Ben Grantonic is a senior and a reporter for Fishers Tiger Times. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.

     As the school continues to return to normal after the past one and a half years of COVID-19, some things remain slow to return. One such thing that has yet to return fully to normal is the CCA Cafe. 

     For those unaware – as it has been closed since the beginning of the first quarantine – the CCA cafe is a small cafe at the back of the CCA. It sold baked goods, drinks such as coffee and lemonade, paninis, and pizzas. Though, most importantly, it was open all day – from the morning until after school. It acted as the centerpiece of the CCA area, and was quite popular, with long lines forming before school, during lunch and after school. It acted as a beacon for those who came to school early and stayed after late. Though, with its absence, this beacon has dissipated. While many still do stay after for various reasons, the feeling of activity and community in the CCA has very much dissipated after school.

     ReBuild, ReConnect and ReEngage: That is the new motto the school has adopted for the return to normalcy. The return of the CCA Cafe would help rebuild one of our most forgotten and simple traditions. That of course being the tradition of sitting in the cafe line just to buy some not-so-great iced coffee that is strangely overpriced. It would also help rebuild the feeling of community that the CCA once possessed before the pandemic. It would also help reconnect the student body, as having an additional space where students can interact and work together would make the school feel more like a connected community rather than a big building we all happen to share. Having this connected communal space could also help reengage students with the material given to them, as having a complete CCA would give students an area to study and work independently while still being around peers. 

     Ultimately, a revived CCA cafe would greatly help the school to reconnect and rebuild a sense of a shared school community. It would also help reengage students with the material, as it would supply an attractive space for students to study among their peers.