This article is part of an occasional series detailing the day-to-day activities and favorites of FC students. For similar pieces, read the Jan. 29 article, Seniors spill off-campus lunch secrets.
At exactly 10:40 on every school day, junior high students work a snack bar revered and required by the entire student body. In front of the upstairs athletic office, two California Junior Scholarship Federation (CJSF) students run the institution called “stuff mart.”
Stuff mart carries snack items like Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies and Cheez-Its, which sell during the 10 minute break between third and fourth period.
According to Hallie Rojeski, CJSF advisor, stuff mart began with a desire to serve junior high students by providing snack and school supplies at a reasonable price.
“The main reason for the existence of stuff mart is to provide a service for the junior and senior high,” Rojeski said. “The profit is roughly $200 per month and is used to serve others.
“We donate to multiple organizations and people in need such as Star Tree, school supplies for Haiti, coats for Pinedale Elementary School, toys for Craycroft Center and many others. In addition, this year we gave $500 to the FCS budget.”
According to Fatima Costa, ’11, stuff mart provides the necessary goodies before lunch, which keeps students energized.
“Stuff mart is very convenient for me because I can just grab a snack before class instead of having to go all the way out to my car and get something from my lunch,” Costa said. “I buy something about every other day and my favorite item is Welch’s fruit snacks. It’s very important to have that midday pick-me-up because hungry people are not very happy.”
Rojeski says the CJSF students are able to learn many social skills that will benefit them in the future through the daily project. Club members rotate throughout the week for their turn running the stand.
“The CJSF members are expected to take their turn working stuff mart,” Rojeski said. “They learn how to figure change and the benefits of working with others, serving the public and dealing with the public in a positive manner.”
The junior high students must leave third period early in order to make it to stuff mart before the crowd. According to CJSF second semester president, Tim Mount, ’14, there are usually three kids working at a time due to the overwhelming rush of students.
“The most difficult part about working stuff mart is when we don’t have enough change for the people who give us 20 dollar bills,” Mount said. “It gets really crowded as soon as the bell rings and people are always cutting in line. We usually have to have two people working the cash box and one or two getting food.”
Stuff mart provides pencils, note cards and mints in addition to the food items.
“We don’t sell drinks because Mr. [Terry] Richards, [science teacher] sells water in his classroom,” Mount said. “Most people just buy the Cheez-Its and Famous Amos cookies. We do have a few regular customers whose orders we have memorized.”
For more stories about junior high events, read the Dec. 9, 2009 article, Sister2sister fosters constructive relationships or the Sept. 25, 2009 article, Camping with 8th graders.
For more on CJSF, read the March 18 article, CSF chapter plans regional conference.
