By Michael D. Clark
The Cincinnati Enquirer

When students enter room 308, deep within the confines of the $45 million Mason High School, they find themselves entering a time warp that leads to Victorian England.

Mason High School senior Molly Scruta has her very own Cheshire Cat grin as she portrays Oscar Wilde in Nichole Wilson's advanced placement British Literature class. (Glenn Hartong photo)

Their guide and muse is British literature teacher Nikki Wilson, who transforms the classroom in Southwest Ohio's most modern high school into a historic time capsule of classic learning.

Using costume theme parties where students dress, act and deliver literary works while in character of figures from British classics, the class has a growing reputation for academic success and preparing seniors for college.

Mason Schools has consistently scored a top rating of "excellent" on Ohio's annual report card. Nearly 81 percent of its graduates go on to either four-year or two-year colleges.

School officials, however, say 98 percent of the students who have taken Wilson's British literature class go on to college.

A recent morning finds Wilson conducting a costume party in her intricately decorated classroom featuring Old England artifacts, prints, garlands of fake flowers, theatrical masks and plenty of postings of inspirational poetry.

A student portraying poet Robert Browning sits at his desk. Nearby, celebrated wit Oscar Wilde engages British colonialist and author Rudyard Kipling in chit-chat, perhaps observing that their classmate, Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, appears to be suffering yet another dark mood.

But this day belongs to Alice In Wonderland author Lewis Carroll, portrayed by senior Daniel Hatfield. These costumed seniors may represent some of England's most renowned literary figures, but they also are acting out an educational version of Carroll's "Mad Hatter Tea Party."

Each student must stand before the class and tell of their life, perspectives on the issues of their times, how their experiences in youth affected their later writings and recite stanzas from one of their noted poems or essays.

Wilson surveys her students' energetic performances with a quick smile and applause.

"It's fun. It's interesting, but most important it works," says the former college English teacher, who also is adviser for the school newspaper.

Mason Board of Education President Dave Lenert agrees.

"I would stack our English department against any high school in the country," Lenert says. "Nikki's approach to her class is living the material, not just reading the material, and her love for her subject is so obvious when you visit her room."

School board Vice President Connie Yingling says Wilson's unorthodox techniques makes students "sit up and take notice" where they might otherwise be bored.

Mason High School teacher Nikki Wilson applauds students in her advanced placement British Literature class. (Glenn Hartong photo)

Wilson, 33, who has taught five years at Mason and holds master's degrees from Ohio State and Miami University, says her teaching philosophy is simple.

"Mary Poppins said it best: 'Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,'" she says. "Sometimes students come in dreading the literature because they think it can be too difficult, and it is difficult. But high expectations have to be balanced with fun."

"They know I'm serious about learning, and about their growth, and the parties and costumes and the fun stuff we do is just a way to get into the material and ideas."

"I love it when students find British literature parallels in all areas of their lives - and they do."

Ben Meissner raves about the popular English course, taken by about 100 seniors each trimester.

"I understand the time period better through this sort of in-depth analysis and because of it I feel like I understand our times better too."

Wilson says personal growth and understanding are key goals of her class.

"We talk a lot about the hero's journey as being the process of self-discovery. And that once they know their strengths and weaknesses, and what they stand for, they can serve the world better.

"They don't have to be perfect but they have to be growing."

About the class

Class: British Literature.

Teacher: Nikki Wilson.

Years taught: Five at Mason High School. Seven total.

Why the class works: "Nikki has found a unique way to help her students become prepared for college and, probably more important, she has found a way for her students to enjoy a class so much that they will be lifelong readers and learners" - Mason Board of Education President Dave Lenert.

Student quote: "The class helps me understand they had the same problems centuries ago that we have now." - Ben Meissner, Mason senior.

About this series

This series spotlights a local classroom in which teachers are challenging students in bold, innovative ways. To nominate a class, e-mail bcieslewicz@enquirer.com; fax (513) 768-8340 or write Bill Cieslewicz, Education Editor, The Cincinnati Enquirer, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati 45202. Please include your name, daytime phone, e-mail and school.

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E-mail mclark@enquirer.com