It has been two full months since the start of school, and student-life is in full swing.  However, there has been a concerning absence of one of OHS students’ favorite traditions- the bake sale.  In the past, bake sales have been run by student clubs and athletic teams as a way to fundraise for their respective organizations.  They have been an integral source of revenue, and they give these groups an opportunity that they wouldn’t otherwise have.  The lack of these fundraisers has evoked questions from the organizations and customers alike.

So what has happened to our beloved bake sale?  The answer can be traced back to the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFA).  The act, an initiative propelled by First Lady Michelle Obama, was designed to make reforms on breakfast and lunch programs in schools.  This requires schools across America to offer healthier food and drink choices, as well as limit opportunities for unhealthy snack options to be consumed, hence the disappearance of the bake sale.  The ban doesn’t necessarily have to be permanent; the bake sales can resume as long as pre-approved, pre-packaged, “healthy” snack foods are sold.  This rule is only in effect during the school day, meaning our sports concession stands are safe for now.

The ban does have some value in their claims.  Obesity is on the rise in America, and bake sales almost always sell fat and sugar loaded goods to the students. Michelle Obama and her team hope to reduce this unhealthy aspect of students’ lives by eliminating the sales of cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and more.  Many students do purchase these goods when they are available.  They hope that by taking away bake sales, they will be taking away an unhealthy contributor to students’ lives. They want to motivate students to eat healthier and encourage others to eat healthier.

If we want this fundraiser to be revived in our school, there is going to be a process that the administration must handle first.  Our school district’s food service provider Aramark has to send a list of healthy snack alternatives to our principal, Mr. Mandel, for approval.  Any group that wants to hold a bake sale must choose snacks from that list, which will be purchased by the group and be delivered by Aramark so that they can be resold.  The prices of these treats will most likely be higher than average and not have the same sugary sweetness that we are accustomed to.  We do have the option of continuing our traditionally homemade, sugar-filled fundraisers on one condition- that our district will not receive any federal aid, which is pertinent to the functioning of our schools.

OHS principal Mr. Mandel, who is pro-sugar, is upset by the new health conscious policies being implemented.  “The government should focus more on educating students to make healthy choices.  This regulation is unnecessary-  high schoolers especially have been given the tools and the knowledge to make the right choice.”  The nutrition education that the students in this district have been given has instilled confidence in him that the government doesn’t seem to have.

The harsh ultimatums and grueling processes that the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act would force upon the school district makes the point of a bake sale moot.  The whole idea of a fundraiser is to make money to support your cause, not to deplete your finances.  Student organizations have begun to use alternative methods of fundraising that have been successful, decreasing the importance of the bake sale.  As sad as it is that the fan favorite might be going to the chopping block, it’s even sadder that the long time tradition has to be compromised by the government’s need to improve childhood obesity statistics and their distrust in students’ decision making.