No More Microwaves at CCHS

As of the 2020 school year, Covenant Christian High School had gotten rid of their

microwaves in the hallways for student access. The microwave in the staff break room remained

in operation. How had this change impacted the students? Was no more microwaves affecting

their health? With no more microwaves in school, students are upset they can no longer bring

leftovers and feel as though their health is suffering.

Last school year at CCHS, many students used the hallway microwaves. The lines always

had at least ten people in them. Jori Holstege, a senior at Covenant, said that she normally would

use the microwaves four out of five days in the week. “I would probably use them about twice a

week,” said Jeremy Langerak, a sophomore. “Every single one of my friends use microwaves

close to everyday.” Another student said that he was annoyed because he brought leftover pizza

but could not warm it up.

 Because the microwaves were so heavily used, they have impacted the student’s lunches.

Grant Van Overloop, a senior, said, “It's very annoying because I can’t bring any leftovers from

supper, and I really don’t appreciate it. I know that COVID is around, but we do need

microwaves.” Some students expressed concern for nutritional impacts that having no

microwaves would cause. “I do not agree with the decision because I used to be able to have

leftovers every day for lunch and now I have to have either a salad or gross sandwich. And now,

we can’t get good protein because usually when we warm things up it's protein or a vegetable, so

you’re losing out on your nutrition,” said Ashley Spronk, a senior at CCHS . Jori Holstege,

another student, said she no longer brings a whole meal, but finds herself grabbing an apple as

her lunch instead. She thought that no microwaves had led to bad eating habits for her lunch.

According to John Muir Health, a not-for-profit integrated system of doctors, hospitals

and other services, proper teen nutrition is essential to growth into a healthy adult. They said that

teens must eat a varied diet that includes two cups of fruit, two and a half cups of vegetables,

thirteen hundred milligrams of calcium, five and a half grams of protein, six ounces of grain,

plenty of iron rich foods, and only thirty percent of calorie intake should come from fats. These

are strict regulations that cannot be achieved if a student is only taking an apple to school for

lunch. According to Mrs. Emily Boerson, a teacher at Covenant, she had seen kids eating only

chips for lunch. She believed that the student’s nutrition is negatively impacted by the loss of the

hallway microwaves.

It was decided that the microwaves should be taken out of hallways in order to maintain

socially distancing and help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Grant Van Overloop said,

“I think that if we had microwaves it would not make COVID cases go up.” In an interview with

Mrs. Katy Miedema, the fact that the staff had access to microwaves while the student body does
not was brought up. She said, “The teachers have a big room where they are able to socially

distance and take turns at the microwave. With so many student body in the hallway, there would

be no way to keep the cleanliness good. There would not be six feet between every student in the

line.” She believed that students are not mature enough to adhere to social distancing guidelines,

so they should not be allowed the microwaves.

Students were upset about not having microwaves in the hallways. They and their friends

used them most days out of the week. Students could no longer bring leftovers for lunch, but

instead had to bring sandwiches or other alternatives. These examples given do not fit the

nutrition requirements for growing teens. The microwaves were taken in order to maintain social

distancing. Staff members agreed that students would not be mature enough to socially distance

at the microwave lines.

 Works Cited

Nutrition for Teens​,

www.johnmuirhealth.com/health-education/health-wellness/childrens-health/nutrition-teen

s.html.