Amador Valley hosted one of its highly anticipated lunchtime events: a pie eating contest. It started as a small idea from the leadership team and quickly turned into a lively display of school spirit and community connection.
“I hope this event helps people feel like they can participate in things that aren’t just schoolwork to be part of the bigger picture of Amador,” said leadership student Elena Eichler (‘28).
During the Contest
The event was created to help students feel more engaged on campus. Leadership planned it as a fun break from classes where anyone could join.
“We hope the event continues to make Amador a place with community events and overall school spirit. People from all different backgrounds can come together and just do something fun and silly, like this pie-eating competition,” said Eichler.
These events allow for the creation of many memorable moments. One of the most unforgettable moment came during the final seconds of the competition.
“He ate the pie really fast and threw his plate up in celebration — everyone cheered. It was great,” said Eichler.
For the leadership students organizing the event, the goal wasn’t only laughter — it was connection. They hoped that lunchtime activities like this would encourage students to get more involved in school life beyond academics. Although there isn’t another pie-eating contest in the works, leadership already has ideas for festive winter activities.
“We have a couple really fun events planned for Christmas. Maybe a gift-wrapping or cookie-decorating competition — fun things to keep morale up heading into finals,” said Eichler.
Contest Debrief
Students who participated in the contest had a mix of reactions. One junior came close to winning and shared his thoughts with playful confidence.
“I should’ve won that. They were cheating,” said pie-eating contestant Ryan Beck (‘27).
Even though he didn’t take first place, Beck said the event helped bring the campus closer together.
“It definitely increased school spirit. It brought people together, and it was something for us to engage in and participate in,” said Beck.
Many ended lunch up with pumpkin on their faces at the end of lunch. However, they all had a sense of pride in being part of something fun and communal.
Looking Forward
“I think it’s important that people connect with others not just through big events or sports, but also through silly, funny things like this,” said Eichler.
The theme of the event — connection and fun — reflects the spirit leadership hopes to continue building at Amador. Their goal is to create moments where students can step away from academic pressure and feel part of a larger, more unified community.
“Even if you end up with pie all over your face, it’s super fun and it gives everyone a chance to be involved,” said Eichler.
The pie-eating contest lasted only minutes, but the laughter and school spirit it created will stay with students for a long time, encouraging them to keep joining in and showing pride in being part of Amador.
“I’m not sure if we’ll see another event exactly like this soon, but leadership is always working on fun things to keep the school’s morale up,” said Eichler.
