Cherie Scheidler said her children’s love of desserts and decorating led them to River Grove Public Library on Jan. 25.
The library’s teen services department hosted a cupcake-decorating contest called Cupcake Wars.
“We pretty much sign up for everything at the library,” Scheidler said. “We like going to the library because it encourages my kids to read.”
Kate Marsh, head of young adult services at the library, said 10 kids signed up for Cupcake Wars. East Leyden sophomore Jyllyan Mueller won the contest.
Marsh said each participant was given one cupcake and a slip of paper with a theme. The themes included a variety of topics including the beach, superheroes, monsters and insects. The participants had to decorate the cupcake according to the assigned theme.
They were given food coloring, frosting, sprinkles and other baking utensils to complete the contest.
“They had to use the supplies at their table, and they only had one hour to decorate,” Marsh said. “If they ate their cupcakes before the hour ended, they were disqualified.”
Scheidler’s three children, 9-year-olds Gabriella and Elijah, and 11-year-old April Scheidler, said they like to bake and decorate sweets at home, which is why they wanted to participate in the competition. Their themes were McDonald’s, superheroes and the beach.
“I wanted to eat my cupcake while I was decorating,” Gabriella Scheidler said.
April Scheidler explained her family likes to decorate gingerbread houses near Christmas.
Mueller, the Cupcake Wars winner, decorated a butterfly on her cupcake. She used frosting and sprinkles to make her cupcake colorful and vibrant.
She said she likes to sign up for events at library because she likes its environment.
Scheidler said she takes her children to library as much she can. She said she likes Marsh’s activities and how she gets young adults interested in thinking and learning.
“I like the River Grove Library because it’s small and it has a homey feel,” she said. “It’s like a family. They recognize me and my kids.”
Marsh wanted to have Cupcake Wars since many in the young adult group had said they liked the TV show.
“What’s more fun than cupcakes?” Marsh said. “If it takes them into the library to see all of the other cool stuff we have, then yes, we will have Cupcake Wars!”
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Marsh said other activities coming up within the young adult group will consist of making slime, puppet socks, and stop-motion animation.
Maryann Pisano is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.