Gouge students build gingerbread, candy model of town
Mason Jones, Delaney Johnson and Trinity Sparks appreciate the gingerbread and candy model of Bakersville in the hall of their school. The students built a model of the town out of sweet treats and learned plenty in the process. (Cory Spiers/Staff)
Walk the halls of Gouge Elementary and you’ll smell sugar, frosting and cookies.
Nothing is baking. That smell is construction materials.
Gouge students earlier this month constructed a model of Bakersville out of gingerbread, candy and other sweet treats. The Historic Courthouse, United Community Bank, Southern Ridge Cafe and a slew of other iconic landmarks are all present.
And edible.
Students used the Grove Park Gingerbread Competition as an inspiration for their project. Many students noted that their project is similar, just smaller.
“We had to cheat a little bit because we had to use hot glue,” admitted Mason Jones. “But ours looks good.”
Most students said the project was harder than they expected. The construction process was especially challenging for some.
“Making it was harder than I thought,” Allie Frisbee said. “Trinity cut me with the scissors when we were making the swing set for Gouge Elementary.”
Accidents happen.
“It was an accident,” Trinity Sparks said. “We were working on the playground part.”
Each student specialized in a different part of the construction. Some were best at lettering and making signs. Others could handle the construction of cookie walls and roofs with relative ease.
“It was harder than we all thought,” Jayla Erwin said. “My group made the sides and roofs.”
A few days before Christmas break, the students gathered to admire their work displayed in the hall. Teachers and students also get to see and smell the project every time they pass on their way to another classroom, providing an extra dose of holiday spirit for their journey.
The gingerbread town project was completed mainly by students in classes taught by Ashley Silver, Michelle Lord and Suzy Peterson. Students in classes taught by Cayela Peterson and Norma Helms built the smaller houses on the outskirts.