As soon as the bell rings, students rush to the cafeteria to buy lunches. Some students run as fast as they can, causing a disturbance in the halls, but get to the cafeteria first. Other students will spend their entire lunch waiting in line, or wait until the lines die down. Then students have to sit in the sun to eat, because the tables were moved out of the shade by the classrooms.

The cause of the long line problem is the new free lunch program. Now fewer students bring lunches from home, making the lines longer. This program has been approved by the state for the next three years. The obvious solution is to open up more lines, and despite what the students think, the school is trying. “Hiring staff takes time, and although students are allowed to work in the cafeteria, very few have applied,” explains cafeteria supervisor Lilian Yorba.

Students also complain about the new configuration of the lunch tables. “I used to sit in the shade, but now I have to sit in the sun, and at lunch it gets hot,” junior Matilda Bowen said. The tables were moved to areas with more trash cans and away from classrooms to create a quieter environment for teachers, and to limit the amount of trash around the classrooms. 

However, more tables are going to be added to the campus. The new tables, called Belly-up tables are slated for the most popular spots like near the end of the H building when outlets to charge phones and computers are available.. “I believe the kids should be happy, and new and cool things should make our school more friendly for students,” Assistant Principal Gannon Burks said. “The placement of both the new and old tables are well thought out, and we took input from kids too.”

According to Burks the new tables were supposed to be here a few months ago, but due to COVID, the shipping had been slow. He hopes the new additions will arrive sometime in the next few weeks.