Cake is a delicious treat generally eaten by many on birthdays and to celebrate someone or something. This year, the school’s  Advanced Placement (AP)  Government students were able to eat student-made cakes they brought into class to either celebrate or show sorrow about the recent Presidential election, rather than begin a political debate that could potentially become heated.

These cakes were actually a ‘hands-on-learning’  point for the AP students. The most important part of the assignment was to discuss the insides of each cake. The crumb, or inside of the cake, represented federalism and government function, which is the unit students are currently studying. 

“Cake is a wonderful way to experience the tastiness of government,” AP Government teacher Randy Homesly said.

One of the cakes had many layers, which defined ‘layer cake federalism,’ which is the idea that federal and state governments have separate functions; meaning that both forms of government obtain their power from the United States Constitution which separates powers and responsibilities. 

A marble cake, which was a mix of layers that represented the cooperative government was meant to represents an adjustable relationship in which the state and federal governments work together. 

“It was a fun way to talk about federalism while also being able to show our creative side by making a cake and eating it in class,”  AP Government student Katie Linderman said.