The Pumpkin Drop is more than a fall favorite — it is a living example of what hands-on STEAM education can achieve. Students experience the engineering design process firsthand, learning how to problem-solve, collaborate, and iterate on their ideas while having a great time.
The event invites students in grades 3–12 to design and build protective devices capable of keeping a pumpkin intact during a dramatic 10-story drop from one of the Huntington Fire Department’s tower ladders. Each team spends weeks planning, testing, and refining their design, applying real-world science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) concepts to solve a creative challenge.
The June Harless Center launched the inaugural Pumpkin Drop Engineering Design Challenge in 2022 as part of the Marshall University Advanced Manufacturing Center’s WV Makes Festival. Since then, it has become a highly anticipated annual event, inviting students from across the region to put their creativity, teamwork, and engineering skills to the test.
With the continued support of the Huntington Fire Department, pumpkins take flight each fall from a tower ladder while students cheer on their designs and celebrate the thrill of learning in action. The day is always a smashing success, blending fall fun with authentic STEAM learning and showcasing the power of creativity, problem-solving, and innovation.
As we look ahead, plans are already underway for the 5th Anniversary Pumpkin Drop, which promises to be the biggest and best yet. Until then, stay tuned for details about another favorite hands-on challenge, the 5th Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta, coming to Marshall University this summer.