Page 32 - November 2019 proof 7 Castle Pines Connection

32 CastlePinesConnection.com
Fifteen years of Mystery History
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of DCS Montessori
Left to right: Sydney Cohen, Kate Anderson, Pablo Stewart, Gabe Dozois, Christian Caron and Chloe Connell had an amazing experience getting in to character for Mystery History.
Fifteen years ago, DCS Montessori (DCSM) began the Mystery History Celebration, the school’s much anticipated tradition celebrating Halloween.
While many schools dress in costumes of ghosts and ghouls on October 31, DCSM students dress as historical gures they study for weeks. Dressed as their chosen historical gure, the students performed a rst-person monologue without revealing the person’s name. Audience members tried to solve the mystery of whom the students were representing.
Every three years, the era students can choose their history character from rotates between ancient civilizations, the renaissance and the modern era. This year, students were rmly
Dressed as their favorite modern-era gures, DCSM students spent weeks preparing for Mystery History in hopes of challenging fellow students and sta .
entrenched in the modern era. Students chose historical gures who have made a positive contribution to the world. Represented in the performances were Dwight D. Eisenhower, Billie Jean King and many more.
Mystery History is great fun for all students. They learn so much more about historic gures who have helped shape the planet into a better place. Fourth grader Weston Williams was a little nervous performing but thought the experience was fun and exciting because he was learning about history while enjoying the costumes.
Sixth grader Levi Trowell and fellow students all felt it was an experience worth repeating.
Sandra Fierro-Andrews
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While getting her childcare business up and running, Fierro-Andrews became certi ed to teach tness classes at Lifetime Fitness in Centennial as a way to stay connected with the adult world.
“The best job I ever had was teaching,” she said, remembering her days as an aerobics instructor.
With both kids in school, Fierro- Andrews has returned to the corporate world. During this time, she has stayed true to her passion, dancing in clubs and honing her craft. An active member in the Denver dance scene, she has gone from a student in the Denver Congress workshops to teaching her own classes. She even o ers private lessons starting at age 7 in Castle Pines.
While salsa is her rst love, she has taken classes in belly dancing, tango, bachata and others. As a student, she has watched and admired many dancers, but creating her own style has always been the goal. Learning the rhythms that originally came from Africa and then incorporating these concepts and others are what has helped Fierro- Andrews develop her own style within the discipline.
A salsa dancer at age 42 (soon to be 43), Fierro-Andrews hopes to be an inspiration. She says, “As a strong independent woman, you should follow your dreams and don’t let anyone’s judgment change your path. I feel like I have another 40 or more years to go and I haven’t even gotten started.”