Courtesy/ Mike Stegemiler

Flocks of “toucans” were spotted around campus on Tuesday, April 21, sparking curiosity and sending students searching for them. But those who went looking realizedthese creatures were not birds at all. 

Instead, students found five sets of two soda cans taped to a tree, on which it was revealed that the “toucans” were literally two cans. The entire situation was a playful dad joke that caught many by surprise. 

The prank’s mastermind, chemistry teacher, Dr. Stegemiller, said the idea came to him during his advisory’s pinhole camera activity on Earth Day. Inspired by the creativity of the activity, and recalling a previous joke where he hid small plastic ducks in Dr. Jacky’s room, he decided to bring another lighthearted idea to life. 

“The faculty enjoyed it and thought it was funny, but many students were surprised and confused by the prank,” Stegemiller said. He added that the joke had a positive effect by getting students outside during the school day and giving them something fun to do amid their studying and schoolwork, especially with AP testing coming up. 

Students were invited to participate by submitting their sightings, with five responses reported from Aanya S., Theo C., Anders H., Stephanie L., and Claire C. As an added incentive, Advanced Chemistry students could earn extra credit for getting involved with Aanya S., and Theo C.

What started as a simple pun turned into a school-wide joke, and when asked why he decided to organize it, Stegemiller’s answer was simple: “Why not?”