When the adjudicator from Guinness World Records declared the Bright School creation comprising 16,390 MoonPies the “World’s Largest Cookie Mosaic” last September, it was exciting. But having the record documented in text and with photos in one of the most popular books in the world is an accomplishment that the 300 students at Bright School will never forget.
Bright School celebrated the school’s Centennial anniversary in a big way on Sept. 29, 2012 – by smashing the world’s previous largest cookie mosaic record using thousands of banana, chocolate and vanilla MoonPies provided by local company Chattanooga Bakery. The finished product measured 1,351.51 square feet, tripling the previous record held by Oreo in China.
A party featuring MoonPie ice cream sandwiches was held for the children on Tuesday to commemorate the 2014 Guinness book release date. Children received pre-ordered books and bookmarks declaring “I’m a record-breaker.”
Last fall, Bright School students wrote persuasive letters in class addressed to the editor of the Guinness World Records book. The children presented many valid reasons why the Cookie Mosaic record should be included in the upcoming book. These letters were bundled and sent with a few MoonPies for good measure to Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief, in London, England.
“We are so excited to have achieved what will be for most of us a once-in-a-lifetime feat,” said Kim Brown, Bright School’s director of Advancement. “We wanted to do something memorable in honor of Bright School’s 100th birthday, and what better way to celebrate Bright School and Chattanooga than with 16,000 MoonPies? Besides who doesn’t want to have their achievement in print in the Guinness Book?”
The Guinness World Records book is one of the most widely read books ever published. More than one hundred million copies have been sold in more than 20 languages. Guinness World Records says it hears from tens of thousands of people each year who want to set a record. Records must be “provable, quantifiable and breakable.” Around 80 percent of applications received are rejected outright. This year, 211 record attempts were successful in the United States, out of 13,268 applications.
Committee members organizing the official attempt included Tory Johnston, VP of Marketing at Chattanooga Bakery, Pam McKenney and Barbaranelle Rowe, Centennial Events Co-Chairmen, Sissy Berube, Cookie Mosaic Chairman, Tony McDaniel, Mosaic Build Coordinator and Sabrina McAllister, Paul Davis, Ray Park, Jackie Phelps, and Kim Brown.
After the 2012 record authentication, the MoonPies were distributed to participants, shelters and community centers for consumption.
For a time-lapse video of the record-breaking build, go to http://vimeo.com/50452735 and http://vimeo.com/50454390.