During the second annual Metropolitan Art Museum of St. Jude, 56 third-grade students of St. Jude the Apostle School portrayed more than 30 different artists whose work is on display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The May 21 event took place at the parish ministry building.

Third grader David Tasanasanta was American artist Andy Warhol during the Metropolitan Art Museum of St. Jude showing May 21. Photo By Michael Alexander

The project, which combines art appreciation with literature, began with the students reading E. L. Konigsburg’s “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler,” a Newbery Medal-winning novel about two children who run away to the Metropolitan Museum.

Each St. Jude student portrayed an artist whose work is on display at the Met, researching and writing each presentation. St. Jude’s ministry building was transformed into a gallery with colorful artwork on display. Hors d’oeuvres and sparkling juice were served to guests by roving waiters and waitresses, roles filled by the seventh-grade buddies of the third-graders. Each student, dressed in costume as the artist, stood frozen in place until a button at his or her respective station was pressed, and then the artist came to life to give a brief biography.

Third-grade teachers Kathleen Harrison and Sandy Kiphart and assistant Margaret Miller were the creative minds behind this unique event, which grows in popularity each year.