Mira Branham | Reporter

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The aroma of freshly-baked cookies wafts through the halls. Stomachs growl and yearn for the buttery, sugary delights that are O-Zone cookies.

The treats, branded under Otis Spunkmeyer, are sold for one dollar a pack, which contains two of either sugar, chocolate chip or M&M cookies. DECA sells them every day except A days, with the profits going towards their club activities and supplies, as well as O-Zone maintenance.

The high demand for the cookies has prompted the question – why they are so popular? Junior and DECA member Ariana Hendricks said she thinks it’s because they’re cheap and a luxury that’s rarely found in high school.

“I think they are so popular because they are hot, soft cookies, which is something that you can’t get in the lunch room,” Hendricks said. “[They’re] also just really good; I know I have, like, two packs a day.”

This is a relatively accurate mentality, per a 2019 study conducted by the University of Bordeaux in France, which revealed that the sugar, salt and fat content in cookies combine to produce responses in the brain similar to that of an addict after using drugs such as cocaine and marijuana.

Cookies may be a source of addiction from a psychological point of view, but they’re also simply a delicious snack, DECA sponsor David Drosche said. They are a tradition for the club and a happy memory for both former and current Avon students.

“DECA has traditionally sold Otis [Spunkmeyer] products in school based enterprises for many years at schools across the country,” Drosche said. “The product is amazing and is set at a great price point.”

Along with a way to make money and feed into students’ cravings, Otis Spunkmeyer, and other DECA-partnered brands offer equipment, advertising, and even scholarships to participating schools.

“They provide our ovens, bags, and the cookie dough itself for a lower price, and the members have the chance to win scholarships just for selling [the cookies],” Drosche said. “We take in about 50 percent from every cookies transaction, but the money goes right back to our students and other school functions.”