Who’s your mummy? Yavapai students to mummify Dr. Baracy, others

Superintendent Dr. John M. Baracy will be mummified by sixth grade students on Wednesday, Nov. 24, at Yavapai Elementary school in Rooms 47-50, 701 N. Miller Road, Scottsdale.

The students will step back in time to Ancient Egypt where they will participate in a mock archaeological dig and discover Egyptian customs from that time period, including creating a clay cartouche (names plates) and writing their names in hieroglyphics, creating crowns of Egypt, sculpting Canopic jars and mummifying Dr. Baracy and a few teachers.

The mummification process that Dr. Baracy and teachers will be participating is modified, so that they can keep their vital organs – unlike the Ancient Egyptians.

“The volunteers will lie on an air mattress as the sixth graders cover them in plastic and give them air holes, so they can breathe. The students will then take turns draping plaster over the volunteers. After they are completely covered in plaster they will sit for about 30 minutes to dry. When they are completely dry the students will lift the plaster tarp off and will have a cross-section of the volunteer,” said Jackie Lee, a sixth grade teacher at Yavapai Elementary School.

Students will decorate the mummies after the plaster is completely dry and they will be on display at the school.

Mrs. Lee started Ancient Egypt Day in 2000 while she was a teacher at Zuni Elementary School. She has been continuing the tradition at Yavapai since 2001. In the past, her classes have mummified a principal, assistant principles, parents and teachers.

Editor’s note: Dr. Baracy is scheduled to be mummified at 10 a.m. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

# # #