A Sweet Start to the Semester: Colorado Preparatory Academy Student Winners Announced for School’s Statewide Gingerbread Competition

The start of a new semester at Colorado Preparatory Academy (CPA) is always filled with fresh goals and new opportunities. This year, it also came with frosting, creativity, and a statewide celebration of student talent.

In January, CPA and Pikes Peak Online School (PPOS) hosted their annual Virtual Gingerbread House Contest, inviting students in grades K–12 from across Colorado to design and construct edible masterpieces. After votes were cast and judges carefully reviewed each entry, the winners were announced.

Meet Gabriella from Lakewood

Among them was CPA 10th-grader, Gabriella, who placed in the High School category for her stunning confectionery creation. For Gabriella, her inspiration was deeply personal. She shared that her design was based on her dream home for the future, a house surrounded by nature with a small pond nearby. Her thoughtful concept, combined with strong design execution, helped her creation stand out among high school competitors statewide.

Meet Darray from Colorado Springs

12th-grader, Darray, shared, “I knew that I wanted to create something out of the ordinary, not something too crazy, but something that showed I thought about it for a while.” She then added, “I was thinking about creating a scary gingerbread house, but then I changed my mind and created an abandoned gingerbread warehouse overrun by cute candy creatures and elves that wanted to make use of something Santa had forgotten about. I used stretched marshmallows for the cobwebs and cinnamon rolls as the windows!”

A Virtual Competition Creating Real-World Connections

The virtual and interactive contest gave students the opportunity to showcase their artistic abilities while connecting with peers across the state. In a learning environment where students log in from different communities, events like this help build shared experiences and school spirit in meaningful ways.

Online School Competition Guidelines

The competition came with clear guidelines. Every component of each gingerbread house had to be edible. Designs were required to include four walls, a roof, and a walkway, and each structure had to stand on its own. Students submitted photos of their finished creations, which were judged on creativity, overall design, and holiday spirit.

The range of submissions highlighted the ingenuity and imagination of CPA and PPOS students. From classic gingerbread cottages to elaborate winter wonderlands, each entry reflected the unique personality and vision of its creator.

Support and Engagement from Quality Online Educators

The competition was organized by CPA’s Community Engagement Specialist, Amy Baranco, who coordinates this annual tradition. Through events like the Gingerbread House Contest, she helps create opportunities for students to engage beyond the virtual classroom, fostering connection, creativity, and confidence.

At CPA, learning extends beyond coursework. Students are encouraged to explore their interests, express themselves, and participate in school-wide activities that bring the community together. The Gingerbread House Contest is just one example of how CPA blends academic excellence with engaging experiences that make online learning dynamic and personal.

Congratulations to Gabriella and Darray, and to all the students who participated in this year’s contest. Their creativity made for a sweet and memorable start to the semester. To learn more about other K12-powered competitions, visit https://enrichment.k12.com/.