Students go Italian at Fremont STARS
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on December 24, 2008 1:46 PM
News-Argus/BONNIE EDWARDS
Third-grade teacher Allison Wolfe readies her class for the taste test of Italian desserts her students helped make in preparation for their performance of "Pinocchio."
FREMONT -- Singers, dancers and actors at the Fremont Stars Elementary School have turned into food critics now.
The children in the second and third graders and the exceptional children's class judged Italian desserts during a taste-testing held last week as part of an enrichment project.
Third-grade teacher Allison Wolfe said the children always do an enrichment project and a community service when they prepare for a performance.
The young stars rehearse 30 minutes each day for each performance and even help build the sets.
And every nine weeks, they get to do it again.
"These kids are very talented," Mrs. Wolfe said.
She said the youngsters are also very dedicated.
"They come sometimes on Saturdays to practice their dance and run their lines... It amazes me what these kids do. Every nine weeks, they are all on the stage in costume. It's part of our curriculum, and they have an opportunity to shine," she said.
The performance this time will be "Pinocchio," which will be presented at 7 p.m. on Jan. 29 and 30. Tickets are $1 and can be obtained at the door or in advance by calling the school at 242-3410.
The story is about an Italian-made toy that turned into a human boy. That is why the students helped the grown-ups make Italian desserts and held the taste-test.
"Our class made Italian wedding cookies," Mrs. Wolfe said. The Italian wedding cookies are much like lady fingers, she added.
Each classroom created a different Italian dessert, and they all took part in the judging, placing a chip beside their favorite after tasting them all.
And because the current play they are working on is also about a toy, the children's service project was to raise money for the teachers to buy toys and food to take to tornado victims in Kenly.