A very special burger birthday at BPMS

Broadalbin-Perth Middle School students are used to seeing all kinds of interesting things in their social studies classroom — but nothing quite like the cheeseburger in a jar.

For the past several years, social studies teacher Jason Kruger has kept a fast-food cheeseburger sealed and on display in a jar beside his desk. And on October 26 each year, Kruger and his students celebrate the “Burger Birthday.”

Kruger bought the burger on Oct. 26, 2018, after a Broadalbin-Perth football game. Instead of taking a bite, he placed it directly into a jar — and hasn’t touched it since. Five years later, the burger looks almost exactly the same.
According to Kruger, that’s the point.

“This is a visual reminder for students,” Kruger explained. “Fast food can be convenient and definitely has a place in our lives. But when a burger can sit for years without changing much at all, it’s worth thinking about what we’re really putting into our bodies.”