On Friday, March 17, 2023, Governor Walz signed the Free School Meals bill into law. This legislation provides a free breakfast and lunch to students who receive meals through their school’s participation in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. This meant that students in the BHM school district would have access to free breakfast and lunch throughout the entire school year.

“In October 2022 we sold 2,630 breakfasts and 18,516 lunches. October 2023 we sold 7,674 breakfasts and 22,850 lunches,” said Susan Karels-Brown, the Nutrition Services Manager at BHS.

With more meals having to be made in 90 minutes instead of the previous 120 minutes due to the shift to trimesters, it causes a big rush for the cafeteria staff at BHS. 

“It’s busy. There’s not a lot of time to restock and wash tables but we are doing our best with the time we have,” said Christina Bruce, a Nutrition Services Assistant at BHS.

It also affects the teachers quite a bit, especially those who have A and D lunches.

“With the change in the lunch schedule it makes me have to teach 5 more minutes each day for third hour the whole year,” said Physical Education teacher Austin Youngmark who, along with the rest of the Phy Ed department, has D lunch. “[At the end of the school year] it’s an extra 14 hours for third hour vs fourth hour [for teachers].”

Teachers changing their lunches to accommodate tests has proven to be an issue for lunch staff as they don’t know how many students will be in each lunch. But, when classes that have B and C lunch don’t change their lunch they have a break during the test, leaving more opportunities for cheating. Students with C lunch return to their classes with an awkward amount of time (18 minutes) before the bell rings, leaving little to no time to do anything new. This would also mean they would have about 40 minutes to take a test before lunch if their teacher didn’t change what lunch they had, but wanted to prevent cheating during the break.

“We look at the numbers of students in each lunch, what they ate last time we had that menu item, and plan accordingly so we are close in numbers but don’t run out or have to throw things away,” said Nutrition Services Assistant Courtney Wychgram. “When teachers change the lunches of their classes and don’t let the kitchen know it throws off the numbers and makes it harder for us.”

Everyone is doing the best they can with the new schedule and its challenges. These challenges are everywhere, including the lunch room. The nutrition staff are working hard everyday to give students the nutritious food they need, even with the new changes and obstacles.

The life of an exchange student is not one often thought deeply about. People mostly think about the surface things, like how different it would be to live with a new family for a whole year. Talking to a foreign exchange student opens the mind to things most people wouldn’t have thought of. Rather than finding the basics, like living with a new family weird, Benny D’attilia 23’ had something else that surprised her.

“The weirdest thing to me when coming to America is leaving a tip at a restaurant,” Said D’attilia. “We never do that In Italy, and it’s super common here.”

After most people learn to live with something, they don’t imagine what it’s like without it. This isn’t the case for exchange students. Most of them have to very quickly leave the things that made their exchange year run smoothly. Even if it doesn’t necessarily help their year run smoother, it still could be something that brings them great joy.

“I will miss seeing animals roaming around,” Said D’attilia. You never see wild animals in Rome.”

Some of the little things that exchange students love so much in America might go forgotten after leaving. However, some things stick with foreign exchange students forever. The family that they stay with and the friends they make are memories they won’t ever forget. The thought of leaving friends and family bonds she’s made has started to hit D’attilia.

“Thinking about leaving makes me really sad,” Said D’attilia. “Knowing that I will probably never see some of them again upsets me. I’m so grateful for my host family and friends here because they made my experience here amazing.”

Moving to a different country and learning new things can seem scary for most people. Looking at the positives and focusing on making the best of the experience is something for many to learn from Foreign exchange students.

The proposed redevelopment would require the demolition of the multipurpose office building that currently occupies the site and the creation of two smaller, drive-thru equipped buildings with a shared parking lot between them. Most of the meeting’s discussion focused on parking and queuing at the two facilities.

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Chipotle’s developer, Allison Morgan of Minneapolis-based Capital Real Estate, spoke before the Commission to clarify details of the project. The second building, to the north of the proposed Chipotle, was described by Morgan as a planned coffee shop with “a round logo, green in color,” a comment that was met with knowing laughs by much of the Commission.

Monday’s hearing, simply an opportunity for the Commission to share its first impressions of the project, was only the first step of a months-long process by which the restaurant is seeking city approval and it will likely be a minimum of a year before any proposed opening date.

“This is a good start,” noted Planning Commission Chair George Fantauzza near the end of the discussion. “We’d like to see this as a development.”

Photo courtesy of David Kelly, City of Buffalo

Senior Calli Branson 22’ differs from the majority of her peers at BHS; while many students go for convenience in an attempt to save time and steps, Branson sees lots of her peers throwing their recyclables into the trash can with zero disregard and care for where this used plastic or aluminum is going to end up. Branson however, likes to take the longer walk to a recycling bin, even though there are less of them in the building compared to trash cans, Branson even takes the time to recycle goods from the comfort of her home.

“I recycle everything I can while I’m at school, but I know I am better about it while I’m at home even if it means I have to walk further to have access to a recycling bin, and have it be less convenient.”

Librarian Tammy Otten spends parts of her day in the LLC and one of her choice tasks is to collect recyclables out of the trash that kids throw away. Sometimes she will yell at kids to put their recyclables where they are supposed to go, but there is a good reason for this. The military blue star moms are collecting plastic to build a bench to be put in the community.

“I save any plastic from what the students throw away as possible, not only this, but I have paper printed with a list of acceptable recyclables students and staff can donate here in the LLC to be donated to the Blue Star military mothers. ”

Freshman Stephanie Soeun 25’, like her peer Calli Branson 22’, is an advocate for the earth’s overall health, even if it is only a little thing at a time. Souen takes the chance to recycle whenever she can, in school and at home. After becoming aware of what Tammy is doing with all the used plastic, she plans to encourage her friends to recycle when they can. Souen likes the idea of keeping as much plastic out of landfills as possible, so it has the chance to be broken down and reused and made into something else in the future.

“People throw their recyclables where they are supposed to go because they don’t want their peers to be mad, or they want to help the earth by recycling and putting things in the right place. Personally, I’ve always recycled everything, but if I didn’t, I would reconsider where I put my used plastic in school, now that I know what Tammy is doing with used plastic.”

While Otten gets super excited about students taking their time to walk to a recycling bin and going the extra mile to bring in their used plastic from their own homes, she is not the only one who appreciates this. The Blue Star Mothers value each plastic donation to not only create a composite bench, but also help clean up our earth.

“The Blue Star Mothers are also working to collect 500 pounds of plastics from April 1 through September 30th to receive a Trex composite bench which will be placed in our community. 500 lbs is equivalent to 40,500 plastic bags!”

Although many people at BHS are not aware of the importance of recycling, many students and staff are working hard to combat pollution. The importance of recycling has become highlighted by people like recycling enthusiast Tammy Otten. This small act means a lot to not only Tammy, the environment as a whole, our Blue Star Mothers, and the community. You may want to reconsider where your plastic from your school bento box is going. Take the extra time to throw this item in the recycling, for a good long term cause, and encourage your peers to help clean up our earth as well. Together as a community we will help keep tons of plastic out of the landfills.

Many conspiracy theorists go much further, though, and they see a hidden hand behind the world’s major events. Conspiracy theories are often very difficult to dislodge: Some may contain grains of truth or feed an emotional need for believers. And hardcore believers are adept at rationalizing away evidence that contradicts their beliefs. 

So what do people think of a theory claiming that “birdwatching goes both ways”?

The Birds Aren’t Real movement is a viral conspiracy theory that posits that birds are actually drones operated by the United States government to spy on American citizens. On their website, the movement offers a long history and explanation for the theory, which involves the American intelligence community and the Red Scare.

It has captured the minds of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Americans. 

“I’m not completely sure of it, to be honest,” says Elizabeth Eolrin, a sophomore. “I think some people like to go all out with these kinds of things.”

Hundreds of young people have joined the movement, wearing Birds Aren’t Real T-shirts, swarming rallies and spreading the slogan.

Some would probably ask: Who is behind this? That would be Peter Mclndoe. 

The 23-year-old is the creator of this feathered fugitive tale. From his website to protesters to even a nauseating live interview, he takes his theory incredibly seriously. 

Mclndoe travels the country in his van to make his movement known, all while knowing the possible dangers of starting a huge propaganda. 

“Conspiracy theories are fun to talk about,” says Avery Thompson, a junior. “But I think that taking certain action on conspiracy theories, especially if they involve the government, can have really bad consequences.” 

Some people do leave comments trying to disprove the Birds Aren’t Real movement, but other followers appear to be sincerely buying in. With people online seemingly joining the “Bird Brigade,” which is what the group’s activists call themselves, the line between reality and potential satire becomes alarmingly thin.

Throughout this football season, Senior Cole Dostal, a student from Buffalo High School, has been a prominent member of fantasy football and has been very involved. His involvement in fantasy football has impacted the way he appreciates NFL games each Sunday.

“It’s fun when you win but if you lose you get absolutely trashed on by whoever beats you, it’s a lot easier to make trades though,” said Dostal.

Cole has made nearly 10 trades already this season which has helped make his fantasy football team a lot better. He is able to make these trades by communicating with his friends in the league via Snapchat or in person. 

Cole is involved in a group chat called “Fantasy.” In this group, everyone is involved in a league and they all talk about what their teams are doing. This is a great way to communicate with others about shared interests. This makes it very easy for everyone to vote on trades and put in their input on certain situations. 

Although being in a fantasy league can be fun, it is also stressful and time-consuming. It can become a big part of your life and take up a lot of time if you are super involved like many students at BHS. 

#5: Red Ball

Everybody’s favorite bouncing buddy! Red Ball is a game that quite a few students like at BHS. Originally developed By Eugene and published by PoopingFartingBall but you can find it easily at CoolMathGames.com. You play as this wonderful red ball who’s just trying to save the earth from the evil black squares, who want to squeeze the poop into a toilet tube. With its colorful style and bathroom-based gameplay, Red Ball bounced into the hearts of many students at BHS.

#4: Duck Life

Duck life is an online racing adventure game, complete with your own cute little ducky friend. You can spend time training them until they are the ultimate champion, feeding them until they burst, or even customize your little friend to your heart’s desire. When asked why they love this game so much, students reported it was “Very addicting and nostalgic.” Wattle your way to victory and entertainment with this classic game.

#3: Fire Boy and Water Girl

Next up, one of my personal favorites, Fire Boy and Water Girl! This is one of the few games that you can play alone or with a friend! Students say it’s one of their favorites because “Trying to solve a simple puzzle with a friend when you both suck and die constantly was always fun.” So if you want to spend time goofing off with your friend, or even enjoy the challenge of using both of your hands, Fire Boy and Water Girl is the game for you.

#2: Run

Second place for all-time favorite Cool Math Games goes to…Run! A series of platform games about aliens traveling through space. You can play as a little grey alien just trying to map out the expansive universe, and even unlock other funky aliens the further you go. If you’re ever bored during class, or simply need to space out for a little bit, then this game is for you! Go and enjoy the fun colors and speedy paths of a game students love.

#1: Papa’s Games

Last but certainly not least, our top game from Coolmathgames.com is the Papa’s Games! Specifically, Papa’s Pizzeria and Papa’s Freezeria. Play as an employee at many different shops and scramble to please the customers with the different styles of food. These simple but busy games have stolen the heart of the student body of BHS. People love these restaurant games, whether you are making scrumptious pizza, delicious donuts, or even extremely edible ice cream.

Honorable Mention: There Is No Game

One of my personal favorites, a game that tells you that there simply is no game. It’s not the most traditional not-game to play but it’s very interactive and tells you a good story. If you want to try and play this not-game and any of the other actual games, head on over to CoolMathGames.com.