Local fifth grade students share knowledge of Civil War history at Lincoln heritage Museum

 

[May 11, 2023] 

On Friday, May 5th, fifth grade students from the Lincoln District 27 Elementary Schools hosted the annual Civil War History Walk at the Lincoln Heritage Museum. There were three groups that came throughout the day from Central School, Northwest School, and Washington-Monroe.

The students were dressed in period clothing and had worked hard to memorize the stories they were to share at the individual stations along the walk.

"The Civil War History Walk is the most exciting day of the year for the Lincoln Heritage Museum", said museum director Ron Keller, “The amount of time the children and their parents spend memorizing and their teacher’s ability to give historical context and help them practice makes history come alive. It's incredible."

Before the first group of children from Northwest School arrived there were over 100 people crowded into the foyer waiting with excited anticipation. Moms, dads, grandparents and other friends and family came to support their efforts...and they were not disappointed.

Stations were set up with two or three students giving short testimonies to the Civil War character they were portraying and the part that person played during the war.

Many played roles of the notable characters, like U.S. Grant, Robert E, Lee, Stephen A Douglas and others. Some of the students told interesting stories about their characters serving in secret service, being spies, and helping with the underground railroad.

The students stayed at their stations as visitors moved throughout the various sections of the ground floor of the museum, then took the elevator up to the second floor where the walk continued. As many know, the second floor of the museum is a backward walk through the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, mush like it is reported that when death approaches, people have their life flash before them. These sections walk through Lincoln’s life from childhood to the moment he breathed his last breath of life.

Students participating in the Civil War history Walk included:

From Central School:

Josselyn Charron
Logan Diamond
Kayden Flint
Abigail Franklin
Bentley Houghtalin
Owen King
Aleeah Masters
Garrett Mesner
Griffin Miller
Olivia Pethy
Ava Sanders
Jade Shelby
Seth Stuckey
Makaya Taylor
Kingsley Tinker
Isaiah Yokley
Bay Boughan
Stella Ely
Lillian Hilgendorf
Kristopher Hinton
Emma Hyde
Norah Judd
Burke Kitterman
Reed Kutz
Maggie Manuel
Kazlyn Mesner
Olivia Scales
Blake Albertson
Starry Baker
Brody Benshoff
Madison Bonaparte
Maggie Chapman
Jamie McEvers
Liam Voiles

From Northwest School:

Brawlie Gaskins
Kayley Rehder
Garrett Durbin
Jordan Montcalm
Julia Falcon
Zane Edgecombe
Aiden Landers
Lylah Koller
Camryn Hurd
Ryder Blanford
Manny Manzo
Seirgio Wallace
Gabby Koke
Piper Moss
Kyle Ginger
Jordynn Watkins
Zaiden Grieser
Olivial Perez
Brayden Sprowls
Mark Johnson
Kameron Hawkins
Jacoby Cottrill
Maci Gordon
Bristol Karas
Jackson Ahart
Austin Alberts
Blake Sparrow
Rylen Miller
Selina Smith
Alexis Falcon
Jack Sampson
Trey Stewart
Zailey Merreighn
Jenna Brust
Mason Howen
Kymani Jackson
Emma Nichols
Brody Charron
Martha Young
Jordan Duffer
Zoe Otten

From Washington-Monroe School:

Grant Logan Trail
Collin Bates
Kayden Bone
Spencer Allison
Logan McDonnough
Xavier Mileham
Emma Babbitt
Juliette Crabtree
Madison Glover
Olivia Freiheit
Mariah Bishop
Mo Tucker
Lilliannah Harris
Serenity Mayer
Mitchell Ried
Kiara Thompson
Trenton Strait
Heaven Wright
Wyatt Danner
Landen Garriets
Kyrell Kelley

Not only did guests leave the building with the feeling the kids did a great, but they also left with a sense of wonder as to who we are and where we have come from.

[Karen Castelein]