylvia Keller

Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Oaklye Wichers

Theodore Roosevelt - Seth Burkholder

Jackie Kennedy Onasis - Emersyn Sander

O’Loughlin Elementary School

Jackie Robinson - Ajoni Smolarkiewicz

Rosalind Franklin - Aralen Maupin

Jane Goodall - Gracie Kimbrel

Dolly Parton - Johanna Jones

Gertrude Belle Elion - Molly Buckles

Duane Johnson - Dawson Ruder

Lincoln Elementary School

Mary Shelly - Mariella Dreiling

Buzz Aldrin - Lucy Tippy

Roy Rogers - Jesse Taggart

Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Lily Butler

Holy Family Elementary School

Adolph Hitler - John Wasinger

Glenn Cunningham - Carson Liles

Stephen Curry - Conner Breit

Rosalind Franklin - Jenna Brull

Victoria Elementary School

Stan Lee - Samuel Windholz

June Carter Cash - Myah Younger

Washington Grade School (Ellis)

Barbara Bush - Elie Brull

Julius Caesar - Mason Rohleder

Peyton Manning - Joel Schiel

Judy Garland - Kennidi Fischer

St. Mary’s Grade School (Ellis)

Kelly Clarkson - Gracelynn Hamel

Erno Rubik - Will Eck

Victory Christian Academy

Susan B. Anthony - Chloe Rice

2019 Contest Judges were:

Janis Lee, Bruce Bardwell, Eric Sumearll, & Mary Ann Thompson

2019 Famous Figures finalists on stage before the awards ceremony

25th Annual famous Figures

2020 Famous Figures Project

Click on images to view the 2020 student performances

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2019 Famous Figures

2019 school finalists

students & their "famous figures"

2016-2019 classroom finalists