Greek Gods come to life in District 13

Zeus is known as the King of the Gods in Greek Mythology, but what happens when it’s time for him to step down from the throne? The other gods and goddesses have a debate, and leave the decision in the hands of the people.

In District 13, gifted and talented teacher Richard Rosenfeld has been incorporating Greek Mythology into his program for the better part of a decade. Each year, he takes on the role of Zeus and announces his retirement. His students play the other characters and make their cases to be his replacement to the citizens of Mount Olympus, or in this case, their parents.

On Feb. 4 at the Howell Road School, 10 sixth-graders stated why they should be the heir to Zeus. Popular winners in the past have included Poseidon, Athena and Themis, but this year victory was claimed by someone who had never won before. Hephaestus, the God of Fire, was played by Wheeler Avenue student Alexander Khan and won the hearts of voters.

With a convincing limp and an exaggerated stutter, Khan sold the role of a god known for being crippled and weak. He took a spill on the floor before making his speech, with his papers flying through the air. “He was an incredible actor,” Rosenfeld said. “He got so into the part. Everybody is allowed to portray their characters, as long as they stay within reason, however they see fit.”

Poseidon, who was played by James A. Dever School student Matthew Foster, spoke of his success in fighting wars against the Trojans and the Titans. He also promised that everyone would get their own water park if they won. Artemis, portrayed by Jessica Tsu, of Dever, promised lots of meat if she won, but vowed to turn animals into enemies of humans if she lost.

Every student had to prepare a resume, speech and campaign poster. They also had to create a PowerPoint presentation, and they had to dress the part. “With the gifted and talented class, we’ve upped the ante,” Rosenfeld said.

After all the characters completed their speeches, their opponents could offer rebuttals. Parents were then allowed to ask questions. Rosenfeld noted the parent participation really made the program a success.

Every year, Rosenfeld said he likes to add something new to the program. This time, he added a QR code to the booklet that guests received. If anyone scans it with their smart phone, they can hear audio files of the students speaking as their assigned god.

He explained that the debates are a great educational tool, especially in the age of Common Core. Rosenfeld said that the program requires reading, writing, research, speaking and the use of technology. “It really is a nice piece because it ties into the social studies curriculum, which Ancient Greece is certainly a part of,” Rosenfeld said. “It really is one of those few areas where we can combine a lot of different elements.”