Photo by Sophie Piatczyc
Story by Emily White
This year at West, students may notice the hallways are a little more crowded than previous years. However, it is not just the hallways; the lunch room has also become a densely packed environment during each shift.
West is officially the largest of the three Lees Summit R-7 high schools, and with an enrollment nearing 2,000, it is safe to say the school, including the lunch room, is becoming too small for the growing student body.
Junior Emily Swaters can attest to the growing student body. She said, “I have definitely noticed a difference in the lunch size this year, and I think it gets a little overcrowded at times. We just need a more efficient way to get people through the lunch line because they take so long that by the time you get out its practically time to go.”
Sophomore Bethany Kaiser said she agrees with Swaters. “Yes I do notice a difference in size. I feel really crowded even in line to get my lunch,” said Kaiser. “The seats are limited, and I know second lunch is the biggest and there isn’t many places to sit if you don’t get there early enough. I think maybe moving some classes out of the other lunches and putting them in first lunch would help balance the sizes a bit. Or they could just let us eat other places in the building.”
However, while many students say they agree that the lunch sizes are a little too big, Mr. Spurk, one of the 4th hour lunch supervisors, has a neutral approach. “As long as every is safe and behaving well, I don’t think there’s much of a problem.”
