At the end of last year, Gunn welcomed new additions to its campus: Vending machines from LetsGoVending found their permanent homes, moving from the Spangenberg quad to the K-building and the area behind the pool. Stocked with drinks such as Gatorade and Snapple, as well as snack items like Doritos and Rice Krispies Treats, the machines have become a convenient option for students seeking quick bites between classes.
Eight vending machines were present on Gunn’s campus before the pandemic but were removed after the school’s closure and subsequent construction projects. Student desires for more convenient food options prompted the return of the vending machines, according to Principal Wendy Stratton. “There were a lot of students who came forward to my office and were like, ‘We’d like to have access to vending machines or food options — especially those of us who (have) an afterschool sport,’” she said. “It took a few months to get that to happen, but it was a student-driven phenomenon.”
Sophomore Griffin Burton has appreciated the machines. “I use (the vending machines) right before first period because my class is right next to (one),” he said. “I also use it during lunch. It’s just nice to grab something.”
According to Burton, however, some students have lost money due to negligence. “If you’re using your credit card, you have to press the ‘complete’ button before you leave,” he said. “Anyone else can use it, so it can keep going and going until someone presses ‘complete.’ There have been times where people accidentally bought things with someone else’s money, then all of a sudden, six or seven dollars go down the drain.”
Child Nutrition Administrator Alva Spence noted that the district plans to add one more snack and one more beverage machine to Gunn’s campus — the machines have been ordered and will be placed near the end of September.
