by Kennedy Bright

When the juniors and freshmen head to lunch after announcements and prayer, junior Angelica Duckworth stays behind in a classroom to get a head start on her homework for the night.

 “I don’t go to lunch, because I feel like I have too much work,” Duckworth said. “I have other things outside of school that take up a lot of my time, therefore I get as much work done as I can.“

Duckworth is one of many whose busy schedule has led them to utilize the entire lunch/activity period to complete homework. According to Duckworth, balancing school, a job, and sports is difficult, so students must be creative in finding ways to manage their time. Given that a student will receive an SBR for using their netbook in the cafeteria, some students spend both activity periods in a classroom eating their lunch and getting work done.

“I see multitasking, eating while doing homework,” science teacher Renee Blake said, she has recently noticed fewer students in the cafeteria for lunch, but many of those who do not visit the cafeteria eat their lunches in other area’s. According to Blake, 89 seniors regularly visit her classroom for both activity periods with an additional 10-12 girls during the first activity.

For senior Amanda Koch, lunch lost its appeal junior year.

“You get nothing done besides watching other people eat their lunch when you could be working,” Koch said of eating in the cafeteria, “My friends [stopped going to lunch] with me. It’s not like we planned not going to lunch we just didn’t enjoy it.”

“If students choose to spend lunch/activity in a classroom rather than the cafeteria, it is still necessary to eat,” said sports/fitness teacher Stacie O’Rear. According to O’Rear, it is important to consume foods that boost nutrition and prevent hunger if students wish to productive at school.

“[Not eating lunch] affects students throughout the day,” O’Rear said. “If they get hungry, then they’re thinking about being hungry and not focusing on school. Snacks like sliced turkey around string cheese, peanut butter with apples [and] other fruits and nuts help add protein throughout the day.”

Students like Koch factor in health when choosing a classroom to study. Koch’s typical destinations include music teacher Greg Monsma, personal counselor Amanda Johnson and drama/theater teacher Shana Prentiss, all of which allow student to eat their lunches.

“I need to eat my lunch,” Koch said. “I will only go to a classroom that I can eat in while getting my work done.”

Duckworth agreed that although she likes to work during lunch activity, she never does so without eating her lunch.

“Homework is important but so is your health.” Duckworth said.