By Demaria Willis

  Schools, including Centennial, should have vending machines. They can help the school raise more money and they will help teachers and students get through their day. Vending machines don’t need to offer only snacks and unhealthy food, they could offer fruits and other healthy bars. There should be a variety to pick from because you don’t know what people are allergic to. One article on the issue says, “ Vending machines are beneficial in high schools. Having one in your high school allows easy access to a nutritional snack or healthy drink. Also,  it encourages dieting and it’s been proven that available snacks help improve classroom concentration. These machines are beneficial to all school districts”. At different schools, people may use vending machines in different ways, like providing snacks or if kids need school supplies it could be used for something like that too. There are several laws that explain why many schools can’t have vending machines. An article on this topic explains, “The 2010 school nutrition rules are meant to provide a minimum standard of nutritious, healthful food that will provide enough calories without contributing to obesity. The changes from previous school lunch standards include requirements for school lunches such as:  Bread products must be at least 50% whole grain, and Foods cannot contain any trans fats that are not naturally occurring. Fruits and vegetables must be served every day; green, leafy vegetables must be served once a week. Meals must meet both minimum and maximum calorie requirements for the age group to which they are being served, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards. School districts must create a local wellness policy.”  I feel like it’s good to have rules like that because you never know what people are allergic to, and adding empty calories to students’ diets makes people gain weight, have high blood pressure, and other health problems. However, I think adding vending machines can better both students and teachers by offering nutritional snacks or healthy drinks. It also encourages focus in students so they can be energized for the whole day.