On a chilly but sunny November morning, Franklin Elementary fourth graders put their creativity and engineering skills to the test during the school’s annual Pumpkin Chunkin’ contest, competing to see who could launch a candy corn pumpkin the farthest.
Students designed and built their launchers at home using only scraps and recycled materials—store-bought items were not allowed—and each device had to be no larger than a classroom desk.
The competition featured plenty of excitement as candy pumpkins soared across the school grounds. Colin earned first place with an impressive 161-foot launch, followed by Austin in second, Luca in third, and Coen in fourth. Each winner received a prize from the Franklin PTO, and students cheered one another on throughout the fun-filled event, celebrating creativity, problem-solving, and a little friendly competition.