By Hadley Clark, Holden Denning, and Addison Laird
ROGERS, ARK – In an effort to battle food waste and to bring the school community together, Haas Hall Rogers Headmaster Bethany Culpepper initiated a banana bread contest to kick off the spring semester.
Three HHA members competed in the contest in January with leftover bananas from the school lunch to determine the best banana bread. Amy Schwartz, Karen Oliveira, and Culpepper participated.
Culpepper said scholars did not participate because of the poor weather.
“We tried, but you know the snow days, and the weather was iffy, so our communication wasn’t the best at the end,” explained Culpepper.
“Everyone has some sort of banana bread experience; either their parents made it, or their grandparents made it. It is something that is familiar with people, so it was a good conversation starter,” said Culpepper.
Schwartz won the competition. She said she chose to participate because she thought it would be fun.
The recipe Schwartz chose to replicate was “the same recipe my mom used when I was young.”
With eager participants ready for fun, the bakers set out to perfect their banana bread recipe before the break was over.
Four unique loaves of banana bread were perched on the faculty table for teachers to taste. Culpepper made two loaves.
Culpepper explained that the loaves “were completely different,” including sugar-free, gluten-free, traditional, and wheat-flour options. The diverse banana bread spread was so that every tasters’ preferences would be accommodated.
In the final voting after the banana bread tasting, Schwartz won bragging rights.
