Last year,  the seventh and eighth graders, basked in the delight of having ice cream and chocolate milk in our school cafeteria. For us, these simple joys marked our day; a well-deserved treat after hours spent in classrooms and engaged in rigorous coursework. However, this year has seen a change that is quite bitter to digest. With a bulk of our school's budget, amounting to over a million, spent on clocks, we no longer have these treats in our menu due to budget cuts.

Isn't it an irony that our school management prioritizes clocks when we students are here to taste the flavors and learn the wholesome courses of life and not just watch time tick away? Ice cream and chocolate milk are not merely food items. They represent our childhood, our growing years, and our right to savor what comforts us.

Several studies indicate the importance of including dairy products in the diets of growing children. Milk, in particular, is a great source of calcium and vitamin D, which are vital for bone health and growth (American Academy of Pediatrics). Of course, moderation is key, but completely eradicating these treats seems like an overreaction.

We, say it is time to demand for what we deserve - the reinstatement of ice cream and chocolate milk in our school cafeteria. We, students, should have the right to enjoy these simple pleasures alongside our education. Join us to make our voices heard and to reclaim what is rightfully ours. Please sign this petition.