In a spirited fusion of tradition and technology, Tenafly Chabad Academy middle school students took part in the Purim STEM Challenge, where their mission was to design and build the ultimate gragger. These weren’t just any graggers; they were masterpieces of engineering, creativity and durability, crafted entirely from everyday materials.

Armed with paper towel rolls, plastic bottles, beans, pasta, rubber bands and a dash of imagination, students began building the loudest and most eye-catching graggers possible. They experimented with everything from shaking and spinning mechanisms to repetitive motion designs, ensuring their creations could withstand a durability test.

The competition included two main challenges, a loudness Test—using a loudness meter, students measured the volume of their graggers, vying for the title of Loudest Gragger, and a Creativity Award—teachers voted on the most visually striking and innovative designs.

This challenge not only connected students to tradition but also inspired them to think creatively and engineer solutions, all while having a blast making some serious noise.