Jeremy Hilton builds tallest tower at Mr. LHS gumdrop tower lunchtime competition

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Natalie Rebetsky

Jeremy Hilton and David Kominars race to complete their gumdrop towers.

by Gillian Humphreys and Lily Caton

Before every Mr. Linganore show, each of the contestants participates in three lunchtime competitions. Competitions include writing ¨sweetheart letters¨ during first lunch, building gumdrop towers during second lunch, and cake decorating during third lunch. 

During the second lunch shift, the contestants received bags of gumdrops and toothpicks to create their towers in 10 minutes. In order to win, the tower has to be the tallest and stable enough to stand on its own. 

Each contestant has a helper who can hand them supplies, but they cannot help the contestant build their tower.

Some contestants started with wider bases to stabilize their towers, while others started building as fast and high as possible, which could either be a hit or miss.

Jeremy Hilton won the Gumdrop Tower Competition. 

I feel really good. Looking at that thing, it should not be standing up right now. I did not expect to win at all,” said Jeremy Hilton.  Hilton’s tower was over 24 inches.

Suprisingly all of the the towers remained standing during the measurement, except for Luke Goundry’s tower.  His was ambitously tall, but not very stable.

Mr. Jeremy Brown, coordinator for Mr. LHS, said, “I like it because it’s creative. It gives them a chance to show different types of thinking. It also gives the contestants an opportunity to think and plan ahead. It’s always interesting to see whose ideas pay off and whose fail spectacularly.”