South Ridge students build gingerbread houses

RIDGEFIELD — Classroom tables at South Ridge Elementary School were covered with dozens of bowls of candy and graham cracker houses during the holiday season as students worked to build tiny gingerbread homes. Kindergartners and third-grade students helped one another construct the sticky creations during the classroom buddy program. Teachers Holly Gasca and Kristen Paradis passed out bowls of frosting and craft sticks as building materials. Students meet for the buddy program one or two times a month. “Almost every Friday, they ask if we have buddies today,” third-grade teacher Paradis said in a news release. “And if I say yes, they peek out the door to see if they’re coming.”