On April 26, 2025, teams of Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) students gathered at Trailside Middle School and showed friends, family, staff and the community that when life hands you flour, sugar and a little imagination, unforgettable memories are alive and cake-ing at the second annual LCPS Cake Wars. This year’s theme was Candy Shop.
Now in its sophomore year, the event rose to new heights as eight talented teams from LCPS—including Belmont Ridge, Blue Ridge, Eagle Ridge, Stone Hill and Trailside middle schools—whipped up creativity, teamwork and a whole lot of frosting in the name of friendly competition. Using skills learned through their FACS classes, students designed, baked and decorated their show-stopping cakes, then presented their culinary masterpieces to a distinguished panel of judges and community attendees.
After a sweetly competitive day, the top-tier prize went to Belmont Ridge’s Team #1 for their Blinded by Chocolate cake. Team members Jo Frogale, Catherine Martin and Aliya Santemire said of their cake choice, “Chocolate is a cornerstone of most candy shops — from classic chocolate bars to truffles and chocolate-covered everything, it's a flavor and ingredient you can always find. Because of chocolate’s popularity in candy shops, we decided an all-chocolate cake would perfectly represent the candy shop theme.”
Holly Myers, Blue Ridge Middle School teacher, and Cake Wars founding sponsor, emphasized the importance of community involvement, stating, “Cake Wars is a perfect example of how Family and Consumer Sciences connects students to real-world skills through hands-on, engaging experiences. It’s more than just baking a cake — it’s teamwork, critical thinking, communication and creativity all rolled into one. The community’s support makes it even more meaningful, showing students that their skills and passions have a place and a purpose beyond the classroom.”
The judges, who had the deliciously tough job of selecting winners, included Lauren Shernoff, Loudoun County School Board member; Arnaz Dotivala, Career and Technical Education specialist; Erik Madson, executive chef for LCPS; and Karin Nixon, home baker and LCPS employee.
More Than Frosting: The Power of Family and Consumer Sciences
Events like Cake Wars are more than just a slice of fun — they highlight the critical role that Family and Consumer Sciences plays in modern education.
“Through FACS, students gain essential life skills that help them succeed not only in the kitchen but in every room of the house and all aspects of life,” said Belmont Ridge Middle School teacher and sponsor Kelly Merritt.
FACS courses equip students with practical skills like cooking basics, consumer education, money management, clothing care, home organization and workplace readiness. Every piping bag and fondant flourish during Cake Wars represents larger lessons in critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity.
By integrating academic concepts with real-world applications, FACS makes learning engaging, empowering and fun. Students build healthy family and interpersonal relationships, make informed financial decisions and prepare for future family and career roles. It’s an education that sticks — kind of like the best buttercream.
Cake Wars is a sweet reminder that when you blend passion, skill and community support, you create opportunities for students to rise, shine and thrive — both inside and outside the classroom.
BELMONT RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAMS
Teacher Sponsor: Kelly Merritt
Jo Frogale, Catherine Martin, Aliya Santemir
Saffa Kahn and Olivia Beno
Ava Gorman and Alexandra Graydon
BLUE RIDGE MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAM
Teacher Sponsor: Holly Myers
Alexis Bader, Alice Clark, August Colman
TRAILSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAMS
Teacher Sponsor: Katie Baron
Addison Golden, Madison Bothe, Vicky Maya, Maisie Harris, Natalie Hancock
Krystal Cordero, Morsal Khatri, Chloe Ingram
STONE HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAMS
Teacher Sponsors: Megan Hughes and Brianna Wockenfuss
Myra Chowdhuri, Manasvi Raini, Divyansha Vummadisingu, Rithvika Santhakumar, Ushashi Pal
Prisha Hasija, Isabella Fernandez, Valentina Navarro, Anvi Deshpande, Sresta Allam, Chinmai Durishti