At Leaders High School a problem many students and teachers said is that there is not enough freedom and places to go during lunch. They said that being able to go to other places like the field or outside for a lunch break would help them relax more and focus better. They also believe that adding more places to go during lunch would let them take a break from classes but the current options don’t let them do that and they would want more freedom.
Ninth grader Abror Abidov believes that students should have more freedom during lunch because it would make it more enjoyable for them. It would give them more space to relax and spend time with their friends. He said that more options would “make everyone happy and more excited” and even though he goes to the library most of the time because it’s “quiet and peaceful” he would still want more spaces that he can choose from. Abror would want the field to be an option so that he can go out to play soccer. He understands that there are safety issues but he believes there are still ways that students can enjoy their time while being safe.
Another ninth grader, Tsyren Erdyniev also believes that students should be able to choose where they spend their free time during lunch. He said that having options “would bring more freedom into school.” Tsyrens said that he likes to go to Mr. Ricco’s room because it is open and not crowded. He said that he doesn’t like it when it’s loud because it overwhelms him so if there would be more space he would feel more comfortable and relaxed. And just like Abror he said he would prefer to go outside.
A teacher also shared her thoughts on this situation. Ms. Park, a 12th grade teacher and 9th grade crew teacher, tells us that she understands why students want more freedom. She also said that students having more free spaces could help improve their mood or mental health especially if they want to get away from all the noise. However she said that students can’t be alone in classes because of safety. She wishes that the school would bring back the field as an option during lunch because it allowed the students to move around more.
In previous years, students in Leaders have way more freedom than they currently do. Two 11th graders, Rameen Shahid and Maryam Alieva, currently go to Leaders High School and said that during their Freshman year they were able to go out onto the field for lunch, however they said that this year and last year their options became more limited.
Overall a lot of students said that they want more freedom and options beyond just the lunchroom and library. They believe that being able to go to other places would help them feel more relaxed, less overwhelmed, less stressed, and happier. They also said that lunch should be a way for them to take a break from classes, however the current options don’t provide them with the space they need.