Hawthorne Elementary students take hands-on approach to history

Posted 6/5/26

Peoples Bank Assistant Vice President and Mexico Branch Manager, Tanner Smith, presents essay winners Brynlee Kirklin and Madelynn …

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Hawthorne Elementary students take hands-on approach to history

Peoples Bank Assistant Vice President and Mexico Branch Manager, Tanner Smith, presents essay winners Brynlee Kirklin and Madelynn Musgrove with their Dagwoods gift cards along with History Takes a Walk Program Lead, Chris Newbrough.

Photo courtesy of Chris Newbrough

Posted Friday, June 5, 2026 5:00 am

Hawthorne Elementary students take hands-on approach to history

A total of 31 students from the Hawthorne Elementary Student Council and Promoting Character Kindness and Leadership program took part in the tour of downtown Mexico and learned about its vast history on May 7.

After the tour, students were invited to write a short essay that highlighted something they learned on the trip and explained why history was important. Brynlee Kirklin and Madelynn Musgrove were each awarded a $25 gift certificate to Dagwoods, courtesy of Peoples Bank, for their winning essays.

Brynlee pointed out in her essays her favorite part of the walk was the story of the gunfight between two Mexico lawyers in 1902. Madelyn said in hers that Mexico had six famous hotels and was a railroad hub.

The tour guides were long-time Mexico residents Jim Dye and David Maupin. The tour was put together by Tad Dobyns, Partners for Rural Impact site coordinator for Hawthorne Elementary School in Mexico.

“It was a great experience, it was fun for the kids and we're going to try to find a way to incorporate it next year,” Dobyns said.

The essays were judged by Chris Newbrough, History Takes A Walk program lead, and Dobyns.