The majority of people at Lewis-Palmer High School would be surprised by the amount of underclassmen leaving campus. Nearly half of the freshman and sophomore study hall classes admitted to leaving school campus during lunch hours, only one had ever been caught doing so.

Freshmen Austin Grundman, Chris Flynn and Travis Hannon all came forward to say they had left campus to eat at free Grilled Cheese across the street at the YMCA every other Thursday, an event sponsored by Young Life.

Travis Hannon got caught because he returned to school with grilled cheese on a plate and Jan Pieper, LPHS security guard,  told him not to do it again. He received no other formal punishment.

“Security guards don’t really seem to pay attention to who is coming back through the door at the end of lunch” said freshman Austin Grundman.

While some freshmen do not like the closed campus rule, a few don’t mind it at all. “Leaving campus doesn’t matter freshman year, no one has a car to get anywhere,” said freshman Chris Flynn.

Mr. Benton’s seventh hour study hall class was asked if they have left school campus more than once. Of the 20 students, 12 admitted to leaving during lunch.

Sophomores Maddie Bossie and Conner Boten received rides from upperclassmen friends while Rachel Braaten who already has her license, was able to drive herself.

Many sophomores are upset with the closed campus rule. “It makes me really mad that we aren’t allowed to leave campus; I feel like I’m missing out on a high school experience,” said Braaten.

Many times the security guards just don’t see the underclassmen leaving. “It’s really hard to find every student who isn’t an upperclassman in this huge school,” said Frank Pauciello, LPHS security guard.

The students are the security guards’ first priority and always have been. “I would take a bullet for any one of these students, and their sneaking back in behind my back is really disrespectful; it makes me really upset,” said Pieper.

In no way do the security guards at this school let students “off the hook” because they are fond of them. “It’s dangerous and parents need to know where their kids are and if something happens to them while they’re off campus. It becomes our issue because the parents think their child was in school,” said Pauciello.