The Discipling Center at Trinity Lutheran School (TLS) was a whirlwind of music, history, and cuteness overload on April 24th as the school hosted its cherished annual Grandparents Day celebration, followed by an immersive Living Wax Museum.
The event, a tradition that predates Principal Wade Stockman’s 18-year tenure, brought together students from Kindergarten through 8th grade to perform for elders near and far. While the primary students took the stage at the Discipling Center, the preschool classes held their own specialized showcase at the school across the street.
Principal Stockman welcomed a nearly packed hall, offering the audience a “taste of music” ahead of the school’s upcoming full spring concert in May. The program, directed by Mrs. Hook, featured a diverse array of talent, ranging from beginner recorder players to the seasoned 6-8 grade band.
The visuals were as striking as the music. Because students were dressed for their afternoon museum projects, the stage featured an eclectic mix of robes, sports jerseys, safari gear, and even a Michael Jackson-inspired sequined suit. In one of the more unique sightings of the day, a student dressed as a cowgirl performed a soulful rendition on the saxophone.
Performance highlights included:
- Fifth Grade Band: Opened the show with a spirited burst of Hot Cross Buns.
- 6-8 Choir: Performed Fill us with your Love, O Lord. The piece had been delayed since March after a sudden blizzard disrupted original rehearsal schedules.
- K-2 Choir: Captivated the audience with Pleasant Words are a Honeycomb, complete with enthusiastic bee buzzing that Stockman noted was a crowd favorite.
- 3-5 Choir: Accompanied by third-grade recorders—who are currently earning their “belts” in the Recorder Karate program—the group performed “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”
- 6-8 Band: The Cardinals brought the house down with Adrenaline Rush, featuring a boisterous drum solo performed by Mrs. Hook herself.
Following the concert, the action shifted to the TLS gym and surrounding classrooms for the Living Wax Museum. Organized by Stacy Steel and held every three years, the project is a massive cross-curricular undertaking involving Social Studies, History, and Language Arts.
Since February, students in grades 3-8 have been deep-diving into their subjects, writing seven-paragraph reports and crafting speeches to be delivered “in character.”
In the gym, the 6-8 graders stood as silent statues until activated by visitors.
- Hunter presented on William Tritton, the British engineer behind the first prototype tanks in history.
- Avery Krueger channeled Olympic softball star and breast cancer activist Jennie Finch.
- Carter took a “shot” at history with a heavily researched project on Alexander Hamilton, noting the immigrant icon’s authorship of 51 of the 85 Federalist Papers.
- A “Legends of the Court” section featured Trey Boyd as Stephen Curry, Brody Berndt as Shaquille O’Neal, and Louis Ziemke as Magic Johnson.
- Lofton Johnson brought a touch of the Outback to Janesville as Steve Irwin, sporting a luxurious blonde wig and a large stuffed alligator.
In the smaller classrooms, the fifth graders held their own. Kendra Ewert stood tall as the legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley, while Jari Spiess zoomed through his presentation on NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. Parker Weber provided a more somber historical perspective as Anastasia Romanov. Weber detailed the Duchess’s house arrest during World War I and the decades-long mystery surrounding her remains. Grandparents beamed with pride at the musical performances and had genuine smiles on their faces at the commitment the students had toward their research projects.
As the day concluded, Principal Stockman thanked the grandparents for their unwavering support, noting that the bond between the generations is a cornerstone of the Trinity Lutheran community.
