A role historically taken on by the Academic Team and more recently the Japanese National Honor Society, working the concession stands provides school-sponsored organizations on campus an opportunity to earn funds for their club activities. Next school year, this option will be more widely promoted for other clubs to take advantage of.
Since French teacher Jessica Huntsberger started coaching in 2015, the Academic Team took on the role of primarily working in the concession stands, with the JNHS or Science Olympiad taking over from time to time.
“My role is to coordinate with … Mrs. Dugdale and field a group of … students that are willing to work in the concession stands,” Huntsberger said.
Working in the concession stands is something of a golden opportunity for clubs. Heather Dugdale, the ASB accounting assistant, said the concession stands are “a very good money-making opportunity for those clubs,” making “somewhere between $1,500 and $2,000 for their club” during one night, for both the JV and varsity football games.
The funds go toward a variety of uses for the Academic Team, including paying moderator and tournament fees and coordinating buses, according to Huntsberger.
Dugdale is in charge of transferring funds between the ASB General Fund and to the accounts of clubs that work in the concession stands.
“All of the proceeds, or profits from the concessions stand go to the ASB General Fund, which helps to pay for all of the ASB activities that happen throughout the year,” Dugdale said. “It’s their concession stand so they buy all the products and … then they make all of the profit. School-sponsored clubs can work there and earn money for their clubs. We pay $15 an hour per student who works there. It’s usually about eight students per shift and it’s about four to five hours … those funds then go to [that club’s] ASB account. It’s a transfer that’s made from the ASB general account from the profits out of the concession stand that then go back to the clubs’ ASB accounts.”
Since there are cash and credit card payments, she is also in charge of handling the credit card payments through the bank and counting the physical money earned that is placed into the “cash bag.”
“There’s always a student and their advisor that counts the money, and then I count the money as well as a triple check, so we have a cash control process in place,” Dugdale said.
On a regular night, the concession stands will produce profits between $2,000 and $4,000, while a more popular night such as the Homecoming or La Costa Canyon rivalry games will make between $4,000 and $6,000, according to Dugdale.
Eight students work in the concession stands at a time, according to Dugdale. These students often find that this opportunity provides a team bonding experience.
Kylie Lai (12), who is club secretary for the JNHS, and has worked in the concession stands for two years, found this to be the case.
“It’s just a really good bonding experience,” Lai said. “You really learn how to work together in a real-world setting. Generally, with a school project, you split up to do your own thing then come together and bring it all together versus the concession stand, where it feels like you have to rely on the other person to do something.”
Huntsberger agreed.
“I really like the existence of the concession stand, and the purpose it serves for our team because it really helps us with communication and bonding and team building and working together, all of the things that really make for a successful team and what we do in an academic team setting,” Huntsberger said.
Collier Lawson (11), who is on the varsity Academic Team and has worked the stands for two years, mentioned how the experience is busy but rewarding.
“I enjoy it even though it’s kind of hard because you’re busy the whole time, and you’re definitely on your feet [with] a lot of stuff to pay attention to,” Lawson said. “I enjoy it because it’s a good way to raise money for something that I really enjoy.”
Lai similarly found the experience to require considerable focus, saying that she had no time to keep tabs on the game while working.
“It sort of feels like you’re not at school at all … you’re so busy, there’s such a big rush a lot of the time,” Lai said. “You don’t see the football game, the score … once it goes to varsity, you don’t focus at all on the environment outside of the concession stand.”
There are a number of tasks for students who choose to work in the concession stands, according to Lawson.
“You’re preparing the food, in addition to serving the food for people who come,” Lawson said. “You can take orders and get food out or you’re cooking the hot dogs, making the nachos … preparing pizza and all that. It takes a bunch of people to keep it running smoothly.”
During the 2024-25 school year, more school-sponsored clubs will be made aware of this chance, according to Dugdale.
“[JNHS and Academic Team are] the two that [are] most experienced with it, but we will be more widely promoting it next year as an opportunity for those other clubs,” Dugdale said.
