Canstruction: Students with a “can do” attitude reward others with food donation

Posted on October 13, 2015

Penn High students participated and placed in the recent Canstruction competition hosted at University Park Mall. The challenge: Constructing large 3-dimensional displays of stacked food cans in entertaining or surprising forms. The purpose: Raising awareness about local hunger, while gathering and donating thousands of cans of food to alleviate hunger.

Canstruction is the international program behind the local “junior” event. Success depends on student creativity and ingenuity along with community support.  Penn took a multi-disciplinary approach, combining the forces of Architecture students, an Introduction to Engineering coed class as well as an all-female engineering class.  With leadership from teachers Jim Langfeldt and Josiah Parker, the students undertook a massive food drive, then trucked the 7,000 cans they collected to the mall, followed by many hours of precise stacking in the Center Court on Friday, October 9.

After the students finished and stepped back, shoppers could recognize the subjects of their two colorful displays: one was Rosie the Riveter, the iconic WWII figure, and the other a much more contemporary character, Pac-Man of the game fame!  Rosie received the “Voters’ Choice” award and “Best Meal” award, while Pac-Man won in the “Creativity” category.

At the conclusion of the event all the canned goods were donated to Hope Ministries, serving our St. Joseph County neighbors in need.  The students benefited too from the hands-on collaborative learning experience, not to mention the fun of working together and the satisfaction of seeing their vision take shape. 

Appreciation from Hope Ministries
Pac-Man
The judges gave “Pac Man” a creativity award.
“Rosie the Riverter,” flexing muscle

Last Modified October 13, 2015