Mr. Lewis’ Pop Tart Mart

Mr. John Lewis, a math teacher, has a secret stash of sugary snacks that not many students know about. In the corner of his room, room 330, there is a large, gray, metal filing cabinet. And on the second-to-bottom drawer a sign that reads “Ask Before you take a Pop Tart.”

Lewis first started handing out Pop Tarts to students at Topeka West when he worked over there and then just last year, after being at Topeka High for several years, he began handing them out again to Topeka High students.

“I provide snacks and stuff to kids who might be hungry,” said Lewis. “Some people don’t eat breakfast and things so they (administration) decided to allow it. Just happens to be something I’ve done for years.”

However, not just anyone can come by and grab some of these crumbly, frosted tarts.

“I got to know them,” said Lewis. “They got to talk to me and normally I provide them for my class but other students who I know or ask questions, they can come and ask me. There’s no set time. It’s not for the whole student body. But if they’re hungry and need a snack, they can stop by because if I got something, I’ll let them have it.”

Currently, there are seven types of Pop Tarts in his drawer; Strawberry, vanilla milkshake, chocolate fudge, chocolate chip, hot fudge sundae, cookies and créme, and cinnamon roll.