Eighth grader Bryce Brookner discovered an elegantly simple way to build camaraderie among his classmates: Every Friday since sometime in the seventh grade, he has baked and brought cookies and bars to school to share them with his Middle School peers. Just because. We spoke to him about the impetus behind this random act of deliciousness.

How long have you been baking and who taught you?

I have been baking for about two or so years now. Way before I took the mantle, my mom was the baker of the family. So she taught me how to bake.

When did you start baking cookies for your classmates? What was the motivation to start and how did it evolve over time?

I started bringing cookies in October of the 2024-25 school year. One day, my mom had made some extra blondies, so I asked if I could bring them to my friends. She said yes, so I passed them out and my friends loved them. At that point, I thought, “Wait a minute, I can do this myself.” So I went to my dad, who turned out to be the wrong person to ask, and asked if I could bake, say, once a week. He was opposed to it and suggested I do it once a month, which did not sit right with seventh grade me. So I asked my mom and she agreed to let me bake every week.

It started small, with one or two containers each week, but as my cookies grew in popularity and more people started asking for them, I had to step up production. In fact, now I have to bring a giant sports duffel bag just to fit them all. Also, the chocolate chip cookie recipe I use makes a much higher quantity than most, so I need to bring a beach bag to transport the goods as well. 

What kind of cookies (or other baked goods) do you like to bring?

Up until recently, I had a rule where I would not repeat a cookie type throughout the school year. For example, if I’d already made snickerdoodles that year, I would not make them again until the next year. I ended that because people wanted to see certain “favorites” again and I was running out of ideas of unique cookies to make!

What do your classmates think about your baking?

My classmates really like my baking. They always ask what cookies I will be bringing, if I can save them one, and if they can give me suggestions for the next bake.

What's your favorite thing to bake?

My favorite thing to bake is brownies, because I prefer them over cookies! And when making a regular size recipe, they take a lot less time to make than cookies.

How do you feel sharing cookies with your peers reflects the Woodward Way?

I feel it reflects the aspect of being kind to people and giving back to the community. What I do, at least in my eyes, brings a sense of community and brings everyone at Woodward’s Middle School closer together.