When walking down to the lunchroom after a hard and intense session of learning from the past two or three periods, one may think that there would be some kind of a break, a halt in the rapid cycle of learning. However, when students’ lunch time finally comes around, rather than a relaxing period to eat and fuel for the rest of the day, students have just 30 minutes to rapidly ingest as many calories as they can. Growing teenage students need to fuel and be constantly eat to support their growing bodies. When students are forced to jam pack their midday feast into a short 20 minute period, it is hard for them to actually process and vitalize the nutrients they are ingesting.
One solution to this could be to open up Ladue lunch policy and allow students to venture outside of the school for their lunch period, allowing for more versatile and longer lunches. Giving students the opportunity to have a longer lunch takes away the stress of having to eat their lunches in a short period of time, and comes with many other benefits that could improve students’ physical and mental health. Ladue only requires students to take physical education for one semester each year, so besides this, students spend most of their time sitting in the classroom for hours on end. With the implementation of an open lunch, students have the opportunity to get fresh air, walk to nearby shops, and support local Ladue businesses – all while indulging in a fulfilling lunch.
This solution appeals to all audiences of Ladue’s vast student population, as those who would rather stay in school can enjoy the school lunch, while others can expand their horizons to other areas. An open lunch offers an escape for all students while improving mental health and community interaction.
