Honors College Sponsors Gingerbread Build
The winning team, the "B2 Babes," named for the wing and floor of Pomfret Honors Quarters where they reside, celebrate their winning entry: a gingerbread version of Pomfret Honors Quarters.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Students took a sweet, sticky break from writing papers and studying for exams at the fourth annual Holiday Gingerbread House Competition, which took place on Dead Day last Wednesday in the Great Hall of Pomfret Honors Quarters. Sponsored by the Honors College, the event involved a prodigious amount of sugary supplies.
“We went through 30 boxes of graham crackers and 40 cans of frosting in about an hour – I had to make a supply run,” said Noah Pittman, a graduate assistant for Honors College recruitment and programming who helped to organize the event.
The students took generous liberties on the gingerbread house theme, creating entries that ranged from the Sugar Bowl stadium (with “Go Hogs” spelled out in red M&Ms) to the Roman Colosseum, which mimicked the structural problems of the original and featured red sugar “blood” on the floor.
“We wanted to be as accurate as possible,” said Will Pendleton, one of three engineering students on the “Christmas at the Colosseum” team.
The competition was keen but no sabotage was reported, though a few frosting fights did break out. The winning entry, created by the “B2 Babes” (named after a floor in Pomfret) was a licorice-bedecked recreation of Pomfret Honors Quarters. Second place went to a beautifully rendered version of Frank Lloyd Wright’s landmark modernist home, Fallingwater, complete with frosting water and chocolate rocks, while two monuments from the ancient world, the Roman Colosseum and the Great Sphinx of Giza, shared third-place honors.
Prizes included Razorback ornaments, Honors College water bottles, and “our respect,” said Honors College Dean Bob McMath with a grin. Pittman urged the students to take their creations with them but after nibbling on icing, candy canes, Hershey bars and Oreos for more than two hours, the students were less than enthusiastic about eating their entries.
“I’m so sick,” groaned Meghan Whitledge, who labored on an elaborate Santa’s castle. “You’re more than welcome to come over and have some of it,” she added hopefully.
Gastronomic distress aside, the event was generally considered a success.
“I’ve been getting really stressed out – this was a good break,” said Shelby Goff.
Contacts
Kendall Curlee, director of communications
Honors College
479-575-2024,
kcurlee@uark.edu