Margaret Huang

Senior Aabha Joshi purchases an iced Pink Velvet Latte from the newly opened Dunkin’.

America may run on Dunkin’, but the students at Pleasant Valley High School run on nondiscriminatory caffeine. In the past few years, the school has become the center of an oasis of coffee shops all within a one mile radius. 

While students walking around with arms full of iced drinks and veins full of caffeine is no unusual occurrence, the opening of Dunkin’ on Middle Road– a two minute drive from the school– was marked by an even more pronounced coffee consumption than usual on Feb. 6. 

At 8 A.M., students began pulling into parking lots with drinks for themselves and their friends, excited at yet another option to add to their ever-growing list. Before Dunkin’, the newest addition to the coffee conglomeration was Starbucks on Middle Road. Both coffee shops feature a drive-thru, allowing people, especially the students nearby, an option of convenience that propels them to buy more. 

Not including gas stations — which serve as yet another quick stop for students before and after school– there are four main contenders for coffee shop of the valley. Dunkin’ and Starbucks currently reside as the newest facilities while Ridgepoint Atomic Coffee freshly opened in July 2018, and Coffee Hound has been around for several years.

Many students and teachers view the abundance of nearby coffee shops as an asset to the school’s location and appreciate the convenience it provides. Senior Maya Johnson understands the appeal of having so many options in the vicinity. “I think the new Dunkin’ is already very popular, and it’s nice that its proximity to school makes it easy for us to grab a quick pick-me-up before or after school,” she stated. 

Meanwhile, others feel that the amount of coffee shops and new developments in general are becoming a problem. Senior Aditya Desai finds the constant construction hectic and the nonstop business predatory toward young people’s susceptibility to developing caffeine addictions. “With the different substance addictions prevalent in young people already, our school doesn’t need anyone to fuel caffeine addictions,” he said.

Teachers and administrators also hold divisive opinions. Some teachers uphold strict policies outlawing beverages in the classroom, dissuading first period students from bringing a venti caramel macchiato to class. Others do not mind if students arrive to class with hands full of iced chai lattes, as long as the student arrives on time. 

Some teachers — usually those without their own coffee makers at school — prefer to make a quick stop at a local coffee shop and show up to school rejuvenated and ready to teach. AP Human Geography teacher Sara Russell relates to the student body’s endearment to local shop Coffee Hound. “Coffee Hound makes my life convenient every morning. Their new rewards program is awesome,” she remarked. 

Regardless of whether students and teachers are for or against caffeine, there is no denying that Pleasant Valley High School sits surrounded by coffee shops and inundated with coffee — hot, iced, stirred, and shaken.