After a long summer of popcorn-less Tuesdays, the 2019-2020 school year has brought them right back into the lives of Hollis-Brookline students. Now on their third year of serving popcorn during CavBlock, the Life Skills class students have decided to change it up a little this year. 

With the new Adaptive Scheduler splitting CavBlock, popcorn Tuesdays had to do a bit of adapting themselves. The new way popcorn is sold is very similar to past years, with a few exceptions: it is now being sold in the cafeteria in addition to the back lobby. To help reduce the wandering during CavBlock, popcorn is now only sold during passing periods, and not during active class times.

 “It’s always one of the highlights of my week, it’s only 50 cents and never disappoints.” Along with many other excited students about the return of popcorn Tuesdays, Jessica Hubert ‘20 said,

For only fifty cents, the Life Skills students exchange you in return a full bag of freshly popped popcorn and a smile. With the production starting during morning classes, the lingering smell of freshly buttered popcorn makes everyone crave a bag even more. After being long anticipated through periods one and two, as soon as CavBlock comes around, students could not be more delighted to finally get their hands on a warm snack. 

With this year being only the third year that popcorn Tuesdays have been running, it’s hard to believe H.B. students already consider this a tradition. “Every Tuesday I wake up already excited for popcorn,” said Kylie Krivis ‘20. It’s hard to walk by the popcorn tables and not buy some; for the low price and great quality, you just can’t say no. You can count on anyone with a spare fifty cents to stop on by.

In charge of the operation is Milton Robinson, who can always be found helping out in the back lobby location on popcorn Tuesdays. Adding to the excitement of all the students, Robinson loves how the Tuesdays roll around here. He couldn’t be more proud of how well the students do each week. 

“From making the popcorn, to selling it, making change, they do an excellent job with the whole operation,” said Robinson. The students of the Life Skills program do an exceptional job each week keeping the popcorn excitement under control and it certainly looks like they have fun doing it too. With hundreds of kids passing by and grabbing a snack, the students continue to impress everyone who comes by. 

You may ask how popcorn has single-handedly gained a place in the hearts of hundreds of H.B. students over these past years. This may come as a surprise, but popcorn isn’t always the only thing they sell! To bring in an increased income and have more of a variety on the table, expanding from selling just popcorn. The life skills students have also sold school merchandise like water bottles, phone stickers and pens. Seasonal items, such as candy apples have been sold as well. Plans to sell chocolate covered strawberries have drifted around, which could bring even more popularity to Tuesdays. 

From its beginning as a fun Tuesday activity, to its new status as a fan favorite tradition, popcorn Tuesdays will forever stand as a huge positive pick-me-up for all students and staff at HBHS.