Things changed when we came back to school after quarantine. Some big and some small. One of the things that people have been talking about since we came back is the vending machines. Why are the vending machines closed during school?

“They should be open cause let’s say someone doesn’t have anything to eat,” Andrea said. “They can get something from the vending machine.”

The vending machines were almost always open in 2019-2020. When we came back from the quarantine in 2021, suddenly, they were closed. People immediately questioned why and were very confused.

“I think cause people were ditching class or the bathroom as an excuse to go to the vending machines,” Andrea said. This issue isn’t the reason for them closing vending machines during school. This may have been bit of a nuisance for teachers and security, but it is not a reason to close them during school hours.

“Argo is part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) with the State of Illinois. Per this program, the school must follow strict guidelines on what is offered to students during school hours. Vending machine choices do not qualify,” said Ms. Hoffmeister, Confidential Secretary to Joe Rojek, the Assistant Superintendent of Business.

To explain, this means that the government does not allow Argo to sell the snacks we have in our vending machines during school hours due to guidelines. The NSLP controls what Argo can put in their vending machines. The State guidelines with the NSLP to be specific. The students of Argo did nothing wrong or anything like that for the vending machines to close.

Sadly, it doesn’t get any better.

“It is possible we could offer healthy snacks in the vending machines; the district would need to work with the vending company and the NSLP to see what options there might be available,” Ms. Hoffmeister said. “We have looked into this in the past and there were not many options.”

There is a way for the vending machine to operate during school hours. The problem is that the options the NSLP provides aren’t very good or in a lot of variety. The options are also healthy options which most students of Argo will not be happy with. The business office of Argo would very much would like to open their vending machines during school hours. Due to the State guidelines with the NSLP, they can’t.