Unknown to most of the student population, DGN staff were involved in a bake off Dec. 9-11. 10 bakers and 30 judges worked behind the walls of this building to crown the “best baker” on staff. Run by English teacher John Waite, this competition was brought back after a few years of absence.
Waite is not a stranger to baking. Each week, he brings a different baked good for DGN staff to purchase. However, he does not actually earn anything from this time consuming baking. All proceeds are donated to the organization No Child Goes Hungry, a non-profit dedicated to ending child hunger. Proceeds from the staff bake off are also being donated to this non-profit.
“The organization that he supports with this is amazing. I admire his desire to help other people through a very fun event. He has got not only himself involved, but he has introduced it [No Child Goes Hungry] to a lot of other people,” bake off judge and social worker Colleen McLean said.
To support this organization, librarian Katie Guzan baked cherry cookie bars with lemon glaze.
“For me, I love to be able to bake and bring it out of my house, and I love that we were able to raise money for a really good organization,” Guzan said.
To become a baker or judge, staff replied to an email from Waite expressing their desire to be involved in this friendly competition.
“There was an entry fee of $10 to be a judge and sample, which is so nominal considering where it is going and considering what we got to taste. It was a very easy process,” McLean said.
Bringing their baked goods Dec. 9, judges had until Dec. 11 to submit their top three favorite treats. $320 has been raised from this, which will be added to the $424 that Waite has collected so far this school year from his personal baked goods sale.
“I think that is the best part about it, because not only are you doing something fun but you are doing something to support a charity, which is always going to be nice,” baker and science teacher Lindsay Panopolous said. “Even as a judge, I would have happily paid the money knowing that it was going to a good cause.”
To keep the competition unbiased and fair, judges are not given a list of the bakers or other judges. Without being able to conspire with fellow staff, these judges must make the difficult decision alone to submit their top three picks.
“People are taking it very seriously, so there is some secrecy involved,” Waite said.
Despite this secrecy, this event is more than just a competition. Creating community is important in the long days in between Thanksgiving and winter break.
“I think anything you can do to help build community is a fun thing. This does that when we are asked to participate in things that are outside of our normal day,” Guzan said.
Although this event was only three days long, it has connected staff from across the entire school. With such a large population, this can be difficult to do.
“I think my favorite part is just having the chance to be creative and do something that I love outside of school, but bring it into our school and work environment. Any time you can bring people together it fosters a sense of community,” Panopoulos said.
With a change in routine, this contest has brought smiles to staff faces – and jealousy to student’s faces.
“One of my favorite parts has been seeing how happy it has made the people who participated, both as judges and bakers,” Waite said. “I think that anything that brings people together is positive.”
The winner? Counselor Greg Stolzer with his Pecan Pie Brownies
