John Brown University's Medieval Faire on Monday offered an opportunity for students to get to teach what they have learned.
The event was put on by students in an English class focusing on Medieval Literature. Students were assigned a booth, but they got to choose their topic and how they presented it.
Students presented from tables set up in the Simmons Great Hall on JBU's campus. At the front of the room, a table hosted by students Lana Bromling and Krista Gay set the tone with Wassel for guests to drink.
Claire Grant and Austin Ellis ran a table that covered "Beowulf." The two said that they picked the book because it was such an iconic book, and they were both interested in it. But they chose to explain it in a unique way.
"We made it a pop-up book because it is so notoriously hard to understand," Grant said.
Other tables included presentations on Medieval poems, illumination and calligraphy, holy relics, dragon slaying and Arthurian legends.
David Cater, who used to teach at JBU, also had a table. He said that, in his retirement, he had become an amateur astronomer.
"There are a lot of nights that are too cloudy to stargaze, and I needed something to do during the day," he said. So he started getting into Medieval-style archery. Cater displayed a bow that he had made, along with a crossbow and a shield.
Cater said that while some choose to participate in Medieval battles with foam-tipped lances and swords, he preferred to go into competitive shooting instead.
The event attracted a variety of students, faculty and families.
Emily Nichols brought her three kids with her to the event after seeing a post about it through her homeschool group.
Her kids especially enjoyed the dragon-slaying exhibit, which had participants reading an informative presentation and then crawling into a cardboard and construction paper cave with a foam sword. A toy dragon and chocolate treasure awaited those who dared venture inside.
Nichols said that she would take her kids again if she could next time the event comes around. The Medieval Faire is hosted by JBU once every two years.
"It is good to see things we may or may not have studied," she said.
The event was aimed at school-age children primarily, with invitations extended to area schools to attend.
General News on 11/28/2015