Pumpkin Drop Teaches WLES Students STEM

Mother Nature decided to play a trick on the Washington Lands Elementary faculty, staff and students on Friday morning by providing cloudy skies and light drizzle for the school’s 9th annual Pumpkin Drop.

Despite the spooky weather, all of 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 heavy 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 from high above the ground. 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.

WARNING: Several pumpkins were harmed during this competition. Six of the 13 pumpkins, however, came out unscathed following a short descent to the parking lot’s concrete surface. Winning entries included submissions from Deanne Clutter’s kindergarten class, Julie Magers’ kindergartners, Shannon Young’s first grade students, Melissa Love’s third graders, Corinne Greene’s fourth grade class and Charlotte Steed’s fifth grade students.

The surviving pumpkins were repurposed as jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween. The busted gourds were 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 teacher at WLES, Lauren Yurko.