The days of pretzels, Nutrigrain bars, and Sun Chips are over at Hewitt. These familiar snacks have been mysteriously replaced by containers filled with dried chickpeas, granola, and Goldfish, accompanied by paper cups. The exchange seemed to happen overnight, as the Hewitt community was shocked to see the new snacks on the first day of school. Students have been speculating what prompted the switch, theorizing that Mr. Clare or the bistro staff might be involved. In the pursuit of truth, I decided to investigate the snack change to find who or what is behind the new snacks.
To begin my investigation, I sought testimony from the father of sustainability at Hewitt, Mr. Clare. When asked about his involvement in the snack switch, Mr. Clare responded, “My involvement has little to do with the snacks themselves, but I was asked about ways to distribute snacks that would limit waste. Ideally, we would have snacks in the cafeteria, and there would be a way to easily access snacks without them being packaged. Unfortunately, all of the upper school students can’t be in the cafeteria at once, so we talked about the idea of dispensers for snacks so the students can take snacks to go.”
As many students expected, Mr. Clare advocated for the new containers to fight against the unnecessary usage of disposable plastics. However, some community members were surprised to learn he had little involvement in the snacks themselves. Upon hearing this shocking information, one 11th grader commented, “I totally thought Mr. Clare was behind the chickpeas. He definitely eats those in his free time.”
After confirming Mr. Clare’s partial involvement, I asked him about his accomplices in the suspicious snack swap. He said I should speak to Mr. Riddick, who also might have helped with the new snacks. Along with being the Upper School Dean and a law teacher, Mr. Riddick is apparently on the secret snack committee. When I approached Mr. Riddick about his involvement, he responded, “I had no involvement with the snack change. I was as surprised as the students were when I got back. I like the idea conceptually because of the alignment with our push for sustainability, but practicality should rule the day sometimes.” As Mr. Riddick implies, some concerns have arisen over the new containers. The snacks dispense from the canisters rapidly, leading to countless squashed Goldfish on the ground. Although Mr. Riddick denied his role in the snack change, his insightful comment prompted the next portion of my investigation. To find out the truth about the snacks, I needed to interview some students.
Despite not being initially consulted about the snacks, President Livy Molko and Vice President Nina Becket have stepped up to advocate for better options. When asked for a statement, President Livy commented, “For us to get new snacks, we need to finish the ones that are there right now. They are in the process of getting new dispensers. We’re working on it, guys!” According to Livy, once students eat all of the current offerings, she and Nina will try to get snacks that all students will enjoy. Additionally, Livy and Nina are working to address the problems associated with the containers. The current snack situation is imperfect, but many students have come to appreciate the new options. One Upper Schooler commented, “While I was initially hesitant about eating the snacks, I think they are a healthier and good alternative.” Keeping an open mind about the snacks is crucial, as many people are trying their best to make everyone happy.
Although the origins of the new snacks may remain a mystery forever, Upper Schoolers have begun to embrace the change. Many students now routinely grab a cup of granola or Goldfish to power themselves through a tiring day of classes. Though the containers have posed some minor issues, they certainly align with Hewitt’s values. After all, everyone knows that building an equitable, sustainable, and joyous future starts with dried chickpeas.