Fort Riley elementary students perform dino version of 'American Idol'

By Lyndsey BornJuly 1, 2009

Elementary students perform dino version of 'American Idol'
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Alexis Pratt, a Fort Riley Elementary student, performs her solo part as a rapping raptor during the production of "DinoStar!" June 25 at Ware Elementary School. The production was a spin off the Fox show "American Idol" where the students performed... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Elementary students perform dino version of 'American Idol'
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Dressed as a diplodocus, Tanner bogenhagen, performs during the production of "DinoStars!" June 25 at Ware Elementary School. The production was a spin off of the Fox Show "American Idol." They performed in front of a panel of judges to see who the ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT RILEY, Kan. - About 20 students from Fort Riley elementary schools performed "DinoStars!," a twist on "American Idol," as part of Camp Imagination June 25 at Ware Elementary.

Camp Imagination was a three-week summer program for Fort Riley elementary students to be part of a production that teaches them the aspects of performing on stage, said Susan Gillespie, "DinoStars!" director and Ware Elementary music teacher.

All of the students in the production auditioned for a speaking part portraying a variety of dinosaurs. The students performed as a rapping raptor, a line dancing tyrannosaurus rex and micropachycephalosaurus dinosaurs. Each student wore costumes that resembled the type of character they were including a hat in the shape of a dinosaur head.

With only two and half hours a day to rehearse the students were given homework to learn their lines from an audio CD.

The camp helped the students to be more confident and make new friends from other schools on Fort Riley, along with learning about dinosaurs, said Bryan Scruggs, "DinoStars!" director and Ware Elementary kindergarten teacher.

"It also builds a lot of confidence, a lot of self-esteem because they are performing and they are seen as in intractable part of something and it is a big confidence booster for a lot of kids," Scruggs said.

STUDENTS

Custer Hill Elementary

A," Reginald Mason

A," Paityn Mohart

Fort Riley Elementary

A," Hayden Donald-Petee

A," Julie Griffith

A," Alexis Kramer

A," Alexis Pratt

A," Seau Pratt

A," Tyson Pratt

A," Exavier Sherwood-Cooper

Jefferson Elementary

A," Emireliz Marquez

Sheridan Elementary

A," Hunter Bogenhagen

A," Tanner Bogenhagen

Ware Elementary

A," Alexis Layton

A," CayLynn Lee

A," Coby Lee

A," Breanna Miles

A," Ondrea Miles

A," Jazmine Sickels

A," Darrius Young

A," Jaelynn Young