Monday through Friday at 12:10 p.m. students quickly grab a green tray or a homemade lunch from their backpack and begin their search for a comfy spot. By 12:55, the media center is left with trash cluttering tables and scattering the floor nearby.

Judy Keating, Mike Nichols, and Steve Butler collaborate to make the media center a safe and welcoming place for students, teachers, and visitors.

To limit the litter during lunch, the media center has decided that when too much waste is left after lunch, they will close the media center the following day due to students’ actions.

Nichols elaborates on the waste issue, “[It is] mainly the small number of people that do not clean up after themselves.” 

Over the past few years, the media center and technology support staff have made a serious effort to encourage students to utilize the space. Many students frequently spend time in the media center and have also come to a similar conclusion. 

Junior Luciana Heintzman eats in the media center often and agrees with the staff, “It’s always kind of dirty. People don’t have a lot of respect for the area.”

Heintzman is not alone in her observations. 

Another junior, Kelsie Rivera, concurs with staff and other students, “It’s pretty understandable they are doing that. It can get pretty bad.”

It is important to note that the media center will only be closed for one day after there is a mess.

Nichols encourages students to “be responsible for themselves.”