The annual Giant Pumpkin made its grand arrival at Pines Elementary School on Thursday, October 16, continuing a beloved fall tradition that stretches back decades.
This year’s pumpkin was delivered by Luke Gries, a proud Pines alumnus, and his wife Pricillia. The tradition began years ago with Mr. Michael Gries, Luke’s father and former owner of Michael’s Nursery, who started donating a giant pumpkin each fall when his sons, Keil and Luke, were students at Pines. Though both have long since graduated, the Gries family continues to keep the tradition alive bringing joy, excitement, and a perfect touch of autumn spirit to the school community each year.
Every student at Pines had the opportunity to guess the weight of the giant pumpkin, with the student whose estimate came closest taking home the grand prize—the pumpkin itself! Each class stopped by the school’s main lobby to inspect the impressive pumpkin and make their best “guestimates.”
This year’s Pumpkin Guess Winner was first-grade student Levina Mundra, whose guess of 120 pounds was just one pound away from the actual weight of 121 pounds!
Congratulations to Levina for her sharp estimation skills, and to all of our students for using math in such a fun and festive way. A heartfelt thank-you to the Gries family for their continued generosity and for keeping this cherished Pines Elementary tradition growing year after year!