Eastern students will participate in the Living History program by performing a showcase as famous female historical figures at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Charleston Carnegie Public Library

Jeannie Ludlow, the director of the women’s studies program, said the living history program is in honor of March’s National Women’s History Month

“The goal is to raise awareness in living history by performing their lives in the schools,” Ludlow said.

Ludlow said the participants of the program go to elementary and middle schools in Charleston.

“It is one of our best programs.  It’s a fabulous program because it gets us out into the schools,” Ludlow said.

Ludlow said students who participate can receive class credit for the program.  Ludlow said participants are required to pick a female historical figure and research them. 

Ludlow said after researching the woman, students will write a speech in that woman’s voice for an audience under the age of 14.

Ludlow said teachers will pick the historical figures they are interested in and invite them to speak to their class. 

Ludlow said this benefits teachers because teacher’s can bring another voice into the classroom and get their student’s attention in a different way. 

Ludlow also said the teachers will have a chance to educate the students on an aspect of women’s history that the teacher’s may not have studied.

“If you want to understand women’s history, if you tell it as a story, people remember,” Ludlow said.

The children especially enjoy the program, Ludlow said.

Ludlow said the students who do it the previous year, often come back and do the program the next year.  The students particularly enjoy talking to the children and answering their questions, Ludlow said.

Ludlow said the students really have to do their research because the children like to ask questions like “Did you have a dog?” and “What’s your favorite food?”

Ludlow said the students participating in the program will get to showcase their hard work and new knowledge at the library where family and friends can enjoy the presentation.

Kathryn Richter can be reached at 581-2812 or kjrichter@yahoo.com