Most days before, after and during school, the bridge across from the school on Champion Lane is a popular location for drug deals and student smoking.

The bridge is utilized as a place for smoking because it’s within close proximity, and kids most likely won’t be seen.

“It’s a place where people wanna be; it’s convenient to be away from school, but still be in a decent enough location,” sophomore Michael Hamer said.

Even though some are caught smoking there, the number is minute compared those who congregate there daily. While students often meet at the bridge without any trouble, some do get caught.

“I was there the morning that [a big bust] happened and a bunch of [people] were smoking pot very obviously,” sophomore Indigo Bahn said. “[They were] running around and screaming with their pipes out and blowing smoke everywhere.  A cop drove by when they were doing that. Later that day at lunch when [students] were out there smoking cigarettes, people came and searched their bags.”

Students serving in school suspension are typically under closer surveillance, so it’s harder to sneak away without getting caught.

“…They go out to the bridge and smoke a cigarette and [are followed] out there, and they get busted for that,” Bahn said. “Usually, they’ll just take it away, call the parents, and get [another] day of ISS; nothing really happens. [If it was a different drug]… they’d probably go to the cops.”

Although some students under the bridge smoke marijuana, other students snort caffeine.

“You can go to the gas station and get little caffeine pills that are kind of like condensed powder,” sophomore girl A* said. “You crush it up, and it’s pretty much like snorting cocaine, and it gets you the same kind of high. One pill is equal to about three cups of coffee, and people do three or four pills at a time.”

Another popular place for students to smoke is the area right across from Starbucks.

“It’s not on school property; therefore, [authorities] can’t do anything about it, and since it’s not on Starbucks property, [Starbucks] can’t do anything about it either,” Bahn said. “It’s a free range kind of thing.”

The bridge attracts attention from people walking or driving by, but their reaction is usually minimal.

“They’ll look at us because a bunch of people are there, but they don’t really do anything … they just give us looks,” Hamer said.

Most students who go out to to the bridge aren’t looking for a big scene; they just want to smoke without interruption.

“Not many crazy things happen … It’s just kind of like, ‘let’s go smoke our weed and move on with our life,’” Bahn said.

*These students spoke on anonymous terms to avoid self-incrimination.