Ellis Grade 2 Students Celebrate Women Throughout History
In honor of Women’s History Month, the students in grade 2 performed their 2017 class play on influential women throughout history. The Journey of Empowerment followed the triumphs and trials of historic females who paved the way for women’s rights and acceptance over the last century. Students sang songs about standing tall, being determined, and standing up for what you believe in, as they took on the roles of 20+ inspirational women—from Emily Dickinson, to Katherine Johnson, to Eleanor Roosevelt.
Following winter break, second grade teachers, Terri Wilson and Denise LaRosa, introduced the idea of the play by taking students to Ellis’ stained glass hallway which features noteworthy women throughout history. From there, students headed to the Lower School library to research—via library resources, like the database Pebble Go—and gather books about impressive women who came before them.
As students delved into their research and identified influential women they may like to portray, Mrs. LaRosa and Mrs. Wilson added the women's names to a classwide inspiration list that the girls followed. Some students knew right away who they wanted to portray—Annie Bumsted showed great interest in Sally Ride from the start, and Gianna Cavallaro sought to play Mary Anning, a British paleontologist, due to her love of dinosaurs and hopes to someday follow in her footsteps.
Because the play focused on American women, Mrs. LaRosa and Mrs. Wilson went on the hunt to find a famous American paleontologist Gianna could portray. They came upon Mary Dawson, a storied and award-winning Pittsburgh paleontologist, who spent her career just down the street from Ellis at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. In a stroke of serendipity, Gianna’s mother, Hayley Little, arranged for Gianna to have lunch with Dawson and visit with her at the museum. Gianna received a behind-the-scenes look at the fossils and the Natural History Museum, and had the chance to visit with Dawson before portraying her in the play, a truly unforgettable experience.
Once the student’s roles were selected, Mrs. LaRosa and Mrs. Wilson began to write the script that connected the women through a cohesive story. As they brainstormed and refined, they found that students were sharing tidbits and discoveries from their own research—for instance, Susan B. Anthony and Harriet Tubman were friends—which they embraced and worked into the script.
“The most rewarding part of the whole process was writing the script. It was amazing to see, as a first year teacher at Ellis, all the work students put in outside of class for the play. The girls not only shared their journey with us, they went home and shared it with their families. They went the extra mile—they did research on the weekends online and at the library, it was truly a community moment,” said Mrs. LaRosa.
Once the girls gathered their costumes, rehearsed their lines, and learned the music, they performed The Journey of Empowerment for their families, faculty, and Lower School students. Ellis girls proudly shared the message that there are no challenges or limits on what women can overcome and achieve, and that perseverance and determination are the recipe for success, even in the face of adversity.
Director of Alumnae Affairs and Ellis grandparent, Liz Altman, shared, “the work the girls put into the second grade play was astonishing. Their stage presence was remarkable, and the message they shared was inspiring. I was enthralled as a member of the audience.”
The second grade play served as an opportunity for students to practice their public speaking skills, express themselves on stage, and find their voice. Students learned the importance of responsibility and cooperation as they worked together towards one common purpose, and as a result of their hard work, they wowed the community with their performance.
Reflecting on the play, Mrs. Wilson shared, “at school, the girls are surrounded by empowering women, so it’s important for them to journey back and appreciate the pioneers who made so many things possible for them today. Maybe someday an Ellis girl will be portrayed in a play about women’s history.”
At Ellis, faculty members supplement learning with relevant, real-life experiences that deepen student’s understanding of classroom concepts. As active learners, students not only studied and engaged with women’s history during the month of March, they lived it and fully embraced it through their play.
Through The Journey of Empowerment, the second grade class demonstrated the amazing power and potential that lies within being a girl by embodying the strong, smart women who led the way for them. As they follow in their predecessors footsteps, Ellis girls are empowered to know there are no stereotypes about what girls should do, only unlimited expectations about what girls can do.
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