April 3, 2023
By Sean Disbrow
Staff Writer
Whether coming into school in the morning, returning after lunch, exiting the building at the end of the day or stopping by English teacher Ms. Coppola’s classroom, chances are you have seen students purchasing Coppola’s homemade cake pops for $1 a piece.
Proceeds from the sale of these bite-sized sweets go toward the Class of 2023 and True Crime Club, which are both advised by Coppola.
She said this fundraiser dates back almost a decade.
“I was a class advisor for the Class of 2015, and we needed a fundraiser, and it just seemed like a good one,” Coppola said.
Coppola said on average, she and her students sell around 100 cake pops per day. She makes the cake pops in four flavors–chocolate, lemon, strawberry and vanilla–with vanilla being the most popular and chocolate being a close second.
Coppola said she has continued to oversee the fundraiser because of the positive feedback she has received from students. She said they even come to her with requests for additional flavors.
“They’re generally easier to eat. They’re faster and cleaner than cake and cupcakes.”
“I’ve gotten people asking for spice cake. I’ve also been asked to make carrot cake, which I’ve made in the past for [my] family, and cookies and cream,” Coppola said.
Junior Anthony Ferrara said cake pops are his go-to treat.
“They’re generally easier to eat. They’re faster and cleaner than cake and cupcakes,” Ferrara said.
Ferrara said he usually purchases two chocolate cake pops daily when they are on sale in his Period 3 Advanced Placement English Language and Composition class, which Coppola teaches.
“I am more likely to buy cake pops in the morning because I haven’t eaten, and I won’t be as hungry during the morning classes,” Ferrara said.
Junior Amber Vergara said she usually buys one strawberry or lemon cake pop at a time.
“I always end up buying cake pops in the morning because I have AP Lang during that time of day. Since Ms. Coppola is my teacher for that class, I can go to her directly to buy them,” Vergara said.
Like Ferrara, Vergara said she thinks students like cake pops because they are convenient and filling.
“Students are hungry and want something quick for a fuel boost. Generally speaking, for the same reason, it’s something fun-sized which doesn’t require much labor, such as traditional cake-cutting. Hosts can just pass out cake pops without worrying about plates, utensils and cutting,” Vergara said.
Sophomore Isaac Camilo said when cake pops are on sale, he stops to purchase them once or twice a week on his way out of school at the end of the day. He said it is a way to reward himself once he is done with all of his classes.
“I usually buy two cake pops at a time for flavor and hunger, but it depends on how much money I have on me,” said Camilo, whose favorite flavor is lemon.
Camilo said students prefer cake pops because of their size and how easy they are to eat.
“It is more transferable, and it is easier to carry and eat compared to a piece of cake,” said Camilo.
