When a new president is elected good things tend to occur. When a city is granted with something new good things happen. When a policy is changed that gives more freedom to teenagers, I don’t know what’s going to happen.

The school year has just begun anew and students are rolling in after being gone for a virtual year. This was all thanks to good ol’ COVID.  A school policy now has been altered. All students are now given the privilege to go outside for lunch. A permission once excluded to only students with an adequate enough gpa. In the past, a list would be posted with names of students in alphabetical order and those students were allowed to go out. I used to dread that list since my name would not appear on it sometimes. 

A handful of students did not respect this policy and would cheat the system by having friends bring food inside for them. In the past, people would give money to reward lunch students and then bring food back in as contraband. The staff never knew! A senior at UACHS, who wishes to stay anonymous, confirms this. 

“Right in front of people’s noses. That’s literally how they would walk into the MPR, claiming that that is their own food and it looks like they’re sharing that food with their so-called friends. Really, they’re just giving the food they brought for them,” said Anonymous.  

Now in 2021, times have changed at the UACHS building. Everyone leaves the building as soon as the bell rings and crowds up the back entrance up till the boys bathroom. Way too many kids are in that one area and COVID could travel quicker. We are still in a pandemic just to mention. 

Once that area is cleared, everyone sprints to the end of the street. Most students are gone with their little friend groups skimming around for a tasty quick eat. There is nothing more enjoyable than leaving that cramped school building, and flinging those masks away. The placid nature of the MPR is a terrific result to come out of this. I personally enjoy the quiet lunchroom and the unusual silence. 

My first con that brings me unhappiness is the thought of “earning.” What that means is, the sake of having good grades and being given a reward. Its former title was “reward lunch.” It wouldn’t make sense to take away something that can actually motivate students to earn better grades. The importance of working hard is to work towards a goal, and this exclusive pass was a competition. 

There is one caveat to this new policy. You will require a lunch pass and if you lose it you will not be allowed to venture out. This pass is your golden ticket to the outdoors.

 I say it wont assist the situation and here’s why. 

We are clumsy kids and we lose things. We forget and lose track of valuable items. Why should proof of permission be new now. It gives a chance to show your responsibility but why now? The idea of freshmen having the permission to leave school grounds for lunch is preposterous. Not where it’s totally bonkers, but not ideal. These kids are fresh on the scene and are still trying to adjust to high school life. Other schools know that maturity has not fully been developed at ages 14 and 15. So they give them the Stop sign because they acknowledge it’s for the best. 

When this policy changed I thought that UACHS was in its step to evolving. However, I was so wrong. The system of Reward Lunch has been revolutionized and it appears there’s no point of return. You know who the lucky ones are in this scenario: the graduating classes before us.