Marshmallow Treats Inspire Creativity on Morrisville State College Norwich Campus

The squishy pastel candy confections associated with Easter, Peter Cottontail and spring are making their way into more than children's baskets and festive grocery store displays, and proving they aren't just for eating anymore.



On the Norwich campus of Morrisville State College, the sparkly marshmallow treats are the subject of a creative competition in which participants are tasked to make a diorama (three-dimensional scene) using the famed “Peeps.”



The contest is open to the public.



For a nominal entry fee of $5, participants with a dazzling display of Peeps chicks and bunnies can take top prize and walk away with some cash in their pocket while supporting a great cause too. Proceeds will support Haiti earthquake relief efforts.



The rules of the “Peeps Love Haiti Diorama” competition are simple— assemble the colored candies into a display (shoebox or something of comparable size that can be easily transported) no larger than 12 inches high, 20 inches wide and 12 inches deep.



Offensive or inappropriate entries will not be accepted. Extra credit will be given to the individual or group who deftly employs puns in their diorama concept or title (for example, hear no evil, see no evil, peep no evil).



Dioramas will be judged by two methods; most original theme (scariest, funniest, musical, or based on a movie, sports or anything educational and by category; individual, group (by family), or group (by major/department).



Dioramas must be taken to the Norwich Campus and registered by 5 p.m. April 1. Registration forms are available at the Administration Office of the Norwich Campus located at 20 Conkey Ave., adjacent to the Eaton Center in downtown Norwich.



Winning dioramas will be showcased in the college display case.



For more information or to register for the competition, contact Marsha L. Cornelius, interim dean, at 334-5144 or by e-mail at cornelml@morrisville.edu.



The Morrisville State College Norwich Campus offers associate degree programs in accounting, business, computer systems technology, office administration, liberal arts transfer, nursing, early childhood, criminal justice and human services to south central New York residents and employers. Students may also apply coursework to other associate or bachelor degrees at the Morrisville campus.



Peeps Facts

Peeps are marshmallow candies, sold in the United States and Canada, that are shaped into chicks, bunnies, and other animals. There are also different shapes used for various holidays. Peeps are used primarily to fill Easter baskets, though recent ad campaigns tout the candy as "Peeps - Always in Season". They are made from marshmallow, sugar, gelatin, and carnauba wax.



Peeps are produced by Just Born, a candy manufacturer based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Just Born has expanded its product line to include bats, cats, pumpkins, and ghosts for Halloween; hearts for Valentine's Day; eggs for Easter; trees, gingerbread men, snowmen, "JOY", and stars for Christmas; and red, white, and blue chicks and stars for the Fourth of July.



Although the original Peeps were standard marshmallow flavor, some of the newer flavors include chocolate mousse (bunnies for Easter, cats for Halloween, reindeer for Christmas), strawberry and vanilla (hearts for Valentine's Day), cocoa (cats and bats for Halloween), sugar cookie (gingerbread people for Christmas), and orange (eggs for Easter).

Peeps chicks and bunnies come in six colors (yellow, pink, lavender, blue, orange and green).



Yellow is America's best-selling color of Peeps chicks and bunnies.



Each Peep has 28 calories and zero grams of fat.



People do curious things with Peeps—eat them fresh, age them to perfection, microwave them, freeze them, roast them, and even cook with them.



In the early 1950's it took 27 hours to make one Peeps chick. Today it takes six minutes.