Whiz Kids: Passing their Knowledge of Candle Making

These seventh graders wanted to pass down their skills. In this case, candle making.

Not just candle making, though, but their activism in the school, and their ideas for making money at campus events at Walter Reed Middle School.

PTSA President Carol Convey was so impressed with the team of students that they were invited to sell their candles during the Kings & Heroes Faire over the weekend at Reed.

“These students are true inspirations and are willing to hand off what they’ve learned that works or doesn’t work, and showing the sixth graders who will have to be doing these projects next year,” Convey said.

Every year, the seventh graders work on the Medieval Faire through their history classes and create items that are handmade and are made through the procedures of the way they were done in the Middle Ages.

Anthony Cocita explained the difference between tallow candles and beeswax candles. “The tallow candles were made of animal fat,” he said. “They were more affordable but they did burn faster and smelled horrible.”

Tyler Brown said, “We hope that the sixth graders will see what we have done and get inspired to do the same thing next year.”

The team was selling their homemade candles and soap as a fundraiser for their school, and students, teachers and parents alike were snatching them up.

Things were easier to make today than they were back in the medieval times, the students admit.

“We made them the same way as much as we could,” Cocita said.

And Brown, whose sister Payton is now a fifth grader who goes to nearby Colfax Charter Elementary, hopes to eventually pass on their tips about the fundraising to her. They younger Brown was already helping out in the booth over the weekend. “It sounds good,” Payton said.