Friday night’s cultural fair at Poulsbo Junior High boasted plenty of impressive props, from a wagon wheel to a Japanese fan, from a smoke-blackened lantern to a box of apples.

But the best — and most surprising — prop was probably Sean Kelley.

Kelley, 9, was the main feature in older sister Nicole’s report on coal mining, which was the profession of her great-grandfather in West Virginia. Sean stood in a torn white T-shirt and blackened face to display the grittiness of the coal-mining life.

Nicole, an eighth-grader like all of the students who participated in Friday night’s cultural fair, had thoughtfully hung an explanatory sign around Sean’s neck that began: “Small members of coal-mining families were expected to work at the coal mines …”

It also said, “Exhibit 1.”

The younger Kelley was not at the event because of familial love. His sister had swayed him with cash.

“Most people have asked me how much my sister’s paying me,” he said ($5).

Did the younger Kelley enjoy being a prop?

Not really.

“It’s boring,” he said.

For most of the students, staff members, and parents, the PJH cultural fair wasn’t boring; instead, it was a chance for students to learn about their pasts, their families, and themselves.

The fair boasted about 260 projects. Students had to research an aspect of their cultural background, whether it was a professional or a person, and then take several steps to explain the project to their classes. They wrote a paper about how they researched their topic; they created presentation boards; and they employed props.

“It’s incredible, some of the things they come up with,” said Marshall Miranda, one of PJH’s teachers who coordinated the. “There’s some amazing stuff out there.”

Miranda said the purpose of the fair was for kids to learn about their own cultural history. He said they often make surprising discoveries. “The kids often say, ‘I was amazed to find that out,’ or, ‘I didn’t know that,’” Miranda said.

Students echoed Miranda’s thoughts.

“I learned a lot,” said Nicole Kelley, who explained about the pockets of poisonous gas and harsh conditions her great-grandfather faced as a coal miner.

“I enjoyed getting to know my relatives, and I enjoyed learning about part of myself,” said fellow eighth-grader Whitney Miller.

The students’ interest was reflected in the creativity of the projects. The topics ranged from one student’s Japanese heritage (the title was “I think I’m turning Japanese!”) to women’s sports (“From skirts to dirt.”).

Students also researched farming (thus the box of apples), old-time schools, and various uncles, cousins, parents, and grandparents.

Student Erin Murphy said she was drawn to do her project on her aunt, Annette Ross, because like her aunt, Murphy wanted to be an artist.

“She was on the yearbook staff, and I’m on the yearbook staff,” Murphy said. “And I like my aunt.”

Murphy did interviews with her aunt and other relatives, learning about Ross’s publication in a magazine at age 19, and even getting to sift through some of her aunt’s sketches.

Murphy got to show off her aunt’s artistic gifts in one other way. For the cultural fair, she wore the bunny suit that her aunt made for her and her sister several Christmases ago.

Murphy said she was pleased that the suit was relatively comfortable, and happy that she was able to show off some of her aunt’s artistic talent.

“It’s even got a little tail,” she said.