The trials have ended. The time of One Lunch is here, formally implemented into all Virginia Beach Public Schools for the 2018-2019 school year onward. The basic concept of One Lunch is to eliminate the need for students to stay after school and have activities, clubs, and tutoring available during the school day, that time being during lunch.

During One Lunch, students are free to go and do whatever their hearts desire, (within the school grounds, and the student approved areas), while teachers chaperone or devote the time to an office “hour” (One Lunch is 50 minutes) for students to receive help in their classes.

During this time, the hallways are filled with kids walking, talking, and sitting, and there are clusters of students all throughout the building. To lessen the traffic flow that already exists in hallways staff labeled stairwells, allowing only one stairway for going up, and the other for going down. This cut out shoving, and awkward traffic flows. Stairways are also a no-go sitting and eating zone, for the same reasons.  

How do students use this time? Of course, you have the handful who attempt to ruin it for everyone by getting into fights, or leaving the school grounds for Wendy’s. But overall, most students use that time for what is meant for: to wind down, receive help, mingle with friends, and attend club meetings.

Chase Brunn, junior, says he uses the time to hang out with his friends in the art room, where they sit or walk around. And if he does need help, he says he will use One Lunch to receive it. He believes it was a good idea.

Niya Diggs, junior, agrees and uses the time to catch up on homework that wasn’t finished the night before or to attend Tea Club.

One change that One Lunch has impacted has been the cafeteria.  While the cafeteria is still a place where many eat, the lines have grown and are large during the first half.

Some changes have been made to challenge this issue, such as the order-ahead option which allows students to put in their orders before 8 am, and pick them up from a separate line.  

Student ideas for improvement are to make vending machines available during One Lunch.

However, past the chaos during the first half, the second half has the cafeteria cleared out with people going to their respective places. Second half in the cafeteria has a similar feel to the old lunch block schedule – less chaotic, calmer.

The idea of One Lunch is to eliminate the need for after-school activities, give students the time to receive help, and a time for them to just wind down and relax during the school day. The feedback from students is mixed, with the lessened boundaries to students, and the crowding of the cafeteria during the first half, but the majority of students agree that the implementation of One Lunch was a good move for Kempsville High School.