Significant changes to El Camino’s student store are expected to happen Fall 2007. With the implementation of the soda ban in local middle schools serving as a prelude to the end of junk food sales in all California schools, the student store is bound to close if changes don’t take place soon. The law to end all junk food sales in all California schools will be in effect by July 1 of this year.

Student Store Commissioner Paul Landicho stated that, “[California] classifies junk food as high-calorie foods that encourage kids to develop eating habits that make them obese.” Landicho also explained that the school is only supposed to provide a maximum of one-third of the calories for a 2000 calorie-diet.

The student store, whose merchandise mainly consists of chips, soda, and processed food, is the greatest source of income for funding school activities. The quality of the dances, rallies, and spirit events would be placed in jeopardy if the student store were to close. To maintain the amount of funds earned, the student store is going to have to adapt by selling school related items in lieu of junk food. Landicho explained, “School supplies, healthier food alternatives, and apparel like sweaters, flip-flops, bags and beanies are the things that we’re thinking of selling but we’re open to suggestions for [other] merchandise [that we can sell].” If the experimental merchandise sales fall through however, the legacy of the student store would be bound for an end.

El Camino students are devastated by the idea of a closed student store. Landicho commented, “If I can, I would hire a lobbyist and a lawyer to go against [this] law.”

Some cafeteria employees disagree with the idea of a closed student store as well. Cafeteria worker Ruby Cruz commented, “The student store should sell after school [instead].” Cruz explained that the student store is in jeopardy of closing because they don’t prepare the nutritionally balanced packaged food that the government nutritionist requires. “The student store shouldn’t sell at the same time as the cafeteria and [that] somebody from the cafeteria should monitor food sold at the store [to keep the student store in business],” Cruz suggested.

Regardless, the changes to the student store are inevitable it’s simply a matter of their severity.