Bryan Jagoe ‘15
EE Contributor
The alarm clocks go off, the showers turn on, and the day has started. For many students, the morning routine would not be complete without the help of a warm cup of coffee. Unfortunately, it takes time to make coffee, and it is a hassle to have to go out somewhere before school to buy it. This problem could easily be solved if the school cafeteria sold coffee to its students.
Many high schools do not even consider the distribution of this commonly consumed beverage, but why not? Some may argue that it would distract students in class due to the caffeine, and others say that it is an unnecessary and unhealthy habit.
Recently, a school district in Austin, Texas opened cafés in all of their high schools and the results have been nothing but successful. Not only have the schools raised a decent amount of money, but the students are also happier. Their cafés sell more than just coffee: they offer a variety of healthy baked goods and ice-based fruit smoothies. This is something that the school should definitely consider adding to our school.
The average sixteen ounce cup of coffee has only five calories in it. This number, however, does not account for the different add-ons that are often mixed in to it. If the school only offered skim milk and zero-calorie sweeteners, then the beverage will still be classified as healthy. Also, studies done by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee have shown that adding a normal amount of caffeine to one’s daily diet can increase memory performance and help sustained attention. These benefits are crucial for the average high school student.
“I think they should just sell coffee to the seniors in our senior lounge,” says everyday coffee-drinker and senior Michael Liskov. “I would definitely buy one everyday.”
Liskov then went on to state that if the coffee was only sold to the seniors, it would give the underclassmen something to look forward to during their high school career. Furthermore, fewer students would be late to school in the morning if the school offered coffee.
“The only time I’ve been late to school this year was because I was stuck in traffic coming from Starbucks.” Liskov mentions this while discussing benefits of opening the café. “Instead of driving past Trumbull High to get coffee, I wish I could just pull in the parking lot and buy my drink there. It’d be so much more convenient.”
Students of all grades were asked about how they feel about the selling of coffee here at THS. Out of the 84 students surveyed, 78 of them support the selling of coffee in school. That’s almost 93% of students. With results like this, it is only common sense that we try to help the popular opinion in at least trying out this new idea.
“I do not understand why I cannot buy a cup of coffee at school. Obviously most students here support the distribution of it,” adds senior Justin Lynch when told about the results.
So what do you say? Why don’t we open a coffee café at THS? With more positive outcomes than negative ones, the selling of coffee would only benefit the learning experience and student body here at Trumbull High.