- December 5, 2025
Jasmine Sites, playing Athena the goddess of wisdom and intelligence, discusses how Zeus birthed her from his head. Jasil Jackson, playing Artemis, and Jordan Youngman, playing Aphrodite, stand by. Photo by Paige Wilson
Diego Costa presents as Hermes, the messenger of the gods. Photo by Paige Wilson
Skylark Carroll sits as Helen, who in Greek mythology was considered to be the most beautiful woman in the known world. Photo by Paige Wilson
Mary Wilcox and Morgan Chafe listen to DJ Murray talk about Cupid, the god of love. Photo by Paige Wilson
Brittney Willig dresses as Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, wild animals and wilderness. Photo by Paige Wilson
Sebastian Davila dresses as Hades, god of the underworld. Photo by Paige Wilson
Gabriel Ramirez raises a lightening bolt as Zeus, the god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods. Photo by Paige Wilson
Savannah Turner plays Hecate, goddess of witchcraft, magic and ghosts. Photo by Paige Wilson
Diego Costa sports wings on his shoes, like Hermes, the messenger of the gods. Photo by Paige Wilson
Kainoa Villaverde dresses as Dionysus, the god of wine and the grape harvest. Photo by Paige Wilson
Ashley Machiela dresses as Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and Julia Kurdziel dresses as Persephone, the goddess of spring growth and then queen of the underworld when Hadies took her. Photo by Paige Wilson
Turning bedsheets into togas with themed accessories, 26 Rymfire Elementary School sixth-graders depicted different Greek and Roman gods on Friday, Feb. 2.
Over 200 students visited to learn about mythology by listening to the presentations each student gave about a god or goddess. This is the third year Rymfire has held the educational, interactive event.
Brittney Willig chose Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, wild animals and wilderness. She carried a bow and arrow as she told other students about her goddess’ history.
“I just thought she was awesome,” Willig said. “She can turn anyone else, and herself, into animals.”
Social studies teacher Caryn Burris said that even though Greek mythology was written thousands of years ago, the themes and morals show up in literature and movies today. She said her students started making connections between some of the stories of Greek mythology and present-day movies and books.
Sebastian Davila dressed as Hades, the god of the underworld, because Hades had a monstrous, multi-headed dog called Cerberus, which reminded Davila of the three-headed beast of a dog Harry Potter outsmarts in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”
“They’re excited because it’s something different,” Burris said. “It’s educational, but it’s fun.”
Burris encouraged her students to be a god or goddess they were not familiar with so they could learn about something new.
School Board member Maria Barbosa attended to see the students’ presentations. She said she was thoroughly impressed with their research on each character and their professional-looking PowerPoints.
