Machines of a new era of convenience with many new designs and entrepreneurial opportunities. Emerging in London, England in the 1880’s, vending machines still thrive in modern times. They can be found in many different varieties on every continent. Countries like Japan and the United Kingdom have the most diverse types of vending machines, ranging from food and toys to household goods and everyday necessities.

Some vending machines are touch screen and sell hot burgers, bananas, and presents. Vending machines went from selling post cards and candy to a variety of things like food and toys, but some vending machines also sell presents and even complete hot meals. Vending machines keep improving every day–going from low-grade, old-school vending machines with the pull and crank to modern-day vending machines with touch screens. Also, many vending machines accept credit cards as a viable way of payment. Julio Gamboa (12) said “vending machines are more convenient than going to the store and buying things.”

With all the diverse options and higher-model vending machines available, students at Birmingham Community Charter High School still complain. Why? Students are losing their money and not getting reimbursed. Almost every student has had at least one experience of getting their money taken by those bargain-basement vending machines. The vending machines at Birmingham are outdated and unreliable. “Three times in one week,” said Gamboa. “That’s how many times those vending machines have taken my money.”

It’s not just Gamboa who suffers from getting his money taken by the vending machine. “Have you ever tried to get something from the vending machines but the item gets stuck and then you buy another thing to knock out the previous one but they both end up getting stuck?” said Matilde Villavicencio (10). Birmingham is spending a lot of money building bigger and better bleachers for the football field, but it’s not always the “bigger and better things” that are important to everyday student life.

The simplest things like a upgrade for the vending machines could improve student life better than a project that costs several thousand dollars. It seems like the school cares more about protecting the vending machines than actually maintaining or upgrading them. Maybe the cages around the vending machines will make more sense when the vending machines are actually worth protecting.