Sara Clark, a teacher at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Mississippi, has always had a passion for candy and for the memories it creates - especially those made during her annual childhood trips with her parents and brother to HERSHEYPARK. That enthusiasm is now inspiring her students through the Candy Reviewers program, an after-school classroom experience that she designed from a lifelong passion, complete with her own interactive worksheets.
Rooted in the school’s mission to nurture a diverse, service-minded community, the Candy Reviewers program is Sara’s unique creation - blending the excitement of taste-testing with lessons in history, marketing, and creativity. Students not only sample new treats, but also dive into the story behind each candy, exploring its origins, flavors, and packaging. With Sara’s thoughtfully crafted worksheets as their guide, they create stories and design advertisements, developing both their writing and their imagination.
The program involves more than just enjoying candy. As students explore the world of sweets, they also find thoughtful parallels to the legacy of Milton Hershey, learning what it means to make a positive impact. Over time, the experience has grown even more meaningful to Sara. “These students have taught me more about myself as a person and educator,” she reflects. “They’ve helped me find joy in the little things, which has shaped my love for this program.”
Through her creativity and dedication, Sara has cultivated a space where learning is joyful and meaningful - one piece of candy at a time.
Candy Reviewers: How to Get Started
- Step 1: Gather a fun mix of candies (watch out for allergies!) and print your review sheets.
- Step 2: Divide treats into snack-size portions for everyone to sample. Try favorites like Jolly Rancher Freeze Dried, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Miniatures, or Twizzlers Filled Twists!
- Step 3: Taste and rate each candy on a five-star scale. Is it a must-have or a one-time treat?
- Step 4: History Lesson! Research the candy’s history and learn more about how the product came to be.
- Step 5: Have each student present their candy review - celebrating their discoveries and showcasing what they’ve learned together.
More Ways to Bring Sweet Learning to the Classroom
Try out these candy-inspired activities:
- Future Advertisers: Students dream up catchy advertisements and hilarious taglines designed to convince everyone that their candy is the best treat in town.
- Meet the Mascot: Students design original characters to represent their candy brand.
- Candy Tales: Students write stories starring their favorite candy as the main character.
- Comic Book: Students can create comic book strips where candies go on their own adventures.
- Jingle Jam: Students who have a passion for music can invent a catchy jingle for a commercial that gets everyone singing about their candy.
- Mood Board: Students gather fun images, doodles, and colors to make a mood board that showcases the candy’s aesthetic.
- Candy Planets: Students imagine a whole world made of candy, and what it would look like.
- Emoji Inventor: Students have the opportunity to create brand-new emojis inspired by their favorite candies.
- Weather Channel: Students can create candy weather reports - will it rain JOLLY RANCHER Candy?
- Candy Election: Host a candy vote and discover which treat the class loved most.
