Students and staff share their thoughts on Redwood’s lunch release system and how using Minga can help avoid long lines.
By Brisa Magaña
At Redwood High School, students and staff have different thoughts and feelings about how lunch release works — and whether using the Minga app helps students leave campus faster.
Most days, students are hangry and ready to be let out, while big lines and chaos at the gates cause delays.
Lea Padilla, campus supervisor, says, “Kids get impatient, and I even get irritated when kids don’t have their Minga ready.”
Waiting in the slower lunch line to scan your ID or put in your PIN can cause more issues than being in the faster line.
Jose Oyerdidez, ‘28, says, “Sometimes the machines aren’t working the best and give me more trouble, which equals less time for lunch.”
There are usually only two administrators at the gate during lunch.
Oyerdidez says, “They should have more people out there scanning and looking at cards.”
Students who use Minga Live get out of school faster during lunch, and it also helps staff.
Shannon Moore, assistant principal, says, “I feel grateful that I could help things go quicker for students since lunch is very limited, and if we could get students out faster, so they don’t have to rush to come back to campus on time.”
The same staff members are usually assigned to the same gates each day, which means some handle the faster Minga line and others deal with the slower pin line.
Moore says, “I’ve done both roles, but I would prefer to be anywhere I would be helpful to others.”
There are mixed emotions during lunch — some students worry about time, others about being late to class.
Chloe Castro, ‘28, says, “I definitely think the Minga life is very easy access it makes me less stressed out being able to walk straight out the gate, and gives me more time for lunch, avoiding tardies for my 5th period.”
The Minga app is useful, especially for students in a hurry.
Moore says, “I definitely think that all kids should download the Minga app, not just for the lunch pass but to stay updated with other of RHS.”
Lea Padilla says, “Students at Redwood are awesome! Keep having grace.”
Shannon Moore says, “Keep having grace!”
Brisa Magana
Brisa Magana, '28 has been in Journalism for 2 years now and loves to work in the Arts & Entertainment Section, loves to write about dance and is really dedicated to creating stories. The point is to let others voices be heard while having the most fun.
Tags: rangers, Redwood, redwood gigantea, redwood high school, redwood rangers, redwood sports, rhs
