WRMS welcomes performance from Living Voices

WRMS ELA teacher, Mrs. Remacle, along with coordinated efforts from Principal Justin Walker and support from the school board, was able to bring Elizabeth Rainer from Living Voices to Wind River Middle School to perform three historical reenactments on Tuesday, April 12, 2022: 

• Through the Eyes of a Friend: Young people and the Holocaust/Anne Frank story

• The New American: Leaving Ireland for a new life /Triangle Factory fire

• Hear My Voice: Long fight for women's right to vote

These performances included a short history review and then Elizabeth followed up with a theatrical performance that had archival footage playing in the background.

Living Voices provides unique multi-media shows offering a powerful, personal approach to understanding issues of social justice through history and their relevance today. The middle school students were deeply moved by Elizabeth’s Holocaust performance, with many saying they were brought to tears. Other students said they were blown away by her ability to change to an Irish accent for the second performance. Many had mentioned learning about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in Mr. Bowcutt’s social studies class, so it was neat for them to make a connection to the immigration performance. Then to bring in some important Wyoming history, we asked for “Hear My Voice.” Students were shocked at the conditions the women suffered in while trying to stay actively protesting. It was an awesome reminder that people before us fought bravely for the rights we have today, and it is our responsibility to carry this honor today. 

These were Elizabeth’s first performances since Covid in 2020. She gave amazing feedback on how well our students behaved, how attentive they were, and on the quality of questions they asked. This was a fantastic way to learn more about history, drama, and connecting with our past.

Thank you to our board for approving funding for our efforts to bring history to life for our students.