Pumpkin Drop Teaches WLES Students STEM

Mother Nature decided to play a trick on the Washington Lands Elementary faculty, staff and students on Monday morning by providing cloudy skies and rainy conditions for the school’s 8th annual Pumpkin Drop.

Despite the spooky weather all the Wildcats gathered outside underneath the sidewalk awning while WLES Principal Julie Sturgill braved the elements as she was raised into the air by a lift. Even though rain wasn’t falling during the competition, pumpkins nestled inside containers filled with soft items such as pillows and packing peanuts were taking the plunge. Some of the student-built containers even had balloons on the outside to help cushion the fall.

Every homeroom created a “contraption” to protect the gourd from cracking or busting open. The idea behind this yearly event is for students to gain knowledge and acquire skills in both math and science while trying to figure out a way to protect their pumpkin’s landing from a 25-foot drop.

Four of the 14 pumpkins were not harmed from the short descent including entries from Miss Tracy’s Pre-K class, Julie Magers’ kindergarteners, Jill Wilson’s first grade students and Charlotte Steed’s fifth graders.

The surviving pumpkins were repurposed as jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween. The busted gourds are going to be used as chicken feed on a faculty member’s farm. This hands-on STEM project is hosted each year by the Marshall County Schools Gifted and Enrichment Program.