The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch

Up At Bat: Chipotle and Cafeteria Contribute to Increase in Student Health

Every day from 10:53-11:31 a.m., students from WJ pile into the new Chipotle located in Georgetown Square. Many citizens of the WJ community may think the amount of Chipotle eaten by WJ students poses a health hazard. However, purchasing and consuming the right amount of Chipotle ingredients may just be the cause of the increase in student’s nutritional health.

“[Chipotle’s] food is much fresher than most fast food restaurants’,” said WJ’s school nurse Ki-Nam Kim. Kim noted that a Chipotle burrito contains the right amount of corn, rice, tomatoes, onions and avocado to approximate to the healthy carbohydrates and vegetables that teens need. If students choose, they can ask for either steak or chicken in their meal, providing a substantial portion of protein into the serving.

If some students want to visit Chipotle more than once a week, it’s not a problem. Teen boys who are still growing require up to 2,800 calories. However, girls may want to watch how many times they visit Chipotle and monitor the portions of what they are eating. Most high school girls stop growing around the age of 16 and do not require as many calories as the still-growing boys.

“Not many girls grow in high school, whereas boys keep growing until about 22,” said Kim.

Story continues below advertisement

The new Chipotle is not the only cause of WJ students’ improvement in nutrition. Students may not know that actually, WJ’s cafeteria food has also improved over the past few years.

“The food in the cafeteria has changed quite a bit,” said Kim. “Now with school lunch, there are so many choices.”

Salad is provided daily for students at lunch, as well as fresh fruit, applesauce, low-fat milk and low-fat chocolate milk. The cafeteria provides students with the choice of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken patties, chili, tomato soup and the choice of pepperoni or plain pizza layered with low-fat cheese. There is even a vegetarian option everyday, for example, a vegan burger. In addition, the machines in the cafeteria hold juice, not soda.

However, some students continue to hold a negative image of the cafeteria in their minds

“I’ve never eaten there,” said sophomore Sarah Hansen. “I hear the food is really bad.”

Students at WJ make choices everyday concerning what they wear, which hallway to take to class and whether or not to turn in their work on time. Despite what students may think, they are responsible for the decisions they make concerning what they eat. Students can eat healthy by bringing a lunch from home, paying a visit to the now-very-local Chipotle in Georgetown Square or even go against all high school stereotypes and decide to purchase a meal from WJ’s cafeteria.

WJ students are capable of making the right choices regarding their diet. If they fail to monitor the contents of what they eat and are told to be more careful by their doctors, it is not the school’s fault, or Chipotle’s. It is their own fault for choosing to purchase the food products that they consumed for lunch.

If you forgot your lunch at home and are reluctant to make a trip off campus to get food, please don’t resort to not eating. Grab something healthy from the cafeteria. And yes, this option exists.

0
0
Leave a Comment
Donate to The Pitch
$775
$1000
Contributed
Our Goal

Your donation will support the student journalists of Walter Johnson High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
About the Contributor
Abby Singley, Online Editor-in-Chief
Abby Singley was on the Pitch staff since her sophomore year, and as a senior, she was Online Editor-in-Chief and the Print Copy Chief in 2010-2011. The previous year, Abby was the first online editor-in-chief, and was also a copy editor during her sophomore and junior years. She is excited to be involved with the up-and-coming Pitch Online and help bring news to the WJ community in a faster, more innovative way. When not scanning the online administrator page or copy editing articles, Abby likes reading pop culture and news magazines and Web sites. Although she does not know where she is going to school yet, Abby will be entering college as a journalism major next year.
Donate to The Pitch
$775
$1000
Contributed
Our Goal

Comments (0)

All The Pitch Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *