The BEHS Baseball team is more than just hitting home runs on the field, the sport also improves the player's lives academically and socially. Baseball is a spring sport, but many athletes play all year long.

Ryan Griffin, BEHS Center Field, spoke about how being on the team has influenced his life. 

“It's taught me a lot of life lessons, like how to work for things and how to work hard but also how to reach your goals and I think that's something you can carry out through all of your life.” Griffin said. 

The players learn how to balance their grades and love for the game thanks to the academic requirements to play. Many students reported that their coaches enforce the importance of good grades in their classes.  For these students, baseball teaches them the importance of succeeding in school. 

Baseball player, Landen Golmon, discussed how Baseball has changed his life academically. Golmon said, “ It made me work harder in school because I  have to be eligible to play.” In order to be eligible for the baseball team you need to have a 2.0 GPA or higher.

Camen Lish, an Outfielder, pointed out how it has helped him meet new people when playing sports.   Lish pointed out that bonds built with teammates are forever bonds and the guys feel like lifelong brothers. 

Lish said, “ I feel like baseball has given me some friends having that baseball bond, having that team chemistry has really given me a lot more friends that I would have had without it.” 

Baseball is a fun experience to have in high school but coaches are teaching lessons that are needed off of the field and in life. Sports teach good decisions in life and decision making.

 This year, Box Elder High School introduced its boys' volleyball team as one of the new official sports. Many students have participated in this sport, and report enjoying playing volleyball, alongside other individuals and different teams from multiple schools.

Peter Laing, a student at BEHS explains how the sport has made him who he is today and why he enjoys it so much.

"Volleyball is an incredibly fast-paced sport that demands quick decision-making and effective teamwork, you have to make quick decisions and help your team, with being in volleyball you have to know what you are doing and need to communicate in any way.” said Laing.

Kanyon DeRyke, a dedicated student on the team, shows the significance of volleyball in his life and dives into his thoughts on the sport. For some students like DeRyke, school sports are a part of their family traditions. 

The boys have given their all in the games, they are talented and good at what they do, they make the crowd go wild when playing, the team has won most of their games amongst other schools.

“Box Elder High School has placed 4th place in the competitive regional standings. Throughout their journey of their season, they have engaged in nine intense battles on the court, while winning five of these nerve racking games against other schools”. According to Maxpreps.

Volleyball has the remarkable ability to positively impact individuals in various ways by continually improving their skill each game. It not only transforms people but also helps enhance their skills over time.

“Volleyball is important because my sister played it in high school and I want to follow in her footsteps and try to win a state title for the school.” said DeRyke.

“ When I first started I wasn't that good at the sport. Every day at practice presents an opportunity for growth, and I am determined to become better with each session." Laing said.

Playing volleyball has impacts beyond the court. The sport helps with life values as well according to DeRyke. 

 “This sport has made me a better person by making me help the younger kids get better at playing and to make them more confident. Additionally, being part of the team has expanded my social circle, introducing me to new friends and fostering a supportive environment.”

“ As I reflect on my volleyball journey, I give dedication to myself and to the sport throughout my time here at Box Elder. The coach's kindness and encouragement give me passion, allowing us to pursue our goals." DeRyke said

In essence, boys volleyball represents the amount of athleticism, teamwork, and determination. Beyond the courts, it serves as a platform for personal growth, leadership development, and lifelong friendships here at the HIVE. 

The Technology Student Association, TSA club, is a new club this year at Box Elder Highschool with a focus of keeping up with the fast-paced digital landscape.  

The TSA participates multiple competitions spanning across eight diverse areas of expertise, ranging from Architecture and Construction Technology to STEM and the Arts. From the art of Speech to the creativity of crafting Children's Stories, TSA ensures there's something for every student to explore and excel in. Mr. James Baker, who is new to BEHS this year, was excited to coach and advise the TSA. 

“The main activities involved in TSA is that of the numerous competitions available at the state and national conferences. There are 40 different competitions students can choose to participate in. These competitions are spread across eight different areas of focus such as Architecture and Construction Technology and STEM and the Arts. There are competitions such as Extemporaneous Speech and Children's Stories. There is a wide array of options for students to choose from.” said Baker. 

There are additional optional expenses for those looking to participate in state, leadership, and national conferences. While these opportunities offer invaluable experiences for students, it's important to note that they come with additional costs beyond the initial membership fee.

“The cost to join the club is $25. This provides for registration with TSA and limited supplies for student projects and some treats. However, there are additional, optional costs to attend the state, leadership, and national conferences. There are also options to purchase official TSA apparel and TSA hoodie and/or polo shirt. These costs are extra, but optional.”- Baker

At the core of TSA's mission lies a the goal to provide experiences for its members they wouldn’t be able to find elsewhere. There are a few requirements to joining the team. 

Baker said, "[It’s] open to students enrolled in or who have completed technology and education courses, TSA’s membership includes more than 300,000 middle and high school students across the United States. TSA is supported by educators, parents, and business leaders who believe in the need for a technologically literate society. Members learn through exciting competitive events, leadership opportunities, and much more. A wide range of activities makes TSA a positive experience for every student."

Reflecting on the growth and enjoyment students experience, Baker find enjoys witnessing student development firsthand.

“I enjoy being the advisor for TSA because it provides so much opportunity for students to develop and showcase their technological skills. I have been a technology and engineering teacher for almost 18 years at this point. I have advised some sort of CTSO (Career and Technology Student Organization) for most of those years. I have seen the growth and enjoyment students have through participation in these programs. Seeing that brings a lot of joy and satisfaction for me too.” said Baker 

As the world becomes increasingly reliant on technology, it's vital for students to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in this rapidly evolving landscape. Student who are interested in joining the TSA can contact Mr. Baker in room B4 or at James.Baker@besd.net 

State and national qualifying Speech tournament was hosted at Box Elder High School for the first time in recent history on February 10th, 2024.  Over 200 students and teams from schools all over the state attended and saw what the HIVE has to offer. 

This tournament was centered around Speeches for highschoolers all over Utah. The students had an opportunity to do an Original Oratory, Informational, Interpretive, or Extemporaneous. Given these options, the competitors were able to showcase their talents. 

“I’ve been working on this speech for about 4 months now and I have done a lot of editing and revising,” said Katie Hokanson, junior and member of the Speech and Debate team for BEHS. 

These speeches take a significant amount of time for these students. However, writing these speeches isn’t the only thing that goes into it. Events such as this, build confidence and a sense of belonging.

Everett Cannon, sophomore at Viewmont High School, said “I hope I can perform in a way that's satisfactory to my expectations for myself.” Cannon explained that he is trying to avoid putting too much pressure on himself while also achieving his best. 

The coaches are just as invested as their students; they truly see all the benefits of being a part of Speech and Debate. 

“The biggest benefit is, kids that would otherwise be more introverted, it’s provided them with a safe place to experiment with speaking out more.” explained coach Andrew Hahn from Farmington High School. “Debate is a place where everyone can be themselves.” Hahn added.

These students are provided great learning opportunities when it comes to Speech and Debate. The students are also given a chance to overcome challenges, while giving them the freedom to build speaking skills in a safe and fun environment. Acknowledging their hard work and effort is important. 

“Something I’ve noticed as a coach is it gives you a place to belong, that’s one thing that I love to see,” conveys Andrea Thompson, who is a coach and teacher from Skyview High School. “Everybody needs a place where they feel like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves.” Thompson continues.

Whether you’re a competitor or a coach, being able to participate in these events is a significant opportunity that these students and teachers were brave enough to take on.

For more information on BEHS’s Speech and Debate program, contact Brian Whitney, the Speech and Debate instructor. Brian.Whitney@besd.net

Box Elder High School girls basketball is predicted to go to state. They’re second in region and 18th in state and are winning 16-5.

Brooklyn Burt, a junior BEHS basketball player stated that “ I have been playing ever since fourth grade so I know quite a bit about basketball and have learned more about it and have gotten better myself from the time I started”. Burt expresses, their season is going really well and that they're fourth in the state right now. The team is projected to rise up to the top and go all the way. Burt also said that “they’re 14-3 so we’re doing awesome.” 

With this impressive record the dedicated team is predicted to go to state. Burt also states that “    We  have four games left until state and they’re a little nervous about it”

 Burt’s advice to any girls just looking to start or are thinking about playing basketball throughout high school is, “They should definitely just try their hardest and not give up and support one another because you're going to be a team, and in order to win any games you have to have confidence and you need not just support from yourself or your coach but also your teammates”, 

However, Burt said that, “there have been some hard times this season and we've had our ups and downs but making sure to lift each other up and pick each other up when we make a mistake because not everyone is going to be perfect at first there's going to be trials but that's why we have to make so to get through it as a team”.

 Ava Watkins said, “that our team is coming closer together and because we support each other.” 

So for them to come together as a team and to support each other it helps them in their games and their championship. Which also has helped them gain all they’re wins whether they were ready or not just the fact that they supported each other as a team/teammates.

Also, Watkins said that “our team has come a long way and has gotten closer together by supporting each other and being there for one another”.  She also stated.

Everyone should cheer them on and get them some winning games so they can go all the way to the top

Pickleball Club began in the 2020/21 school year at BEHS, this rising sport has strong roots in Utah and BEHS students have a unique opportunity to learn from some of the best by joining this club. This club is ran and funded by students who join the club. 

The BEHS Pickleball club goes to tournaments and represents Box Elder but they don't have a coach or any funding by the school. Instead, a BEHS student, Luke Anderson, is leading the way and teaching others about the sport.

Anderson said “ Here it’s a high school club but it is not sanctioned sport by the high school associations.”

Anderson, who helps run the club, is ranked a 4.5 player in the pickleball world. The highest ranking for a professional player is 5+, so a 4.5 is a really great rank.  

Anderson said “I have been playing pickleball for a year and a half”. Yet, he is already in high-competition games. 

According to https://usapickleball.org/ “pickleball is fun, social and friendly” but it can turn into a “fun fast competitive game.”  

Anderson got into playing with his dad. His dad has played a big role in helping him get into the pickleball world.  “My dad always bragged about being better so I had to get better then him.” Anderson said. 

Now Anderson is teaching elementary and middle school youth how to play and it's going well. He makes it fun for the kids and it helps parents get the kids out of the house, and playing games. Anderson said “ teaching kids is going really well”.  

Pickleball is a fun, fast, competitive game that anyone can learn to play. Anderson invites all Bees to check out this up-and-coming club and to learn how to play. 

Something universal that every student-athlete experiences no matter the team or sport they play for is the bus ride to away events. BEHS athletes are no exception. 

Riding the bus to and from an event has a major impact on the way you play and on the friendships athletes build. Riding together on the bus to a game can make it easier to communicate information and figure things out with your team.

A Student-Athlete At Box Elder, Greyson Burt talked about how knowing the people they play with makes them a better team. “ The bus brings a good opportunity to bond and you just play better when you are friends with the people you're playing with.”

In the article, The Team Bus Ride As A Bonding Experience discusses how team travel is important because on the bus is when most information about the game and the following days is given out 

When everyone rides the Bus the team doesn't have to stress about people being on time and being ready.

In the article it says, “It removes stress from the coaches and players because they know that they will all be on time” 

When teammates know the people you play with it makes it easier to play harder, stand up for each other and push each other.

Riding the bus helps build trust and chemistry with others which helps teams play better because they can trust them to do their job. It also allows them to have fun and just play their game.

Burt also said, “ Getting the opportunity to bond, you just play better when you're friends with the people you're playing with.” 

Creating team chemistry and good habits can change how the team thinks and plays and when they can spend time together on the bus it helps create that chemistry and bond.

In the article Team Chemistry And Team Culture it says “Positive team chemistry is highly sought after, as it often separates successful and unsuccessful teams”

Teamwork, Chemistry, bonds, and culture can make or break a team and change its course. The team plays better when they can trust and understand the others on the team.

The bus isn't just a way of transportation, it is a way to grow as a team and as teammates. To learn about others, help others, and build chemistry and bonds that will help you, your teammates, and your team.

Box Elder Senior Girl wrestlers leave an impact on the mat as they leave to graduate. 

As the seniors are leaving they truly believe that they belong. Other seniors leaving the mat are named below. 

Baylee Johnson

Kynlie Nelson

Clara Caldwell

Danica Perry

Avery Hindman

The Box Elder High School Band supports the school at almost every big event, from games to assemblies, the band is there showing school pride through exciting songs.

The BEHS Band is a great way to get more involved in the HIVE culture according to Mike Reeder, the band director. “Not everybody is going to play football, not everybody is going to play basketball…this is just a great way for people to be involved in school," Reeder said. 

Being in a school band has been proven to improve how students behave and perform at school. An article written by the National Education Association states that “Band helps students thrive in a multitude of ways…such as expressing themselves, dealing with stress and peer pressure, keeping them busy after school and out of trouble, and teaching them valuable lessons about hard work and discipline.”

The impact of the school band goes beyond the applause after a performance or the school song at the end of a good game.

Colin Lichfield, a sophomore alto saxophone player, said “Even when I mess up, people get it, because everybody messes up. You're part of a group, you're a ‘band buddy.” Adam Cornelison, a sophomore trombone player, agreed with Lichfield. Cornelison said “It gives me a community to be a part of, it gives me something that I love to do, and it gives me something to do with other people that love it.”

The band attends lots of concerts and performances, but everyone has their own favorite.

Matthew Young, a sophomore percussionist, said “I like going to the basketball games; they’re super fun. Marching band is pretty good, too. The band has helped me with doing things I normally don’t get to do…[it allows us] to show school pride.”

Being part of the school band is not just about enjoying music and having a good time. Most colleges in Utah, like Utah State University, Brigham Young University, Utah Tech University, and the University of Utah, offer music-based scholarships. These scholarships can help students pay for and succeed in college.

Students interested in joining the band should talk to Mike Reeder in the band room, past the auditorium.

As a new football season is fast approaching, Box Elder is inviting a new head football coach to the ranks. As Robbie Gunter is leaving his football legacy behind to focus on being the vice principal he also leaves big shoes to fill. Carson Mund feels up to the task. Mund was a Box Elder football coach a few years ago. He is now returning to this school as the new head coach for Box Elder.

Taking this opportunity was like a dream come true for Mund. 

“This has been a dream of mine to become head coach at Box Elder for a long time. So when it got offered to me it was an immediate yes.” Mund expressed.

With a new head coach this will definitely create a change into how the football team plays. This can include creating a new offense. For example, a pass heavy offense or even a spread offense. As well as getting some different people on defense. 

Creating a new dynamic for everything on the team isn't going to be easy. Mund stated, “We are gonna put all our focus into getting bigger, faster, stronger. We are going to implement some more passing and option principals into the offensive scheme.” 

Keeping a team motivated as a new coach can be very challenging. For some it’s trying to get used to someone new. For others it can be a challenge. Mund wants his team to stay motivated. They will see the rewards from the work they put into the off season. We will reward them by winning games and getting the best possible equipment we can get them and do plenty of fun team activities as long as we are putting in the work.”

Staying motivated after a tough loss, or even a tough practice is a very hard thing to do. Mund intends to use these methods to help his team not only stay motivated but to stay positive. 

The football players have known Mund through other activities. One being the 7 v 7 team he previously coached. 

Easton Beauregard is going to be spending his senior year with Mund as his coach. 

“I'm really excited for it because Munds is a great guy. He coached here at box elder 2 years ago. I really got to know him pretty well and I'm excited for him to be the head coach next year.” Beauregard expressed. 

Having a new coach is not only going to change how the players play but it is going to change the community and upcoming players. 

“I think it will help get all the younger players and the older players to come and meet the coach and it will all help us be closer as a team.” Beauregard explained. 

Malik Crozier will be spending his junior year with Mund as the head coach. He has noticed that there will be much change with a new coach. 

“I'm excited to have something new for the season and the team. I look forward to the new offense and the way he's gonna coach it.”

A new coach means new opportunities and new experiences for not only Mund but for the players as well. It can involve a bit of nerves, butterflies, and jitters but also excitement, happiness, and much anticipation for the new season. 

Being on the swim team isn't exactly easy, there are a lot of things students have to overcome and a lot of time students have to give up. Students have to try out to be able to join the Box Elder swim team. 

Being on the swim team is an amazing experience. Students get the chance to experience having best friends that end up being just like family. There is a lot of dedication and discipline required to excel in the sport. 

There are benefits of being on the swim team such as overall fitness, the sense of camaraderie among teammates, and the thrill of competing in swim meets. 

Being on the swim team is like diving into a world of endless possibilities. Students can explore the physical and mental benefits of swimming, the joy of setting personal records, and the friendships that last a lifetime. 

Students get the sense of adrenaline rush during relays and the pride of representing your team. Students get to cheer for their teammates while they are in the water swimming. 

The swim team has practice everyday after school until like 5 o’clock. They even practice on Saturdays around 7 to 9. 

When asked how they prepare themselves for swim meets TayLee Nelson said “ I make sure to eat, and sleep”, Dallin Mckee says “I make sure I get enough sleep the night before and I make sure to eat A big lunch the day of a swim meet. If I eat during the swim meet my stomach will start to hurt ''. Elle Anderson said, “ I try to work hard at practice and not give up and just try to stay calm”, and lastly Adelaide Whitaker says “I have a playlist I listen to, like a couple days in advance”.

Students on the swim meet have a lot of anxiety or nerves when it comes to swim meets. The nerves get to them because they want to be able to do good and impress their coaches or just them themselves. 

Some swimmers are less good at swimming distance than others so they struggle to swim the longer races. While others are really good at distance and not so good at the faster races. 

Being on the swim team is kinda like being in a big family, students can rely on their team. They become closer and closer as the year goes on. Some even stay friends for all of highschool. 

Students on the swim team have to be very devoted to be on the swim team mainly because it takes a lot of time and energy. TayLee Nielsen states “Pretty devoted I’d say, I’ve been swimming for like 6 years and haven’t quit yet“. Dallin Mckee says “I would say pretty devoted I haven’t left brigham since I started swimming and Ive been swimming for about 7 or 8 years”. Adelaide Whitaker says “I'm giving up everything for it, I'm really devoted”. Last but not least Elle Andersen says “On a scale of 1 to 10 I would probably say like a 7, I really enjoy it, and I really want to do well because it's my last year to be able to do it”. 

Overall being a student on the swim team takes a lot of time, patience, and you have to be able to believe in yourself to the best of your ability. 

The Swing Club Social at Box Elder High School will take place on Friday, November 17th, from 6 pm - 8 pm in Mr. Burrells room V-1. 

Swing dancing is a form of social dancing that developed in the 1920s through 1940s with the jazz style of dance. This period was called the “swing era”. At BEHS the Swing Club only started two years ago.

Mr. Burrell, the Swing Club advisor gave advice saying, “Dancing is very vulnerable, anyone who comes to learn is in good company with other people who may have no idea what they are doing! So it's ok to be nervous, everyone is nervous when they start.”

Even though dancing can be difficult and frightening, it has its benefits. Learning how to dance is a skill you can use for the rest of your life while developing creativity, teamwork, and confidence.

The Swing Club president, Kapree Bott said, “Students learn social skills and they learn how to let loose and have fun and how to trust others because for some of the dance moves you have to really trust your dance partner.”

At the social, you should expect to gain these new skills but also learn some different line dances and swing dance moves.

Elliana Johnson, Swing Clubs vice president said, “For beginners, you would start with the basic swing step and then we could move up to an intermediate or advanced move if they would like to continue.”

Experienced students would be more than happy to help beginners learn everything about swing dancing.

“Our intermediate and advanced students always take time to make sure our beginners know what we are doing”, Bott said.

If you are interested in joining the swing club, you can talk to Mr. Burrell or a member of the presidency. To get information about their upcoming events, you can check out their Instagram, boxelder_swing.

Bott says, “It can be awkward at first, I get that, but after you do come and open up to people it's honestly just making memories and you learn skills that you can use the rest of your life.”

Over 400 people showed up to the Latinos In Action fundraiser and raised more than their goal of $4,000 for a total of a total of $4,760.

At the fundraiser they had a live band with an assortment of traditional foods such as tacos, tamales, esquites, and much more there was bingo and other games as well.

Jose Rodrigez, a member of latinos in action, said the fundraiser was for clothing for a competition next year. He says the competition was for “corrico” which is a mariachi dance. 

Caesar Author Larato the president of latinos in action says “we wanna dance next year in march at the weber state university”. 

Latinos in action is trying to go to Weber State for the annual dance but they need the formal clothes which they don't have yet.

Larato says “the reason we're doing this is because we want our costumes, the carro costumes and the bestios for the girls.”  The dresses are very colorful and lively, the woman's hair should be worn high, worn with heels. The male wears a tie or bow with a vest or suit. 

Rachel Storm said she saw community members swaying and dancing to the band. Mayah House said she saw “the latinos in action community selling serving food” she said “the food was delicious and home made and freshly made the day of the fundraiser”

Storm said ”It was really fun to see the community all come together. My kids really enjoyed it, and so did I .”

More than just waving pom poms, supporting other athletic events, and social activities, our school cheerleaders have their own athletic sport. This begs the question, who cheers for our cheerleaders. 

Allie Edelman, one of Box Elder High Schools Cheerleaders, gives insights into her personal journey she has had with cheerleading.

Edelman shares how cheerleading is not just about athleticism but is a fundamental part of her life. ”I have done cheerleading my whole life and I've done gymnastics.I love cheering on other sports and  pushing myself and making myself better.” Edelman said. “Cheerleading is not just a sport for me, it's a part of my life, giving others support and motivation during challenging times.” 

Britannica, A website talking about cheerleading, explaining how cheerleading was back then and how it was created, this segment explores how cheerleading became intertwined with the growth of gridiron football. 

Cheerleaders have encouraged spectators in a formal extra credit activity that reflects not only the history of cheerleading but also the association with character-building traits to show more teamwork and building activities.

“While cheering is often associated with femininity today, its origin was traced back to male cheerleaders supporting gridiron football in the mid-1800’s. The growth of cheerleading mirrored that of football. Becoming a formal activity by the 1920’s cheerleading originally known as “yell leaders”, played a role in encouraging spectators and maintaining crowd control,cheerleading was not only a spirited activity but also associated with character building traits, like discipline, co-operation, leadership and sportsmanship." Britannica stated.

Leah Jeppsen, a BEHS cheerleader, shares her perspective on the day-to-day life of a cheerleader, Leah highlights the supportive nature of cheerleading within the school community. While acknowledging the challenges, including the occasional elbow to the face, Leah emphasizes the continuous learning that defines the cheerleading experience. 

Jeppsen said.”For me, cheerleading is about being supportive within the school community. It's not just a sport, it's a commitment that doesn't leave much free time”.

“The most common injury is taking an elbow to the face. Despite the challenges, cheerleading is a continuous journey of learning and constant support for others." Jeppsen said.

Box Elder High School cheerleaders are excellent contributors to the spirit and cultures of BEHS. Beyond the cheers and routines they do, BEHS cheerleaders show dedication, support, and a good history that continues to shape their ability to cheer.

The Auto Club is an automotive focused club at BEHS that anyone can join.

An interview with Auto Club member Keegan Ward gave some insight into what the club is about, and what they do. 

He joined the Auto Club in the third trimester of his junior year, Auto Club was held every Wednesday for an hour before school, but now that we no longer have late start it is held every Friday for an hour after school. There is also shop night which is a night once a month where students get to use the shop for three hours after school on any project that they need.

“I would encourage others to not only join the club, but to also join the auto class”. Keegan said. “I think everyone should have a basic understanding of cars”.

Another club member Zayne Baird talked about how the Auto Club was really the only thing that sparked his interest and helped him to make friends at the highschool. The Auto Club has many amazing opportunities such as competitions and shop activities.

He was inspired to join by his one of his friends Brady, the club president. When Zayne joined the club they were starting an engine building team to go to SEMA, one of the biggest car shows in Las Vegas.

Kenneth Bunce, who is the school’s Automotive teacher as well as the director of the Club said, “I had students who wanted to start the club, probably in my third or fourth year here”. He said.  “I’ve had clubs at other schools, and that was kind of a catalyst”.

The Auto Club is a very student guided club, the students decide what they want to do, what projects they want to work on and then they get it done. The Auto Club has opportunities for competitions and different field trips however most require for students to be seniors, and this years students were less interested in competitions and went more in the direction of working in the shop. 

Auto Club is a fun and knowledgeable experience that not only teaches you how to change a flat tire, or bad oil; but it helps to make new friends who share the same passion and can help you on those difficult projects.

Zayne said, “I’ve never had a bad time, everytime I go I always have fun. It’s definitely been a positive impact on my high school experience”.

Ultimately, Box Elder High School's Auto Club isn't just about engines and projects. It's really a testament to the shared passions and collaborative spirit, where a collective love for automobiles fuels not just engines, but the drive of these students toward a shared goal—learning, growing, and enjoying the ride together. 

Box Elder Football's season has come to an end, concluding with a 9-3 win-loss ratio. They earned a first-round bye in the state playoffs but fell to Olympus 41-14 in the subsequent rounds.

Box Elder football started the season with a seven-game winning streak, surpassing expectations despite the loss of several key players who graduated the previous year.

Senior running back Cedar Olsen said, “people stood up after a couple injuries early in the season and rose to the occasion. They surpassed people’s expectations for Box Elder” Multiple players made their first varsity starts late in the season and rose to the spotlight.

Box Elder suffered close losses to Bountiful and Woods Cross, preventing them from winning their region. However, they maintained their focus on the state playoffs, securing a fourth seed in 5A and a first-round playoffs.

In the second playoff round, Box Elder won a closely contested match, taking the lead 28-21 with just minutes remaining. The game was sealed with an interception by AJ Bushnell against Maple Mountain's quarterback, Jackson Banks, setting the stage for a match against Olympus.

Olympus would go on to win 41-14 and would end Box Elder's season in the second round of the state playoffs.

Senior running back Dax Sumko led Box Elder with over 1,800 rushing yards in the season.

This marked the final season for Box Elder's head coach, Robbie Gunter, as he transitioned to an administrative role at the high school.

Sophomore football player Gavin Noyes expressed how excited he was to welcome a new head coach but also would miss Coach Gunter.

Box Elder's season concluded with a 41-14 loss to Olympus. Many players learned valuable lessons and created lasting memories.

Junior lineman Roman Torrey said, "Some of my favorite memories were the bus rides with the boys and the scrimmage against Woods Cross at the beginning of the season."

Box Elder football finished the season at 9-3, reaching the quarterfinals and looking forward to an even more promising year in the next football season.

Box Elder High School has implemented a new program into the sports industry this year – a girls wrestling team. BEHS has had a long-standing tradition of wrestling and now they are introducing a girls team.  The first official day of practice was Nov. 6th, at 5:30 AM. Any girls who are looking to join have to be signed up on RegisterMyAthlete in order to participate by Nov. 10th.

Girls Wrestling is a new fast-growing sport in Utah and schools all over should expect to see this program implemented in their school. 

Head coach, Jared Strait is an icon to the girls and frequently offers words of encouragement.  “Wrestling is one of the most difficult and rewarding activities you will ever do. It requires a huge amount of mental toughness. Prepare your mind for what is coming.” Strait said. 

Strait believes that wrestling is for all students, not just males. He reportedly told the girls interested in joining “Every one of you can do it! Every one of you can crush it! Get ready to work hard…very hard. I promise it is worth it.” Shanna Hales, assistant head coach, also offered words of encouragement.“Hit it hard, like hard”.

Athletes who are searching for a new sport to be physically and most importantly mentally challenged should come and try wrestling out. Hales said, “Basic information, a lot of the skills can be taught there. No previous experience has to be had. A lot of the experience of the time can be taught if you dedicate yourself to practice. Physicality is high.” Kian Kupfer, who is a 235 lbs wrestler explains, “They should expect that it's not gonna be easy. We are going to be working hard, it’s going to be hard but it will be better in the long run and help each other through it.”

Being active in the program and being able to show up and support the team always makes a difference in each other and the audience you tend to attract. Being actively involved can even include being behind the scenes. 

Hales said, “It’s always nice to be on the ground floor building something. You can make it your own, you can create a system and ethics that adhere to your work and dedication. It’s hard when you come into an already established system you don't get that. It's exciting and overwhelming and I’m ready.” 

Parents who may have worries about their athlete joining such a physical hands-on sport may be surprised with the safety implications the state and the team has introduced. 

There will be hydration testing constantly to make sure the athletes are healthy and hydrated. Even with mental disorders to eating disorders, the coaches have said that it should be no issue with some plans they have yet to put into place. Hales said, “I think coach interaction, reporting with their athletes is a big difference to unhealthy habits in their weight room.”

Kuper, acknowledges that,  “We are going to have a lot of fun and you're really not gonna be judged. It’s a safe space and they should know that they should get comfortable and be themselves. We accept anybody.”

A few female athletes have come to join the open mats we have had before the season has begun and just some short things to note. Lily Richards, a 120 lbs wrestler said,“Team bonding. That's gonna have some impacts in the future.” Kupfer expresses,“What I am most excited about is getting to know girls better and bond with someone. Having a safer space for all the girls in this school.”

Studies show that wrestling helps improve mental health in people overall and multiple teens have reported that it does help them increase their mental health significantly. 

Richards said, “It's just helped me mentally. It just made myself better, feel better about myself because I can do this. You know how Coach Strait says ‘Discipline don’t quit’ that's kinda of helped me in my life too.” Kupfer stated, “Everything about it just makes me a better person.”

Girls who are looking at joining may see that a physical contact sport can not be their thing but according to Kupfer she states, “In the beginning I felt a little awkward in the beginning because I have never done anything this physical with other girls before but once I got used to it got a lot easier. The hardest part is just getting used to being physical with other women.”

“They should expect that it's not gonna be easy. We are going to be working hard, it’s going to be hard but it will be better in the long run and help each other through it.” said Kupfer. 

For the people interested in what the guys wrestling team has to think about this they believe that it is great and inviting to have this program implemented. Head coach Jed Craner states, “It’s gonna be great, smooth transition. I feel great about them. I think it's a very good thing to have their own sport and move forward competing in a great sport.”

Clubs connect the community and are the backbone of student activities. Students should want to be a part of one to gain leadership qualities, communication skills, learn to work with others, and much more. Over 20 different clubs are offered at Box Elder High School.

Student’s lives have changed after joining a club. In an interview, FCCLA President, Erika Burns, said, “It gives you the principles and values that you can use to grow as a person, that’s how I developed them.”

Some clubs like FCCLA, you can sign up for, while others you need to be nominated to.

Mrs. Joy Jones, Box Elders Hope Squad Advisor, said, “Hope squad members are chosen by the student body. Every April they do a nomination process.”

A lot of clubs at Box Elder are not in the spotlight and many students don’t know they are offered. Clubs like FCCLA and Hope Squad are pretty well known and are promoted, but others like Auto Club aren’t. This is because there are different types of clubs. 

A club is either considered a curricular or non-curricular club, meaning they are school-sponsored and receive support from the school or aren’t school-sponsored and aren’t endorsed in any way by the school.

The Box Elder Auto Club advisor, Mr. Kenneth Bunce, said, “We do a little bit of advertising but not much. Mostly it’s just students who are in the automotive class and want to do more.”

A majority of clubs have some sort of presidency inside the club so students can lead instead of an advisor doing it all.

Jones said, “In Hope Squad there is a presidency and there is a president and four advisors. The presidency plans the activities and all the stuff they do.”

Joining a club is a great way to get involved, pursue your passions, and connect with like-minded peers. 

Burns said, “It's fun, I love it. Like I said, it brings great memories. And not only that it helps a lot with school and with personal life.”

If a student is interested in starting their own club, they must be organized with the approval and supervision of the school principal and staff. The club must have at least one faculty sponsor that supervises the activities. They also must be under one of the categories of athletic, business/economic, agriculture, art/music/performance, science, gaming, religious, and community service/social justice. If you follow all requirements, the school or district still has the right to deny a club.

Students can find advisor contact information and more information about clubs and what clubs are offered at the BEHS website. 

Box Elder's annual haunted house is raising funds for Be the Match. All community members are invited to come join the fun. The haunted house is at Box Elder High School on Saturday, October 21st, from 7 PM and closes at 9:30 PM.

HOSA is hosting this event but has teamed up with many other clubs and teams to make it happen. This event raises money for a not-for-profit organization, Be The Match.

A HOSA officer, Savanna Simcox, said, "We're doing it for the foundation Be the Match, and they are a national bone marrow transplant program. They help raise money to get bone marrow to save lives every single day."

HOSA isn't the only club delivering jumps, scares, games, and free treats. Multiple clubs are collaborating on this project. HOSA is in charge of it all, but most importantly, they are welcoming everyone to this event because everyone belongs at this haunted house on the scariest night of the school year.

Kira Spangenberg, HOSA president, spoke about the collaboration. Spangenberg said, "There are so many people involved, so HOSA is the one who plans all of it and runs it all. But we have the student government involved, The Rockettes, Cheerleaders, the Latinos in Action, the Japanese club, the Chinese club, the DND club, the Equity club, FCCLA, Hope Squad, and the National Honors Society. So almost all of the clubs in the school are involved."

Every room in the haunted house has a different theme. HOSA's theme this year is a haunted dentist, while Student Government is doing a haunted birthday party. These themes were decided during a planning event, which was part of the planning process.

HOSA student officer, Chelsea Karren, discussed the efforts of planning an event like this. Karren said, "First, you have to get your general idea, like, what's a day the school can do this when we don't have anything else going on, stuff like that."

It takes time, teamwork, ideas, and options. It takes a lot for these frightful nights. Planning steps are very crucial.

Kerns explained, "You're gonna want to know your theme. Then, get all the members involved, have a meeting, throw some ideas out there for how we're gonna do it for our room, and invite all the other clubs as well to do their stuff."

In past years, club members have said that everyone who was part of it was very thankful that they had an opportunity to join this frightful night. All of their ideas were amazing, and they had fun making them.

The Instagram pages are very important because this is where you can get other information like the times, dates, and other fun frightful things to read about. Social media plays a big part in getting the event out there so everyone knows what's going on at Box Elder. Students come here to get more information about the haunted house, the date it's happening, the opening and closing times, the location, the prices, and other information about what the haunted house is for and some fun little information.

This is the season that December brings the Christmas spirit out in everyone. The Madrigals will be singing Christmas songs throughout the week of December 14. The school concert is on December 19th.

The Madrigals is a group of advanced talent singers in a choir made up of an equal number of boys and girls (base, tenor, alto, soprano) at BEHS. The choir is conducted by Casey Wood and will be singing at several events around Utah, which will mostly consist of church parties and community events.

None of the events the Madrigals sing at require admission, but on December 19, they will provide the opportunity for guests to donate money for future Madrigal events. The money raised will go towards traveling and hiring musicians and instrumentalists.

The BEHS accompanist, Misa Findlay, said, “I love it. I'm really excited, we have some great pieces and we have good balance.” 

Findlay and Wood have great confidence in this year's Madrigals. Regarding the productivity of the Madrigals, Wood commented, “Oh, we're gonna be ready in like, a week and a half.” 

The Madrigal Choir students are also looking forward to the occasion. A senior in Madrigals, Chandler Richards, said he is especially excited for the time he gets to spend with his fellow choir members. Madrigals is a year-round class, so the students really get to know each other.

Everyone at BEHS is invited to attend events and support their school’s Madrigals.

FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America),  is in full swing with members preparing for regional competitions and doing service projects on the side. 

“We do a lot of service projects, and then we have a competition where you either do tests or presentations. Most of the time, we are working on those competitions, and we're doing activities that will prepare us for the future,” Abigayle Rust stated. 

FBLA’s main purpose is to prepare members for a future in business and currently has 32 members. It mainly focuses on tests about business, but it also focuses on public speaking and presentations. 

“Most of us will grow up to work for a business. We tend to think of the specific job function, but ‘business’ touches most careers. The doctor's office is a business, and so is the veterinarian's clinic. Google is a business, Dell computers is a business. FBLA helps prepare students for the future,” Stated Aaron Crawford, one of the leaders of FBLA. 

Region competitions are on December 5th, and because some events require a pretest, FBLA members are already taking tests. Testing goes until the 16th, and members get to choose what events they compete in. 

“We can decide how many individual competitions we do and I have around five to six … we have three conferences for competitions. I compete mostly in parliamentary procedures and have started public speaking,” stated Alyssa Lyman, president of FBLA. 

While members prepare for competitions, they also compete through tests. 

“I’m taking five tests for it. And so you get tested on stuff about business, and some of them are presentations, so I’m doing public speaking. On December 5th we are having a region competition and I’m given a prompt and I have to go up and speak about it,” said Rust.

Many of the members feel that they have made great friendships and had great experiences.

“I like how easy it is to make friends and how it teaches us good skills for any job we will get. I find it a little bit stressful because I’m in charge of so much but overall it's fun and creates great memories,” Lyman stated. 

“To prepare for competitions, we give descriptions of what the judges are expecting. We have a fun activity before Region where we can present to each other, while some get to play the role of judges. We also give information on our Canvas page about the different competitions and what they require,” Crawford stated. 

But FBLA isn’t just about business and competition. They also help out around the community by doing service projects. They are planning to paint and landscape the Habitat for Humanity house that is currently in construction on 5th west.

“We're really excited about that. It's so amazing that we can actually help a family get what they need the most. Our work there will touch that family for decades in a positive way,” Crawford stated.

BEHS's first swim meet was on October 18th at RidgeLine High School where the boys won first place and the girls came in second. More recently, Saturday Nov.15th at the Box Elder High School Natatorium, the swim team came in first place against four different Highschool teams. 

Practice can be rough and hard but it helps swimmers get ready to swim and get in shape for meets. Swim season has just started and will end sometime in early February.

Cael Harrop, a senior on the swim team says “ We practice 6 days a week, two times a day for four days, and it's always hard.”  Taten Moss, a sophomore who swims for Box Elder also added that “ Swimming is obviously hard with the early mornings .”

Sometimes swimmers can be in the pool before, during, and even after school.

“So I am in the pool for two hours during the school day, two hours after school, and an hour in the morning so I swim a lot,” stated Moss when asked how long he swims each day.

Some people may think that swimming is an easy sport to master but it takes a mental toll as well as a physical one.

“It’s a really mental sport, if you're not in the right headspace, you’re not gonna do good, because you have to have a lot of mental strength to keep yourself going, and pushing yourself hard…  if you get negative its harder to swim,” stated Tessa Weyand a sophomore on the team.

The next meet is on the 18th and 19th of November. Upcoming swim meets can be found on this website. https://swimboxelder.com/ 

Cheerleading has become much more than just screaming and encouraging words from the sidelines at football games, especially at Box Elder High. The cheerleaders at BEHS stunt and tumble. They work very hard to keep in shape and to stay safe. Throwing a flyer 10 feet in the air for a basket toss can be dangerous. A flyer is a person you throw up in the air and catch her on the way back down. 

BEHS cheerleading team takes precautions to avoid injuries. Jamie Kent, Principle of Box Elder High School says, “ They go to a training that the state of Utah has and they all have to pass the safety clinic and they all follow the safety things after that,” A study done from betterbrases.com says, “from 1980-2013 cheerleading injury rates went up 440%.” The most common injuries in cheerleading are concussions, broken wrists, torn ACL’s in the knee, and back injuries.

Stunting is one of the main reasons for all these injuries during cheer. Betterbrases.com goes on to say, “Stunting causes 42 to 60 percent of all injuries in cheerleading. In addition, 96 percent of concussions and head injuries in cheerleading are caused by stunting.”

 Not only does the Box Elder High cheerleading team stunt and tumble but they also compete against other high schools. 

Cheerleading captain Paige Udy says, “ I think it’s safe when everybody is doing their part but if one person doesn't do their part or give it 100% that’s when it can be dangerous.” 

Box Elder High cheer team is very athletic too, they practice every day.  

To prevent injuries during cheer practice can be simple. Warm up your muscles and stretch well. Box Elder High cheerleading flyer Brooke Jacobson says, “When we get there we stretch and warm up our arms and jumps and go through the game plan. Then we stunt and tumble and do our routines.”

 Box Elder High School makes sure the cheerleaders are always safe during practice to reduce injuries.

The automotive club at Box Elder High School is a student ran an organization that provides students the opportunity to learn how to repair automotive issues and gain knowledge and skills with automobiles. 

The automotive club has monthly shop nights where students have the opportunity to work on their own cars at Box Elder High School. On a yearly basis, the club averages around 25-30 students join the club, this club is a year-long club. 

Students at BEHS don’t just work in their own cars, they also compete in competitions against other high schools. The automotive club has won engine building 2 years in a row in the state and the Weber State competition. Right now students are building race motors and last year the auto tech club built cycle carts. 

Not only do you build skills with automotive but you gain friendships as well.

The President of the club, Ashlee Freeze stated, “I believe the auto tech club has helped a lot with my social life, I have a lot of friends that are in the club. I have definitely learned a lot more about automotive things.” 

The automotive club also helps students think about careers in automotive and gain an understanding of what this career would look like for them. 

Member of the club Blake Ashworth said,  “I feel like the automotive club has helped me and guide me toward a better career, I feel like I can actually know what I want to do, and I feel like I didn’t know 100% where I wanted to go, but now I feel like I know what I want to do because of the automotive club.”

Students at BEHS are joining the automotive club to learn more about cars and to learn a better understanding of what goes into repairing an automobile and to have a career in the automotive’s, while also getting to repair their own cars with the club's supervisor Mr. Bunce. 

Swing Club helps BEHS students learn how to dance and make friends. The next Swing Club meeting is November 19th from 6 pm - 8 pm. They will meet in Mr.Burrell’s room V-1.

The swing club Meets every month, offering refreshments and fun. They also have an option for students to learn swing dance even if they did not previously know any moves. To join, students sign up to join the “group me” app, a group chat, where students can share information about meeting times and other social information. 

Caden Burrell is one of our math teachers here at Box Elder High School along with the leader of the swing club. When asked about why swing is important Burrell stated  “ I think that it's a lowkey environment where everyone feels comfortable.” He goes on” The fact that it's somewhere where people can feel included and involved and comfortable, and still have a lot of fun. Where you can just be yourself.” This club is really about making a safe environment for students to feel safe and to feel like they can make friends.” 

Swing club meets every month when asked if that is enough Burrell said “ In a perfect world I think we would meet a couple of times a month, just with student schedules sometimes it's not always possible. 

Swing club is a club that isn’t very well known around this school. 

Burell stated “We try to advertise, I feel like a lot of people know about it. But it's not nearly like Fccla , or some of those clubs that are pretty well known. Since it's still pretty fresh on the school's mind, not as many people are talking about it as I would want.”

Everyone is invited to the Swing Club, despite your dance history. Like most clubs, they not only try to have a fun time with people., but it can be a great way to make some long-lasting friends. 

 “I always have pretty standard regulars that will be there every time, there's usually a small handful of new people that come each time as well. My goal is to get all those newbies to continue to come”. 

Swing Dancing may not be your thing, but it might be a good idea to check out this club that is full of friendships and kindness. Mr.Burrell strives to keep this group going so that he can make as many friendships and dance moves as possible. And with this, it just might help the school a great amount. 

Welcome to Box Elder’s Dungeons and Dragons Club, the only place you can be sent on a quest to fight a dragon, only to befriend said dragon, then take over the world with that dragon you named Gertrude without ever leaving the school building. 

If you've ever wanted to set a town on fire, or become a tyrant overlord— D&D club is the place to do just that. The club is very popular among some students, already having about 30 members.

The teacher that runs D&D Club, Mr. Goddard, said he really loves running the club and creating a place where students can go on premade journeys from their books, or even create their own adventures, called homebrew campaigns. 

“We got three new books.” Goddard said. “Two are for campaigns, Radiant City and Tomb of Annihilation. We also got Monsters of the Multiverse for more character creation.”

Tracen Chaloupka is the president of D&D Club, and he agrees that these new books are exciting. After his party finishes their current campaign, Curse of Strahd, he plans on starting a new campaign using the Club’s new book. Specifically Tomb of Annihilation.

Chaloupka said the energy in the club never dies down.

“Holy cow, it’s energetic for sure. It’s loud and playful, it can get hard to even hear each other.”

Ethan Ingels is a member of the club. He’s a player in a different group, there being 4 different games going on at the moment in the club. He said he was recommended the club by one of his friends, and is so glad that he decided to try it out. 

“People are really nice. It's fun to be in there and do D&D stuff. I really like Dungeons and Dragons, and I want to start getting better at it. It's tons of fun, and there’s lots of really cool people and ideas.”

With all its members, the D&D Club is quite popular here at Box Elder. And they’re hoping with the arrival of the new books, it just keeps gaining new members. The club needs as many members as they can for the final battle at the end of the year. 

Goddard said that at the end of the year, every member of the club joins together to fight one of the most powerful enemies in D&D lore. At least, the most powerful one they can find. 

If you’re thinking about joining the club, or might have an interest in Dungeons and Dragons, the president of the club agrees trying out the club is a good idea. 

“D&D can have a lot of assumptions and stereotypes around it,” Chaloupka stated. 

“Give it a shot with an honest and open mind, maybe you’ll be surprised about how much fun it could be.”

Spanish classes join with their teacher to celebrate the deceased and give the school a piece of their culture. Come to the library on November 1-2 to see the ofrendas they have worked hard to build.

Isabel Olsen, the Spanish teacher, has a tradition every year to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos with her students. She believes that this gives them a first hand experience in the culture they are learning.

“I actually help with my other classes, Spanish three, four and ElD, and another EID class. So I'm putting four of my classes together, and my Latinos in Action, so there are going to be two ofrendas,” Stated Mis. Olsen.

An ofrenda is a really huge part of Dia de Los Muertos. They can be decorated in different ways. The most important part of an ofrenda is the pictures of ancestors. Commonly, ofrendas will have pan de muerto, or bread of the dead. Some ofrendas are decorated with foods that were a favorite of an ancestor in life. There could even be music that the ancestor liked.

“Me and my family we put music on and like we put on the music of our loved one that died. I don’t know if it is different for everybody but I do know that is the way we do it.” said Nichol, a student from Latinos in action.

Dia de Los Muertos is a celebration that is several hundred years old. Celebrated every year from October 31 to November 2, it is a blend of Mesoamerican ritual, European religion and Spanish culture. 

“Every year I would do this for my dual immersion students. What we would do is set up tables in the library and we usually put pictures of our ancestors. It's kind of just a way for us to remember them. “ Olsen says.

The tradition of Dia de Los Muertos comes from Mexico. It originates from the Aztecs, who honored the dead through a ritual. And is a mix of the Spanish tradition to decorate the cemeteries of the dead.

“In fact it comes from my ancestors, the Aztecs. The Spanish kind of, like, adopted that tradition. The origins of Dia de Los muertos is in Mexico, but over the years it has spread all over the world, it is also different now. They have parades. . . But in the small towns in Mexico they go to the cemeteries and they think about the people who have died, it's really important.” Olsen said.

There are many misconceptions of Dia de Los Muertos. One misconception of Day of the Dead is that it is the Latino version of Halloween. Even though the holidays are celebrated close together, they could not be further from being similar. Nichole said that she feels Halloween is more of a party with friends, and tha Dia de Los Muertos is a traditional celebration with family.

“Halloween is like you get to dress up as whatever you want, but in Dia de Los Muertos you dress a certain way, it is a tradition for people to just remember their loved ones.” Jasmine Rodriguz said.

Dia de Los Muertos is a huge part of Mexican culture, and has become a part of the world too. Mrs. Olsen and her Spanish classes invite you to come and see the ofrendas they are working so hard on making. They hope that you love their culture as much as they do, and spread the message of importance to the community.

Mrs. Olsen will have posters set up in the library with the ofrendas teaching more about Día de los Muertos. Be sure to come. “Again the school is invited to come and see and learn about the celebration and come and get this information. It will be on the first and the second of november.”

The debate team need more members to compete. Four to five members short, they are searching the school for more.

Though many more members aren't a must, the club wishes to have people join. The club is not for gathering as friends to hang out after school, it will be a “competitive club to compete in our local tournaments”.

Club captain Milton Farr expressed that he and other members would be willing to help any new ones learn the ropes and help them find a competition that suits them.

“I say anybody could join. I think that there's all sorts of people with different backgrounds who are comfortable doing it because debate kind of just opened to everybody. You don't have to have experience, you can just start fresh and get experience.” Milton Farr said.

They all believe that they work well as a team. From watching them as a club and seeing how they all talked about each other, they seem to be willing to let eager and experienced members in. Mr Whitney said that he would love to welcome anybody into the club as well, but he would prefer if someone took his debate class first. 

“But if they were to come in and say, I know nothing about debate, would you teach me? I would say to take my debate class.” said Mr. Whitney, “They do not have to join now, they can join any day of the year. That gives them plenty of time to take the debate class and join the club, if they are interested.”

To inform people who are interested in joining the club can take comfort in knowing not all of the members have real life experience with debate. Club member Cody Zundll said he has no previous experience in the field. But he does understand the rules and formula of debate.

“I have no previous experience with debate . . . I'd be willing to teach them and walk them through the formula of debate.” Cody stated. 

The Debate club is open to anyone who wants to join and has an understanding of debate regulations. If you are interested you can talk to the debate Coach, Mr. Whitney, in room H-8.

“November 19th in Cache Valley is the first competition. . . But first we need at least four to five new members.” Stated Mr. Whitney, teacher of the Debate Club.

FAFSA Night was set up, by local college adviser Ryann Nunn, for students that might need help regarding college.

FAFSA stands for “Federal Application For Federal Student Aid”. In simpler terms, FAFSA helps students find out how much federal student aid they can get to help with college expenses.  

According to Nunn, FAFSA is financially beneficial to students. He stated, “It helps a lot of students get into school… If you want to go to school [college] it is a great way to do it, but don’t rely on it alone… find a part time job, or find a scholarship as well. FAFSA is a huge resource to use.” 

Nunn explained, “Students can come with their parents and make their account, and also get help with filling out their application.” Nunn also talked about how students need financial or tax information to get the FAFSA filled out. 

When asked about how FAFSA has changed over time, Nunn said, “They have tried to condense it, make it so there are less questions to answer… Really, this is supposed to help more students apply and get the aid they are eligible for, and that they need.”

When asked about preparing for FAFSA, Nunn said that it “opens every year on October 1st, so a good habit is to have that in the calendar, and to apply as soon as possible.” The deadline varies between states.

Students might wonder how helpful FAFSA Night can be. A local student, Ammon Thompson, said, “I definitely think it was helpful. I don’t think I would have been able to do as much as I was able to do without FAFSA Night.”

Although only 21 students, out of the 43 in attendance, finished their FAFSA that night, many students stressed how helpful FAFSA night was in filling out their forms. Nunn finished with, “It's fair to say that getting help through FAFSA is a good idea.”

BEHS Hope Squad has been hosing activities all month for Unite month, including one this  Friday Oct. 21st. Hope Squad is a suicide prevention group focused on understanding the warning signs of suicide but lately they have been doing some activities to help the school feel unified.

October is the Unite Month. The theme for October is. “Pause. “Breathe. Hope. Unite”. Their focus is to make sure that the experience of BEHS to feel like a caring community.

Mrs Jones, the faculty adviser of the Hope Squad says “it is a good way at BEHS to show that we as a community can focus on sucicde prevention and help students know that there is help.”

 Hope Squad has been around for about 8 years Mrs Jones has been doing it for 8 years as well. “Hope Squad is amazing at spreading awareness and helping people get support”.

Friday there was a scavenger hunt and whoever had a black out or bingo got a prize. At the beginning of the month Hope Squad created a unified hands sign in at the north parking lot to show their support. This helped BEHS feel unified in our goals by showing that hope squad supports us..

Hope Squad member, Taylor Thomas said “Hope Squad helped me with problems and it can really help other people as well”. 

Students should go to Hope Squad activities because it’s a caring community for people and they want the best for them. It's an amazing club to join and Taylor feels that every student should have the ability  to get help when they need it. 

Japanese culture is taking BEHS by storm as the Japanese club is growing. The club takes place in room H-2 on Wednesdays after school. 

“It's so fun. We get to eat yummy food. We get to actually learn the Japanese language. It's a pretty cool one. We get to learn about the culture,”said club member, Sadie Parkin.

During club meetings, students learn some Japanese, then watch anime, and then practice Japanese culture while Cheney prepares some food. 

“Occasionally we've done a couple of trips, but like the day-to-day thing that we do is we start with 15 minutes of language. We do 15 minutes, and after that we sometimes watch a little bit of anime to help us listen to the language and kind of see what words we recognize,” stated Emma Bybee.

The Japanese club also has many events and fun things going on. Mr. Cheney said “There are some special events that are a little bit beyond the club. Sometimes we go on field trips. Sometimes we have a special party. We had a karaoke party a couple of weeks ago and we're planning a field trip to the Asian market in Ogden.”

In July of 2023, the Japanese club will be going to Japan. Many students are very excited about the trip. 

Jack Henrich, a member of the club, stated, “it's going to be about nine days. First few days are just traveling to get there, and then we're going to go visit like, temples and bamboo forests and we're going to go to a school to meet other students, and we're just going to go see a lot of great things” 

Though the trip is a bit costly, the price bein around five thousand dollars, many students have still signed up for the trip and there are also many fundraisers going on to help raise the money.

“There are lots of students who are interested in Japanese culture that could enjoy coming to our meeting. I think that there are lots of students who have Japanese family heritage, and we would love to have them come to our club too.” stated Cheney.

Box Elder High School Track went to state competitions this week at BYU Provo. The end of their season has come and the Seniors are looking back on it while the Sophomores and Juniors look forward to next year’s season.

“We worked together hard. We know what we’re capable of but seeing each other push each other, that kind of unity is what I’m going to miss the most,” said Arden Cook.

This year’s track season has been good according to most team members.

“I think as a team we did really good. We took Cache/Box, boys and girls, which was really fun. And we just took region,” said Tyler McClellan.

“Overall, it’s been a really great season,” said Arden Cook.

State competitions went well for the girls, but not so well for the boys. The boy's team took seventh, but according to some they should have been fourth. On the other hand, the girl's team took first by a wide margin. 

Tyler McClellan said this to students who are considering joining, “If you’re not sure, I’d say do it. It’s fun. You make good friends.”

They had a great season and did well at State. Congratulations Track, can’t wait to see you over the summer and next year!

Go Bees!

As spring quickly approaches the boys lacrosse season is in full swing, and coming to a conclusion. With this being the second official season of Box Elder Boys Lacrosse, the team has lots of thoughts about their season.

A few of the Lacrosse boys state their opinions on their team and season. In an interview with the team's midfielder, Corbin Andreasen on the team stated, “I feel like our lacrosse season is going really well. We are pulling together as a team and are working really hard to win our games and continue to do well on the field”

When asked how the team was doing this season, Radley Bruderer who plays goalie on the field states, “Right now our season is a little on the downside but it seems to be looking up and I think we'll do great for playoffs”.

The coach of the team, Damon Andreasen, talks about how proud he is with his boys,

“It’s been awesome to see we've had some good seniors, they have done a good job of stepping up and taking charge but we're also seeing a lot of young kids coming together. And everybody is working really well together.” 

Andresen also goes on to talk about how large his team has gotten due to the covid shut down, “So this year, like two and a half of our first year of being sanctioned. We were shut down right before our season started due to the covid shutdown. So this is the largest team we’ve had.”  

Box Elder Boys Lacrosse team has over 59 players between both Varsity and Junior Varsity. This also includes subs. The boys lacrosse team was made official and their first season was the school year of 2020.

The Freshman Softball team scored 0 to 6 against Bountiful on Apr 26. 

“The team this season has been doing pretty good. We've been hitting really well and we've had some good defense and honestly all the way around we've been really good” said Reese Hodgeson who plays catcher and second.

When asked about how they keep moral high Zoey Trinnaman who plays outfield had this to say

"We keep our morale high by just getting like really pumped up and like even when we’re down we don’t get down on each other and we just keep the energy like really high." 

Hodgeson added what the students can do to help support the team.

“Students should come to our games because it's a lot of energy going on and it's just fun to watch and we have a lot of school spirit.” When students come to the Softball games they can show their school spirit too. “It's just a good thing you know to get out of the house and come watch your fellow classmates,” 

The best way for students to support the team is to, "cheer loud and show team spirit.” Said Charlie Marble who plays outfield.

The best part of being on the team in Marbles's opinion is, “just all the friendships you make and it's a great time to hang out with your friends and kick some butt.”

Hear more about the other sports most recent scores at  The BUZZ Broadcast sports section.

Box Elder High School's Baseball team is hopeful and pumped for this season. The team thinks that they will do well.

This year's season began in the early spring of the third trimester and is coached by Jaron Gold, Travis Mumford and Jesse Roberts. Roberts is confident that the team could be fairly successful this season but still thinks that they could do better. He likes to see his team try their hardest when they step on the field and his goal for the team never changes.

Roberts stated in an interview, “We’ve had points where I feel like we could do a little bit better job, but overall, it’s early and I feel like we’ve set things in place to be really successful this year.” He added, “I expect to see them trying their hardest every time they step on the field. So right now, our goal is the Region Championship, and that doesn’t change.”

The team started in St. George this year and came home with a win. This built up their confidence and motivation. One team member in particular, Ryan Griffin, says that he wants to see a better record this season than last. Griffin has high hopes for his team.

Griffin said in an interview, ”We got a good start in St. George so I think we have a good season ahead of us, I would say. I’d like to just have a better record than last year. Our team is very young, but we could be really successful this year.”

Tallin Chappell, a junior on the team, thinks their team had a pretty rocky start with a win-lose-win pattern. He still has high hopes for the rest of the season, though. He hopes to win in regionals and make it to the championships. 

Chappell said, “We kind of got off to a mediocre start though, where we’re up and down, but I think later in the year we’ll find our shine. I think we’re gonna make a good run, so hopefully we can win a championship. But first, I hope we win our region.”

The baseball team loves to see the community at their games, especially their peers. Both Griffin and Chappell said they get lots of fans and just hope more people continue to come to the games to cheer them on. 

Griffin said, “I know that us as players love when the students come to our games, because it gets us hyped when they cheer for us.” 

Chappell added, “There’s a lot of people who come to the games, but if we could just get more people that would just be better, but I think we do a good job on it.” 

With the season just starting, each player has a different reason for playing. Griffin has a drive for baseball. He loves playing baseball because he makes so many friends who he loves to spend time with. 

“I love baseball a lot because whether it’s highschool or college teams, I made so many friends over baseball and I just love hanging out with my boys and having a good time,” stated Griffin.

Chappell on the other hand, has played growing up because he loves it and puts himself so into it and tries to do his best.

Chappell said, “I’ve just played it all growing up because I love it. So it’s just something that I put myself into and try to be the best that I can be.”

There are 12 home games of the season and the next one is Friday, April 1. Tickets are free and the team would love to see you there.

Indoor track members train for outdoor track in the hallways of Box Elder Highschool. Both the coaches and athletes express their love of the sport and the training required to meet their full potential. 

None of the events of indoor track are mandatory but rather precursors to the much bigger outdoor track season, with many students using indoor track to train and maintain their physiques. However for long-distance runners Kylee Blakeley and Hunter Everton, running is more than a physical thing. 

“Mentally and physically it's super good for me, because like before I would do other sports I’d come home crying every night because I was so frustrated. I was no longer happy with myself. But with running, it was more my choice.” said Blakeley.

Blakeley started during an outdoor track season and has loved the sport ever since. On a similar note, Hunter Everton, explains why he runs. 

“Insanity,” said Everton,  “it's fun I guess, it makes me happy.”

 He also commented on how the team is unified. “We get along so well; we're all buds.” Hunter started track during his freshman year, but it took a while to find what he loved doing until he tried long distance. With runners having reasons to which they run, their coaches have reasons to which they coach. Coach Rawlins, the distance coach, says. 

“They're fun sports and give you a chance to see something measurable. I don’t decided on playing time. Kids decide on what they want to become based on their hard work” Coach Rawlins sees the dedication required for this hard work in many Box Elder students. 

Likewise, Coach Davidson also loves this aspect of coaching track. He said, “I'm outdoors with a kid who wants to work hard and get better. It's really a staffing sport because you have a kid that is willing to work hard and they can get pretty good.” 

Both coaches gave remarks on how easy it is to join track, with Rawlins stating:

“Anyone can join, just buy your uniform. How good you wanna get depends on how hard you wanna work.”

BEHS’s FCCLA competed at the regional conference hosted at Weber State University  Thursday, February 3rd. BEHS FCCLA adviser Janet Stolworthy and select members of BEHS’s FCCLA attended. 

This competitive event fundraiser’s main goal was to “raise money for the “We Help Too” fundraiser which last trimester, gained enough money for a prosthetic leg that they gave to a 19-year-old girl in Uganda.” says Stolworthy. 

The student president of FCCLA, Rachel Blanchard explains “For the FCCLA region conference students get the chance to create a project in advance dealing with careers in Family and Community Sciences and classes. There are more than 30 different events they can choose from.”  Blanchard continues  “Our members work hard to create projects over a period of a few months. Region is the first chance they get to present their projects for judging. If they do well they can move on to state and from state onto nationals.”

Blanchard is competing in interior design, she designed a house for her clientele and she is presenting her designs and research, as she is striving to go on the career path of interior design, she says she is excited to show her skills and hard work. She is very excited and states, “Region is probably one of the more fun competitions because members who choose not to compete can still attend and do workshops! Region is specifically more fun because it is with schools close to us!” 

Stolworthy explains this is the first chance for the students to attend a competitive event, they can practice it and figure out how to improve before competing at state. 

“I am always amazed by these students.” Stolworthy states, getting the kids to compete and be pushed out of their comfort zone helps a lot with their own self-esteem and boosts confidence when they go up in front of a crowd, she continues to explain.

Principal Jamie Kent gives her support, “Shout out to FCCLA as they head to their regional conference. They have put a lot of work in and we are excited to see them represent the Box Elder Bees!”

 The FFA, FBLA, and FCCLA have similar events that the kids are involved in, unlike the FFA or FBLA, they have competitions for Human Services, Hospitality and Tourism, Education and Training, and Visual Arts and Design.

“Anyone that’s interested in these fun classes that I teach, there’s always fun competitions and scholarships that are available.” Stolworthy concludes.

The FCCLA has also done a sock donation drive and strives to give the socks to people in need of them. If you know someone in need talk to Mrs. Stolworthy, located in E-3 or E-1.

Our Rockettes competed on the state level on February 2nd at Utah Valley University. The team has been working on their routines since early June. Sixteen 6A teams and sixteen 5A teams competed yesterday according to Kenzie Lacassio, a senior on the team who has been competing since her sophomore year. 

Desiree Price, another senior on the team who has been competing since her junior year, had this to say about her favorite routine. “I like all of our routines but probably our show routine, we are supposed to be porcelain dolls and we just have a lot of fun with that dance and it's got us good placings.” The team does not know their final placing yet but they do know that they placed above ninth, also according to Lacassio.  

 The competition went really well. Price felt that the tem did the best that they could. Prince said for future Rockettes“that it is a really good experience. There are days that it's hard but you will gain a lot from it”