The holiday season kicked off with flying candy canes, collapsing cookie walls, and plenty of STEM-powered excitement at uCity Square’s 2nd annual Gingerbread Smash! Nearly 80 6th grade students from Albert M. Greenfield School teamed up with engineers from Exponent for a hands-on challenge to design and build gingerbread houses tough enough to survive real life engineering tests.

A festive morning of construction and decorating turned into a high-energy afternoon of testing as each team put their creations through three rigorous simulations, just like real engineers do.

Students watched (and cheered, and booed!) as their gingerbread structures took on:

  • The Crush Test: A portable hydraulic press applied steady pressure to each house to measure how much force it could withstand.
  • The Impact Test: An IZOD impact tester swung a miniature wrecking ball, because nothing says science like a candy-coated demolition.
  • The Shake (Earthquake) Test: Houses were strapped to a shaker table, with vibrations intensifying every 10 seconds until only the sturdiest structure remained standing.

Alongside the engineering challenges, teams were also recognized for Best Design, celebrating both artistry and durability, before the houses were tested and individual durability winners were awarded. The teams that took home these awards were:

  • The Crush Test: Team Gingy
  • The Impact Test: Team I Came in Like a Wrecking Ball
  • The Shake (Earthquake) Test: Team Holly Jollies

Hosted at One uCity Square, the event brought together students, Exponent mentors, and the Knowledge Community for a day that blended imagination with real-world engineering principles. The livestream during the afternoon Smash portion invited families, classmates, and friends to join in on the fun from afar.

The Gingerbread Smash continues to grow as a favorite uCity Square tradition, one that sparks curiosity, builds confidence, and proves that STEM can be every bit as delightful (and delicious) as the season itself.

Stay tuned for next year’s challenge, and for more community STEM programming coming soon!

Photos by AK Nguyen.