Seaford Middle School students rise to the challenge, with graham crackers

Posted Friday, January 2, 2026 12:12 pm

Seaford Middle School seventh graders, from left, Tyler Shapiro, Keith Kern, Dean Ciccone and Dominic Ambrosino worked together to build the tallest tower they could out of graham crackers and frosting during a holiday-themed teaming challenge.

Courtesy Seaford School District

Daisy Clendenning, left, and Mia Handley wanted their tower to be both tall and sturdy.

Courtesy Seaford School District

Sixth graders Meg Bianca, Nicholas Anastasio, and Jason Tammaro, right, got started on their gingerbread creation.

Courtesy Seaford School District

By Luke Feeney

Seaford Middle School students put their teamwork and building skills to the test on Dec. 19 as part of the school’s ongoing “teaming challenges.”

This time, students were tasked with constructing the tallest and sturdiest gingerbread-style tower using only graham crackers and frosting. It was the third of six collaborative challenges planned for the school year.

Previous activities included ice cream tasting and pumpkin painting, each designed to foster connection, creativity and communication among classmates. For each round, students are assigned to different teams to help them work with a wide range of peers.

Students formed groups of three or four and worked together to plan, build and stabilize their towers. Once finished, each structure was measured for height and also tested for strength — specifically, whether it could support the weight of a tennis ball. Before building began, students reflected on strategies that helped them succeed in past challenges, thinking about how to apply those lessons to the gingerbread tower activity.

The team-building initiative supports several key traits of the district’s Seaford Scholar program, including being a communicator, innovator, networker and resilient learner. Seaford Middle School Principal Raphael Morey said the goal of these challenges is to show students that building such skills can help them grow, not just academically, but in life.

Students continued developing their teamwork abilities by combining a festive, hands-on activity with real-world collaboration, one graham cracker at a time.

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