Everyone’s favorite type of fundraiser is a little more complex than it seems. Bake sales at Burroughs are undoubtedly the most popular way for a club or group to raise money, and for good reason too. Data from current club leaders shows that roughly $500 to $1000 can be made at one eight-period bake sale. However, these events have rules, and ignorance of them can cause issues.

A common problem at bake sales is the pricing of the goods they sell. While a list of prices exists and hangs inside of the Snack Shack, where the majority of bake sales are held, those working at the bake sales have been known to round these prices up, especially during busy times such as the long passing period between 3rd and 4th. As someone who has been involved in several bake sales, I can attest to seeing a lackadaisical adherence to the prices. Specifically in the junior class’ most recent bake sale, thrown to raise money for the prom, there was a complication with respect to their prices. Students running the bake sale, including myself as the secretary/treasurer, partly followed a separate listing of prices, which would have increased the total funds they raised. The juniors felt that the higher prices could compensate for their diminutive prom funds, but the administration ultimately directed the class officers to go back through their sales and take dollars off of the overpriced purchases. When speaking with the junior president and vice president, Samuel Wang (‘21) and Sam Ilivicky (‘21), immediately afterwards, it was clear that many students were unaware that the guidelines for running a bake sale were so strict.

In an interview with Kate Grantham, one of the faculty sponsors of Student Congress, the rules became a bit clearer. Students must adhere to the prices on the sheet in the Snack Shack. General guidelines for the bake sales are sent out to all club and class sponsors when they become sponsors. The information is available on shared teacher websites, who should be the ones sharing this information with the students running the bake sale. In previous years, when Director of Student Activities Andrew Newman was working in his office right next to the Snack Shack, he would generally supervise the fundraisers and ensure that students followed the guidelines. With Mr. Newman on his sabbatical currently, his supervision is obviously unavailable. Therefore, there is greater room for error in the execution of the bake sales, as seen in the example set by the junior class. However, this means that there is also room for improvement. Suggestions to simplify the price sheet and to make the guidelines directly available to club leaders have been offered, and as the Student Congress moves to rewrite the student constitution, they might consider those ideas in order to make the organization and operation of bake sales smoother. In the meantime, stick to the given price list and guidelines.