The Gas n Wash across the street has been a popular place students go after school since it opened in 2023. Due to behavior of young adults, the Gas n Wash company has implemented new rules that affect students who attend South.

Monday through Friday, from the hours of 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m, only four people under the age of 21 are allowed in the shopping section of the gas station. There’s a new rule that allows anyone to get food from Dunkin or Jimmy John’s in the roped off area near the Dunkin door.

The general store manager, Tim (who asked The Paw Print to not reveal his last name), discussed past incidents where students cursed, stole, and set off alarms.

“Regular customers were complaining that they couldn’t shop in the store while the students were being loud or disrespectful to them,” Tim said.

Many students in certain sports or activities stay at the school an hour or more after classes are finished before their activities start. Some students say they have had trouble trying to enter the gas station to purchase water or snacks before their performances.

Freshman Anthony Valenciano and junior Jada Tyse were denied entrance to the gas station during the month of January when trying to get food before Speech Club started at 4 p.m.
They were both met with an employee who told they they had to leave.

“They were very strict about it, and I understand, but it was just very rough. They weren’t nice about it either, and then they wouldn’t allow us to wait outside,” Valenciano said.
Around times of limited entry, there’s an employee who stands by the entrance and radios to others how many come in at a time.

“Sometimes I haven’t eaten since 10 a.m., and so what it really affects is my mood and also my performance with my extracurriculars,” Valenciano said.
Tim mentions that while it’s been quieter so far, he doesn’t want to be the guy who spends his day monitoring everyone.

“Honestly, after hearing what some kids are doing, I can’t argue with these new policies. While it’s inconvenient for me and others, one bad apple tends to ruin the bunch. A few reckless individuals have now made something as simple as a gas station an inaccessible luxury for many of us,” Tyse said.

This doesn’t only raise concerns about where some high school students will go when school is over, but according to Valenciano, it also raises concerns about discrimination.
“It made me feel like a criminal […] people of my color have been denied at certain places and been assumed [to be] criminals,” Valenciano said.

The procedures haven’t been in place long enough to determine whether they’ve been successful or not, but Tim considers the place to be quieter lately.

“We’re here as a business to make money and to be here for the community. I don’t want to see anybody not allowed in the store. But when somebody wants to steal, or be disrespectful, or do illegal things […] There is no place for it,” Tim said.