Students at Box Elder High School were given the chance to vent their stress during Hope Squad’s Destress Week.

Last week, Hope Squad hosted a series of events during lunch and Bee Time to help students during this final stretch of school. With all of the different events, school tests, and issues happening, it helps students to keep away this oncoming dread. 

“I think a lot of people are just ready for the summer break.” Tyson Heaton, one of Hope Squad’s counselors, observes. “The activities for the end of the year help to alleviate some of that anxiousness for summer.”

These different activities included water balloon fights with teachers, finding ducks hidden throughout the school for prizes, making slime, JustDance, sidewalk chalk art, and a paper chain competition between grades. However, the water balloon fights were canceled due to cold weather.

“I wish we could have thrown water balloons at the teachers: that would have destressed a lot of people.”Robbie Gunter, the assistant principal for K-Z, admits.

Despite the cancellation, students still found the other activities to be a blast. One that started out Destress week was a duck scavenger hunt: Hope Squad had hidden ducks throughout the school and, once students found one, could return it to the counseling center for a prize.

“I really liked hiding the ducks the other day,” Kylie Moriarty, a member of Hope Squad, shares.“That was really fun. We found some really good hiding spots.”

Another fun activity was the slime crafting station, which was a crowd favorite. And it even is one that Hope Squad is already considering bringing back next year.

“Slime has been a huge hit, so if you didn’t come, you missed out!” Joy Jones, a teacher at BEHS and a Hope Squad Counselor, shares. “Maybe we’ll have to do it again, on a not freezing day.”

This activity helped students to create a way to vent their stress and frustrations in a healthy and calming way. Stress toys are often a way to help with this, and slime is included in this spectrum.

“Playing with sensory toys and stuff like that can actually make you pay attention more,” Jaycee Gomez commented.

Aside from the slime, another hit was the JustDance competitions. During this activity, students had the chance to let loose and dance with friends to all kinds of songs.

“Honestly, it was super fun when ten of us weren’t really nervous of making fools of ourselves.” Sadie Parkin, a junior at BEHS, recounts. It was just such a blast for the group dances when we were dancing together. It was so rad!”

One of the other fun activities was the chalk art event that was held at BEHS’ doors. Students wrote messages and drew pictures all over the sidewalk to the school building to uplift others, which was a fun and artistic way to destress.

“It’s so awesome to see all these cool, wonderful pictures and drawings and sayings on the floor.” Gunter praises.

One of the activities held throughout the week was the paper chain competition. This event was against the different grades to see who could make the longest one. On one side of a piece of paper, students would write something that stresses them out and the other, a way to destress. It helps students come up with more ways to cope with stress.

“Each of the chains has stressors and things that help you calm down, so it (helps with) awareness for stress.” Jennie Davies, a Hope Squad member, shares her insights.

These activities were held as an effort to help students destress during the last couple of weeks of school. Students may often forget to stop and take a breather, and may not realize they have peers who are going through similar situations.

“The overall goal with destress week is to destress, as the name implies, and to cause people to be aware that everyone is stressed, to some extent.” Davies comments.

Considering the several tests that students endure during this time and graduation coming up for many students, Destress Week serves as a break for overwhelmed students.

“I feel like,” Heaton remarks, “it helps them to have a little bit of fun at school.” 

Finally, Parkin shares some insight to the fun events of Destress Week.

“It’s really fun to, just before the trimester ends, to release all your stress out, finding things (like the ducks), and learning about how not to become overwhelmed.” 

Every year BEHS elects new student representatives for the student gov. With the transition to a new student government, students might be wondering what to expect from the newest leaders.

The Student Body President of next year, Bryson Singleton said, “in terms of the school having a great year we want to make student government itself more organized, and through that we want to be able to accomplish some new activities, continual progression and betterment of our current existing ones.”

By giving students an opportunity to participate in Student Government, it allows students a chance to create a positive impact and contribute to improving our school. It can help students develop skills such as leadership, problem-solving, and time management. 

Every Student Body Government is going to be different which is why it is important for candidates to run and have a campaign, that way they can show people who they are and what they want to accomplish. Students use these campaigns to find candidates who share similar goals as them.

In an interview with Sara Olson, our future Senior class President said, “I joined student council because I like to talk to people, I like to know about people, and learn about people, and say hi to people, and student government is a really good way to just push myself out there and do that even better than I could without it.”

The student government is meant to give a voice to the student body, so that they can give their opinion on schoolwide decisions. They get to organize activities for students they can promote positive mental health among the students, and give a chance for all of the students of Box Elder High School to come together. 

Bryson said, “I really want to push an initiative of kindness, respect, and involvement as well as inclusivity throughout the school. I really want everybody to feel like a somebody.”

The last week of school is one of the most stressful and exciting times for students at BEHS: but the teachers offer advice and tips to avoid this. The final week is an opportunity for students to help raise grades and get work done. Teachers offer students advice to help avoid the tension and strain that comes with catching up on work during the last few weeks of school.

“It’s going to be basically a BEE time for everybody, for all classes.” Chase Goddard, Science teacher at BEHS explains. “No new assignments will be given at that time, but it will be time for students to recover their grade, retake tests, retake assignments, redo projects, whatever needs to be done to get their grade up to a much more pleasant grade.”

But, despite this time given, it can be a struggle for students to get work done.

“The last week sometimes is challenging because students want to not do anything all trimester,” Bonnie Robinson, another teacher at BEHS, shares. “I am here to help, but students also need to be responsible, and they need to do it when it’s due and not wait until the end.” 

During this time, a large obstacle for students with responsibility is the excitement for summer. With the break coming quickly, the excitement may overtake this need for responsibility. 

“I think it’s mainly just it’s been a long year. They’ve worked hard all year. It gets to the point where they can smell freedom and they’re ready for it.” Teacher Sarah Bliesner reflects. “They’re ready to be out of here.”

As well as coming close to the home stretch, the stress of coming close to deadlines or the end of the year could also be a part of the dread that comes with these last weeks.

Janet Stolworthy, FACS teacher added. “I think third trimester is probably the hardest, because there’s no leeway going past that final end of the trimester... So I think, in a sense, third trimester is a bit more abrupt and harder, but I think that’s an okay thing to learn how to finish things up and meet criteria and get it done.”

In order to stay on top of all of these moving parts, the teachers give valuable advice to any student struggling from stress. The main thing to point out is any individual’s motivation could be an issue, considering procrastination can be a huge part of putting off any assignments.

“At the end of the day, motivation is an internal thing. What kids really need is just self-discipline. That’s how they’ll get it done.” Brock Durfee, history teacher, comments. “But if a kid is not doing it because they don’t know how or they’re struggling with something: get help. Ask me, ask somebody else who’s done it already, so that they can get it done.”

Another important part of getting things accomplished is having a positive attitude, Durfee goes on to elaborate on that topic.

“In psychology, there’s something called self-determination theory. Which says that, in order for somebody to be intrinsically motivated, that means they do something because they want to rather than because someone’s forcing them to.” 

Durfee explains the three elements to this theory and how he incorporates that into his class including, autonomy, competency, and relatedness. “I try to build all three of those things into my class as much as I possibly can.” Durfee Said

As a teacher, it is often difficult to watch students struggle to get through their workloads, but Durfee’s technique to build up this positive environment helps students. 

“What that does, ultimately, is that it gets kids to feel like they can and want to succeed, and then they just do of their own choice,” Durfee explains. “Most of the time.” 

Another tip is to make a list of assignments to help track all student work. Both teachers Chase Goddard and Timber Bailey offered this solution.

“Write down every single assignment you are missing or got a low grade on…and then do that for all the classes. Then prioritize those in accordance to what is time allowed. And then set yourself a schedule.” Goddard advises.

There are also ways to help prevent heavy workloads that may be pushed on students during the last few weeks.

“The other thing is studying and hard work,” Goddard goes on. “Doing the hard work now, before the end. Because if you can do the hard work and study before you take the test then you don’t have to retake the test.”

Teachers are willing to help students and work with them: so long as the student puts in the hard work. 

“Definitely try to stay on top of things,” Bailey suggests. “Communicate with your teacher beforehand or as soon as possible… Don’t wait until it’s been a while. Stay fresh on it.”

On top of communication, another way to cope with the stress of school is communicating students’ own needs with themselves. 

This is further emphasized by Bliesner. “Find time for yourself if you can. I know there’s a lot going on but if you take care of yourself and give yourself some self care it should help.”

The final tip that is offered by the teachers for students is to prioritize what’s important.

“I find that in the classroom, a lot of times it’s easy for those that are more social to try and use that time to socialize with their friends.” Stolworthy offers. “And let’s face it, that’s part of what high school’s for, is socializing. But if you’re wanting to stay up on your grade and you want a certain grade, you need to do that with the time that’s been given to you in class and socialize outside of class or after the work’s done.”

Despite the hardship of the final few weeks of school, whether it be from the dread or excitement of school ending, skills learned through the end are vital to the venture into the life of an adult for high schoolers. And whether a student is graduating or is awaiting a new school year next fall, all of the effort given in to today matters and affects students going forward. Even if they may feel it is too late in the trimester to change their grades.

“The scramble at the end of the trimester is one of the things that kids need to learn.” Durfee reflects. “It’s like a life skill: don’t procrastinate until the last minute. And I think school is a good place to learn that skill.”

Box Elder High School hosted their first Class Royale Week from April 8-12th in order to involve the students for school spirit as the year comes to a close. 

The students at BEHS had the chance to dress up for fun every day that week. On April 10th, Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores competed through Ultimate Frisbee to help their class in Class Royale Week.

“I was just hoping to have a fun time and that’s what happened,” said Logan Cefalo, Sophomore at BEHS.

Student Body President, Dallan Davidson, created the idea of dress up week, a sports event, and the rock paper scissor challenge to keep the school active. He explains that the Student Government hoped this event gave the students something to look forward to during the home stretch of the 2024 year.

“We want to keep people’s energy up, keep people invested in having fun,” Dallan Davidson explained.

Balancing high school and a job is difficult and can be a powersource for anxiety and failing grades. However, there are tips and advice from those who know the challenge and have experience in this field.

Box Elder High School students Vanessa Forsgren and Gavin Herbert, who’s also known as “Silent G”, know what the sacrifice is and the difficulty it brings. Recently, Forsgren made a 4.0 Grade Point Average last trimester while maintaining a job.

“I really tried to focus, when I wasn’t working or hanging out with friends, to get my homework done as fast as I could…around midterms it got really difficult…that stress level was pretty hard”

Achieving a 4.0 GPA and maintaining a job is a daunting task. Many organizations such as Mental Health America suggest working less hours a week if you're attending school full time. This can leave room to take care of yourself and your scholastic responsibilities if things become overwhelming.

“School administrators recommend that students ideally work 10-15 hours per week. For full-time students, this leaves them adequate time to spend in class and on assignments, while exploring interests and building relationships.” - Mental Health America

Herbert knows what it takes. He’s worked three jobs and attended school full time. He passed all of his classes and swam in the money. He suggests that you make time for yourself and to try your best not to work weekends.

And he’s not the only one that suggests that you make time to take care of yourself. Columbia School of Professional Studies encourages you to focus on maintaining your health and relationships as you put your time into school and work. 

“Education demands your time and energy, but it shouldn’t deplete your health, your professional life, or your family life…manage your time in order to get eight hours of sleep each night and a couple of hours of exercise each week. Every once in a while, reward yourself for a job well done.”

Box Elder High School has taken these stats into consideration and has championed the “S.E.L.F.I.E. Method” to help students improve their work-life balance and mental health. It's an acronym for Sleep, Exercise, Light, Fun, Interaction, and Eating Right. The school held an assembly earlier this year. Whether working 3 jobs like Herbert, or a summer job, it’s important to make time to take care of yourself. 

Life after High School can seem daunting to say the least, but a little bit of insight into the lives of recent graduates can help ease nerves.

Tyler Wells, a recent graduate now navigating college, gave an interview on his experiences and had this to say. “For my personal experience, I felt like I had a lot of it figured out which I definitely didn’t. Now I try to listen to any advisors I have.”

The first few months after high school can be full of big of decisions. Some may choose to further their education by attending college or university, while others may go for trade schools, or enter the workforce directly. Each path comes with its own set of challenges and opportunities.

 For those pursuing higher education, there's the excitement of exploring new subjects, making new friends, and gaining valuable skills. However, it also entails adjusting to the challenges of independent life and managing the newfound freedom away from home.

On the other hand, Zach Rennemeyer, a senior from Box Elder High School, preparing to graduate said, “I feel like the biggest challenge is paying for everything, especially right now everything is really expensive for housing. It’s probably difficult to manage the homework level with jobs and all the stuff you have to pay for.”

Many seniors preparing to graduate are very excited, but also nervous about taking on many new responsibilities such as, housing, college planning, financial stability, and many other things as they transition into adult life. 

Tyler talked about his experience in having to find his own housing for college and figure out which classes to schedule and when, and how to be able to afford college. He had to change his habits and choose to set aside more time to study for classes.

He said he has a lot more freedoms, but it also comes with more responsibilities, “There aren’t as many advisors as there are in high school to show you how to schedule your classes, you have to make things happen on your own.” 

In a study 49.4 million students in America attended High School, 43.6 million of those students graduated from High School, and 19.5 million went on to pursue college. A rising 16 million students were reported to attend trade schools, with trade work becoming increasingly popular and lucrative many students are choosing to go into a more hands on work environment instead of the traditional college approach.

There are many opportunities that allow students to pursue whatever type of career they may be seeking, it’s important to not become overwhelmed with all of the decisions that many graduates face. You should seek help when necessary through our schools college advisors, and mental health counselors, located in the counseling center.

Box Elder High School hosted their first Class Royale Week from April 8-12th in order to involve the students for school spirit as the year comes to a close. 

The students at BEHS had the chance to dress up for fun every day that week. On April 10th, Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores competed through Ultimate Frisbee to help their class in Class Royale Week.

“I was just hoping to have a fun time and that’s what happened,” said Logan Cefalo, Sophomore at BEHS.

Student Body President, Dallan Davidson, created the idea of dress up week, a sports event, and the rock paper scissor challenge to keep the school active. He explains that the Student Government hoped this event gave the students something to look forward to during the home stretch of the 2024 year.

“We want to keep people’s energy up, keep people invested in having fun,” Dallan Davidson explained.

Choir director and instructor,  Andrew Larson from Box Elder High School talks about his musical career and how he expects this upcoming concert, Feb 27th 6:30pm to go great. 

Larson, talks about his musical journey and background. 

Larson states, ”So officially this is my twenty second year as a contracted paid choir director, I have directed some choirs before that.” 

For Larson working with his dream career this long helps him along with his students who are working very hard for their upcoming concert in which they are welcoming everyone to come and watch them sing. 

Larson states, ”Well you have to be prepared for things to happen on stage, I mean even if someone is prepared they could have a momentarily mental block or somebody could get sick to their stomach and have to run off stage so you just have to be prepared about that.” 

He is constantly learning and growing as gone through his career and has improved his teaching methods.  He is constantly learning from his students as he teaches them. He's been able to help them with their singing and learn better techniques. No matter how experienced he is, he still experiences concert-day nerves.

Larson said, ”Well I’m nervous every time and I think that’s an important part for my musical journey helps me to bring a lot of energy to the stage, I think if I were to be too casual about it would be I don't know, maybe a little boring for the audience.” He has learn how to control and cover up his nervousness so it doesn’t affect the students. 

”I rely on my experience, I've been doing this for a few years right so I rely on my experience how far do you go to get the students pumped up without making them nervous.” He said. 

”I taught at a university before I came to BEHS and the expectation was for those choirs to get out on the road and to do touring and competitions.” 

From his experience and deciding to go from teaching college classes to high school which is not usually how people decide to take their musical journey.  He says that even though he went backwards, going from teaching college to high school he doesn't regret a thing. It has helped him better understand high schoolers and mental capabilities. Even though it’s his first year at BEHS, he has a place in our hearts and in our school.

The students at BEHS do a wide variety of things in their free time. In a recent survey, we discovered the student body’s favorite pastimes.

Eating out is common, and Beto’s in Tremonton is very popular, with 8% of respondents naming it as their favorite place. Costa Vida and Maddox are close behind. Other places mentioned were Wingers, Peach City, Golden Spike Burger, and Beijing Buffet.

Staying active is important for BEHS students, and our community has many places where you can exercise.  The majority of respondents, 22%, claimed that the Box Elder Natatorium was their favorite place to exercise. Honorable mentions go to the Brigham City Sports Complex, baseball fields and Beehive fitness.

Sometimes on a Friday night, it feels great to just go with some friends and have fun. For boy’s night, 46.7% preferred going to someone’s house, but going bowling or to Walmart are also popular.

Girl’s night follows suit with 35.5% of respondents who enjoyed going to somebody’s house, whether it be theirs or one of their friend’s. Going to Crystal Hot Springs, Sonic, local parks, and Walmart were also popular options.

With it being February, you might be thinking of taking somebody on a date. Maddox reigned supreme, with the most number of students naming it the best place for date night. Other great places include bowling, a hike in the mountains, or Peach City. Many students who took the survey mentioned they prefer to take their dates out of town to Ogden. 

Whether it be date night, boy’s night, or just hanging around town, Box Elder community may seem small but it still has lots of things to do.

Sweethearts dance was held last weekend shortly after Valentines day in the BEHS commons. Student Government officials are pleased with the turn out and that the dance went off without a hitch.  For Student Government there is always a worry that something will go wrong, and if people enjoy the dance.  Last year there was a fire alarm that disrupted the dance, and in years prior to that the balloon drop mechanism hasn't worked. There are just so many scenarios to plan for. 

Trey Bauer from student government said, “I think it went wonderfully, I think the people had a really good time. I'm happy that the balloon drop actually worked this year.” 

From the balloon drop to the loud music students agree with what Trey said about having a good time. 

Zoey Trinnaman class of 2025 said “It was a blast, overall a ten out of ten experience.” 

One thing both student government and students from Box Elder High School can agree on is some things they want students to know before going to sweethearts next year and years to come. 

Bauer said ”Do it, just go. Even if you don't want to go on a date or ask someone, Just go with friends and be involved.” Trinnaman then said, “And wear tennis shoes. You will not be able to dance in heels.” 

Being involved and enjoying the dance and the highschool experience is one thing you will not want to miss. 

Trinnaman agreed and said “ My favorite part was the music and the people that went.” Bauer said “My favorite part was the group of kids I went with and my date was super fun.”  

The memories and connections you can make can be unforgettable. Always remember to enjoy life and experience those fun opportunities that are available. 

Remember bees, BEE involved!

Due to Professional Development day coming on February 16, Box Elder High students will not be attending school to give teachers their own opportunity to learn.

On February 16, Box Elder High School’s second Professional Development day (PD day) of the school year will be occurring. The school’s students will be able to have the day off so that the teachers and staff can have the opportunity to improve their craft. 

“It’s a day that our teachers and staff come to school, and then receive training throughout the day on different topics.” Jamie Kent, Box Elder High School’s principal, explains.

Furthermore, students may wonder why exactly they have the day off for these Professional Development days. Within a normal school day, it’s easy to get lost in the chaos of having several different classes on different topics. For teachers, in order to help students stay caught up and on schedule, every minute of instruction and being available to contact during class is important.

“It’s hard to get teachers to trainings, especially if you have to get a sub.” Kent elaborates. “This way teachers don’t have to leave their classes and they don’t have to lose instruction time with their students.”

While the teachers don’t have much time to focus on their own students on PD days, they instead have the opportunity to expand their knowledge within their degrees and discover new teaching techniques for all current and future pupils. This includes lessons on questioning strategies, student engagement, assessment, data management, MAP testing information, and effectively using HIVE time. All of these are often later used by the teachers to aid performance in the classroom and help their students succeed. 

One account is recalled by Health and Fitness teacher Mitzi Stewart. “There was a special development we did where he talked a lot about using essential curriculum in your class and taking out the fluff.” She explains. “And that made a huge difference in how I grade and what I put in my curriculum in my class.”

Knowing modern techniques and being up to date on current information can help improve and expand on previous knowledge and change old methods. When teachers have the chance to know about more techniques that help other instructors, understand areas that need improvement, and have a clearer understanding of their field, it reflects on their own teaching. And when they are being taught by their peers it helps expand their understanding as well.

“I love that we can learn from other teachers.” Stewart expresses. “Sometimes it’s hard to get an outside speaker, but when it’s someone you know who is a great teacher in our school, it makes it more enjoyable to listen to and you respect them as teachers.”

On Professional Development Days, students have the chance to recover from schoolwork and lack of sleep while teachers can work towards understanding other ways they can improve through their colleagues and mentors. Kent expresses her opinion on Professional Development Days as well.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      “I think it’s really important for the culture and health of our school and so our teachers are learning and growing, just like our students.”

Sweethearts Dance 2024 will be held in the Box Elder High School commons on Saturday, February 10th from 8:30 to 10:30 P.M. 

A lot goes into getting the high school dance ready from the student government, planning the dates, and much more. Maylana Cox talks about how it can be fun but stressful as the student government prepares the dance. 

“We have multiple discussions during class, we look through decorations and ideas from previous years and chaperons that can attend and the budget for the dance,” said Cox. 

Trevor Labrum is on the same track as Cox when talking about how the student government prepares. 

Labrum said, “We plan what we want to do for the dance and how to get that stuff.” 

The hours spent cleaning and getting the dance-ready should not go unnoticed for student government and those helping prepare for the night ahead. 

“Last year it took about two hours setting up and around 30 minutes taking down,” said Cox.

Going to the dance and supporting the fun activities can be a big part of high school. 

Labrum said “It made high school more fun and more enjoyable for me.”  The student body agrees with Labrum. Easton Bodily said, “I'm excited to see everyone and party!”  Zoey Trinnaman, another BEHS student agreed and said “I'm excited to dress up and have fun!” 

The Box Elder Buzz is excited to see what Sweethearts Dance 2024 brings!

Box Elder High School partners with the Make a Wish Foundation to reach the goal of fifteen thousand dollars. All money raised in the fundraiser throughout December will be given to local children to fulfill their wishes.

“This year we’re partnering with the Make a Wish foundation and there are a couple of people that are working with Make a Wish who are receiving wishes from them. It is right here in our community and I think that's pretty cool,” says Landon Lloyd, a student government member who is assisting with the planning of Christmas Assistance. 

The Christmas Assistance assembly last Friday introduced a make-a-wish recipient Myklin to our student body. When she was just five years old she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in her pancreas, an illness that has become terminal. 

These next couple of weeks will be filled with activities that students, family members, and faculty can all take part in to help raise money and reach the goal for Myklin and others in the community. 

Tyeson Hanson states, “For the person we’re raising money for, it can give her a chance to see the people she has to help her get through these hard times.”

In the Christmas Assistance kickoff video, it was mistakenly announced that the money goal is fifteen hundred, in actuality, it is fifteen thousand and the student government is striving to reach that higher number.

Myklin made her wish to go to Disneyland and see all the princesses, especially Elsa, who is her favorite. All of the money raised will go to her and people like her so that their wishes can be granted.

Lloyd states, “I just think, especially with these little kids, that they get a little bit of hope and a little bit of fun before, you know, things could turn for the worst.”

The objective of Box Elder High School is for students and their families to be able to help and contribute to this event and bring hope to children in need. The Christmas Carnival taking place on the 11 of December is a great opportunity to contribute to the Christmas Assistance.

Tyeson Handson states, “This is a time to be grateful for what you have. Some people don't have much so this is the time to give back. It's always important to remember what you have to be grateful for, and even give back to those in need.” 

Social Media dangers are very extreme, especially in young teens between the grades of 6th through 12th. These dangers can range from nude pictures to kidnapping, which can then lead to serious consequences like jail time and a life-long record.

Terrible actions lead to unsafe situations. The words and images that are sent will circulate the

internet indefinitely. As the internet has become a stomping ground for communication among

children and unknown profiles, it is important to ensure that safety is the number one priority.

Stephan Johnson, resource officer spoke about from a legal standpoint the dangers of social

media. Johnson said, “Sending nude photos over it we can write preservation warrants which

locks the account so if you delete it or not we have that information, then we just write warrants

out and as a youth it's called Producing Manufacturing And Distributing Child Pornography which automatically gets you on the sex offender registry.”

The things you do on social media come with a price. When teens contact other people on

social media they don't know what's going to happen or what they want. Older people can also

take advantage of adolescents and try to manipulate them into getting what they want. Unfortunately, more often than not, younger individuals are not aware of the older individuals

intentions.

Jason Jones, School Therapist discussed what platforms that these dangers happen and what

goes on. Jones said, “ it's all platforms, where they try to make connections with people on

Social Media. They run into people that are going to take advantage and manipulate them into a

Situation.”

What you see on social media is not always true.When it comes to what people look like online

it's easy to photoshop and create a fake image for yourself. Don’t always believe what you see

because it's not always correct.

Student at Box Elder High School, Megan Christensen talked about how Social Media has had

a bad impact on her. Christensen said, “ yes, Social Media has and still has a bad impact on

me. It's given me a body image issue and I compare myself to others who look better than I do.

Wanting that comes with a price.”

When people tell you how bad you look or how fat you are, they are just projecting their

insecurities onto you. It doesn't matter what other people think of you, their opinion should mean

nothing to you. The information and pictures online is not worth believing, people tend to lie on

social media often.

A student at BEHS, Kylie Berven explained how she lets Social Media dictate how she looks.

Berven said, “It comes from Social Media, friends, and family. 60% of it comes from Social

Media.”

Social media is a dangerous place for young teens. Receiving pornographic images or sending

pornographic images, may result in warrants, getting arrested, kidnapping, or getting on the sex

offender registry, think before you do. If you havent met them in person, there is always a

chance of manipulation, stalking, and pressure when you contact random people online. There's

lies on social media about a variety of stuff, the main thing would be body images. When other

people see good body’s online they want to look exactly like them but that comes with hurt and

consequences to yourself.

Think before you do. Online it is a dangerous place within all age groups and certainly with

young teens. 

College Night, an event designed for high school seniors, was hosted by Box Elder High School on Monday, October 23rd, to inform the Class of 2024 about their post-high school options.

Mrs. Victoria Dance, a counselor at Box Elder High School, discussed the significance of College Night and how it motivates students to consider college. She emphasized the presence of college advisors who offer one-on-one assistance with college applications and scholarships.

"A multitude of college advisors are on hand to help students complete their applications and scholarships, providing valuable one-on-one guidance and opening up opportunities for students to secure them as swiftly as possible," Dance stated.

One such adviser is Mrs. Bridget Mcbride, She’s been a great advisor, helping, and encouraging students who are struggling to choose or get into the college they feel like they’d have a huge interest in getting into. She’s described the average advisor as able to do a couple of things.

College Night serves as an opportunity for seniors to gain insights into various colleges, enabling them to make informed decisions about their future education.

Mrs.McBride, a college advisor at Box Elder High School, shared information about the types of colleges represented at the event, the admission requirements, and provided an estimate of the number of attendees.

"About 100 surveys filled out, but I don't have a way to track how many parents came, so it would be safe to say 100+ students and parents. College application requirements vary depending on the selectiveness of the institution. Public universities like SUU, USU, and Snow College typically require a transcript, your name, and a few supplemental questions. In contrast, places like BYU or Westminster have more stringent admission criteria, often involving longer applications with essays, due to their higher selectivity as private institutions," McBride explained.

Erika Burns, who attended College Night on October 23rd with her father, stressed the importance of education and its role in acquiring new knowledge. She shared her aspirations to pursue a master's or doctorate in pre-med and biology, underscoring the significance of strong academics and medical programs when choosing a college.

When asked about her college plans, Erika replied, "I am aiming for a master's degree or doctorate in pre-med and biology." In response to the question about what she was seeking in a good college at College Night, she said, "I'm looking for strong academic programs and comprehensive medical offerings to enhance my knowledge and skills."

College Night offers seniors opportunities to explore, learn, and prepare for the challenges of the real world, enabling them to gain valuable insights into how to navigate it effectively.

College Night serves as a valuable resource for seniors, providing them with the support, information, and opportunities they need to explore colleges and their options without incurring significant costs.if students miss college night, they can talk to their counselors and get their resources about colleges they will like or want to attend.

The Sadie Hawkins dance at Box Elder High School will take place on Saturday, October 28th, from 8:30 pm - 10:30 pm in the Box Elder High School commons area. Sadie Hawkins has an unusual origin story.

Have you ever had an overbearing father? Maybe he’s taken a step too far? It can’t be as embarrassing as the origin story of Sadie Hawkins. Her father designed a dance for her because he was concerned she wouldn’t marry.  This out-of-the-ordinary story has become an out-of-the-ordinary dance for BEHS. Sadie Hawkins is one of a few girls’ choice dance. 

The student government adviser, Tom Davidson, said, “I think Sadie Hawkins is the best dance of the year. The kids have the most fun because girls’ choice dances are more fun than boys’ choice dances. Girls choose boys they actually wanna go with instead of just good looking people. . .”

Students attending Sadie Hawkins dance this year should be aware that it will be indoors. In the past couple of years, the student government planned outdoor events, but they had to adapt to bad weather. Davidson decided the safest route was to be inside. 

Students who are attending should also expect a lot of chaperones to ensure their safety. The chaperone list includes the administration team, and teachers like Journey Greenwell, Rachel Storm, Matt Patterson, and Baun Bowden. They will make sure everything goes smoothly.

 Sadie Hawkins is informal dance; dates dress up in matching hoodies or outfits. One of the big draws and traditions at this dance are the mock nuptials, — yes that means getting married. Sadie Hawkins' father was worried she would not get wed so traditionally all dates are married. Faculty member dress as ministers to perform the ceremony. Students can take vows under the guidance of Peter Burt, Kasey Cullimore, and Brock and Shannon Cheney. 

These mock weddings aren’t limited to school members only. Students bringing a date from a different school should have a permission slip signed off and turned into the office so their date can attend the dance.

Student government has worked really hard to provide a fun and exciting dance for all students of Box Elder High School to enjoy. The student government members who are in charge of this dance are Tyeson Hansen and Trevor Labrum. Hansen said, “Expect a Party!”

“They should expect to have fun. I love talking to the people that are in it. Student government is so chill,” said Labrum.  Student governments goals and purposes are to help make school a better place. 

Hansen said, “Hearing how much fun everyone had and knowing how much fun they had makes me really happy especially knowing that I was in charge of it. Having all of my other student government members help me out with it because it really is just like a team thing…”

Students when attending should expect to have fun, music to dance to, and a rainy forecast. Some snacks will be provided including hot chocolate and donuts. 

If students don’t have a date, Labrum advises, “It’s never too late to ask.” 

The class change window for the second trimester is opening on November 18, at Box Elder Elder High School. 

Much like the beginning of the year class change window, students will make an appointment with their counselors and discuss changing classes of the upcoming trimester. There is also an option to do it online using a QR code or going to your passport. By clicking on ‘Course Request’ and logging into Aspire, you can once again click on Schedule and change around your schedule for a period of time. 

When a survey was sent out among students, lots of students seemed to use the class change period. And when they were asked about the reasons for changing classes, they answered with many reasons ranging from not liking a teacher to wanting to be with their friends.

“I’m changing classes for two reasons; I wasn’t put in the second part of a class and I want to have more classes with friends-it makes school more enjoyable.”, said Kaili Feller, a sophomore at BEHS.

However, this class change window does end Tuesday, November 22nd, right before Thanksgiving Break. So make sure to take advantage of the opportunity while it is still available, and it will be available again for third-trimester classes.

BEHS Can-Drive is finishing strong with over 10,000 pounds of food donated to those in need.

Student government advisor, Tom Davidson, answers burning questions about donations. “We probably have fifteen to twenty thousand can range.”

BEHS has engaged in donations for several years.

Davidson says, “I’ve been here nineteen years and we have done it (the Can-Drive) every year. This is my first year in charge.”

In support of this amazing cause members of the student government were willing to miss class periods to separate cans. Student government member Carlee Patterson, says, “I’ve missed this third hour six or seven times in this past week.”

While raising donations, the admin is promoting a competition to see which classes are responsible for the highest percentage of these donations.

However, not all teachers appreciate the nature of the competition. Because of this, the chances of there being another competition among the teachers are low.

Patrick Parker states, “It’s fun to compete... But it’s way more fun to do something good for other people.”

Teacher, Kenneth Bunce, gives insider information on who he thinks is going to win. “I think Corey Thompson is (going to win the Can-Drive) because I'm going to be donating my Malt-O-Meal to him. I went to Malt-O-Meal and they were supposed to do donations and they never got it to me.”

Mr. Burrell is made out to be the main competition for the other teachers.

Patrick Parker explains how he has been trying to beat Mr. Burrell in the Can-Drive. “He has so many cans… I don’t know if we’re going to beat him but we’re going to try.”

The Can-Drive was held to help those in need-and this year that was proven successful. It was mentioned by numerous of the people that were interviewed, that as for the competition, the goal was to beat last year's total. This was made possible by all of the generous donations received by teachers and the student body at BEHS.

Overall 60 percent of students in America have plans for after graduation, but that number at BEHS rises to around 95 percent. Seniors at BEHS will graduate on May 30th, 2023 at Dee Events Center. 

Ryan Nunn, Utah College Advising Corps Advisor stated that there is only a small number of seniors who did not know what to do after graduation.

Nunn said that the majority of students he met with had plans to continue education after school, or at least had some plans for their future. 

Nunn continued, “The most popular options are to go to a University, get a certificate from a Technical College, serve a religious mission, and get a job.” 

With unlimited possibilities ahead of them, BEHS seniors have many reasons for their choices after high school. 

Senior, Avree Anderson said, “Growing up my aunt was a nurse and I always admired her, so I think that influenced me greatly for my career choice.“ Anderson continued by stating that she is striving to become a part of the Neurological Field for nursing. 

Several seniors interviewed at BEHS stated that they had plans for after high school or were working towards a higher education, but there were a handful of those who were interviewed, who did not have set plans.

Macy Lyells, senior, said “I have ideas of what I would like to do, but no set plans yet for after graduation.” 

Plans or no plans, it doesn't matter. Graduation is rapidly approaching.

For help with graduation plans or questions about future choices, contact Ryan Nunn, at ryan.nunn@besd.net.

Transferring from one school to another can be a big change. Policies differ throughout the world.  BEHS is a melting-pot for teachers and students alike with students from all around the world calling the Hive their new home. A few individuals explained their experience in both American schools and even schools across the seas. 

Phone policies are different from school to school, because the topic is controversial in school and society. Some people find phones useful in a school environment, while others think of it as a distraction. 

An exchange Junior from Germany, Jasper Tegtmeier, stated, “You’re not allowed to use your phone until you’re eleventh grade. … Germany, in a High School, you’ll have students from the seventh grade to twelfth grade; so it’s not only sophomore, junior, senior.”

 Andrew Young is a BEHS Junior who transferred from Bear River High School. Young claimed that the phone policy was more strict at Bear River. When taking attendance, you were required to put your phone in a sheet, similar to how you would a calculator. 

“If your phone wasn’t there, you were marked absent; and if you didn’t have a phone, you got a piece of paper that said, ‘I don’t have a phone.’ … If they saw you with your phone, even at lunch, they would take it away,” Young stated.

Tegtmeier said he believes German schools are harder, and American schools let you have more fun.

“I think German school system is pretty hard, and it’s different, so we don’t have the same six classes every day; and we don’t have trimesters, we have semesters and we have 12 classes all over the year,” Tegtmeier stated.

The tests in German High Schools are significantly different. Tegtmeier explained the tests are harder, and they don’t use the multiple choice system.

Dr. Shizong “John” Zhang is a teacher from China. He explained that schools in America and China are very different.

“The one thing that I'm really surprised about how much freedom American High Schools students have … First of all, a traditional Chinese High School only has the academic subject part.” 

Zhang said that schools in China don’t have any extracurricular activities, while America offers many opportunities for clubs and sports. 

“So, in China, if you wanted learn all this traits you have to go to a vocational school, or sometimes, they just wait until they get into universities.”

As far as students expected to acknowledge higher intelligence, it was said to put those distressed. 

“In China, among students back when I was a high school student, we used to have all these rankings, we had monthly tests and rankings. ‘Hey, who's doing the best in terms of academics in school’ and all that. It’s pretty hard and intense and high pressure environment and sometimes some people are surviving, some people could be thriving, it kinda depends. I think it’s pretty fierce.”

Alyssa Kunka is a Junior who moved from Virginia. She said the schooling was different there, too. Kunka stated that unlike BEHS, her school had SOL tests.

“Which [SOLs] are basically ACTs but you have them from like 3rd grade up until you graduate”

Kunka said the society in Virginia varied. She claimed that students were rude, and the community here is better. She prefers BEHS, and she feels students can be themselves here; it’s easier to make friends.

There is definitely diversity between varying schools and their educations. Some schools have stricter testing and phone policies.  It makes us glad to be a Bee.

Box Elder High holds its annual canned food drive starting Monday, October 31st and ends on Tuesday, November 22nd. Competition is also going on between each classroom on who can collect the most food and build up the most points. 

Tom Davidson, leader of the drive, has participated in the canned food drive competition for 19 years and this year is his first time leading this event. He likes this event because it changes the atmosphere around the school, he likes to see students changing their attitudes to help others in need. 

Davidson said,” Watching kids really stretch to help others… and this is the time where you can see that and it’s just, it’s kind of fun watching goodness in the world,  It’s a nice change.”

Peter Burt, a teacher at BEHS, is entering his 18th year at BEHS and this will be his 15th year participating in the food drive. His favorite part about the food drive is putting others before himself.

“I was impressed with how much ‘gusto’ the older teachers competed in the food drive, so naturally I threw my hat into the ring. It was so fun and I have been hooked ever since.” he added, “ My favorite part about the food drive by far is the idea of putting others before yourself.”

Burt says that one of the most important things to learn in this life is that of service. 

“Doing something because you want to do it is important, rather than the mentality of what's in it for me?” said Burt.

BEHS holds a dodgeball championship for the canned food drive. To participate in the game each member of your team has to enter 10 cans each. To spectate the game you have to enter five cans at the door.

“It's a decent activity that we get quite a bit of food from,” said Davidson.

To participate in the tournament you can fill out a form in the office which will be coming soon. Although the faculty doesn’t participate in the game, the winning team usually plays against a team of faculty members at the end. 

“We’re excited and grateful for any contributions. I know there’s a lot of kids that can’t contribute because they have their own needs and we still love and appreciate them of course.” stated Davidson.

Driving can be hard, and students need help. Driver’s ed classes can be online or in-person; The in-person teachers are Peter Burt, Donny Constantineau, Gregg Cefalo, Jesse Roberts, and Jaron Gold.

Driver’s licenses allow people to go where they need to go whenever they need to. A student at BEHS, Kylie Soholt, said, “Now I can go pretty much anywhere I want, because I don't have to wait for a parent to be open enough in their schedule to drive me where I need to go.” 

A learner's permit is a restricted license that first-time drivers have to get before they are allowed to get an official driver's license. The learner's permit allows you to drive (with certain restrictions) before you have passed your driving test.

Learner’s permits prevent dangerous behaviors according to Cefalo, having an adult in the car makes students think about safety and helps eliminate fatalities. The adults make sure the students understand and follow the laws. “The rules are in place, not to make a hindrance, but as a protection.” 

Having a learner’s permit allows students to adjust to the adult life of paying off periodic expenses, such as gas and insurance. Soholt said, “I paid about 3.50 per gallon. I would say, like, $40 for 3/4 of a tank. And when I first started paying insurance, before my car, it was only $300, but now I pay $1300.” The price was high last year, but it’s higher now.

Driver’s education teaches people how to be better drivers. Class 1 is with Gold on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 to 6:00. Class 2 is with Constantineau on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:00 to 6:00. Class 3 is with Cefalo on Tuesday and Thursdays from 3:00 to 6:00.

For online classes, students can sign up to learn this winter. Click here for more information.

Cold weather couldn’t stop the BEHS Bees from partying at the Sadies dance. Due to October’s cold and chilly weather, plans for the dance had to change.

Sadie Hawkins Dance, which took place last week on Saturday, Oct. 22, “...was so much fun,” said Lauren Brockbank, a member of the student government.

 For the entire week leading up to the dance, couples went out and enjoyed days with their dates. Haunted houses and corn mazes were just some of the many types of dates that students went to. 

The dance was scheduled to be outside, but the weather turned cold, windy, and rainy at the time of the dance --so it was moved inside.

In accordance with the dance dress theme, most students wore matching hoodies or sweatshirts. There was a large variety of designs, including themes such as Spider-Man, Nike, Lonely Ghost, and Disney.

Because the dance was moved inside, students got “married” in either H or I hall. The “marrying sams” were teachers from the school such as Mr. Burt, Mr. and Mrs. Cheney, Mr. Chadaz, and Mr. Cullimore.

The dance included refreshments like donut holes, hot chocolate, and water. Both Brockbank and Shay Stacey, a sophomore, agreed that while the dance was really fun, the food wasn’t the best. They wished it could have been something different. 

Brockbank also expressed that the dance could have started sooner, and therefore lasted longer. “I wish we had been able to go earlier.”

Stacey and Brockbank voiced their approval of the choice of music played during the dance. Stacey said, “The music was really great, and those in charge did an amazing job with it.”

Those who didn’t go to the dance might wonder what makes a school dance so important. Dances provide the chance to go out with friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, or crushes and have a fun night out. They can help build relationships and put a different perspective on the school.

Sadie Hawkins is one of 3 girl’s choice dances where the girl gets to ask any guy she wants to be her date to the dance. These are unique from the typical guys-ask-girls tradition.

Ladies, Sweethearts is on its way. In the meantime, boys, Snowball is all yours.

October 31st, Halloween, is the beginning of the Box Elder can drive. The can drive is a recurring event hosted at BEHS to support local food banks to ensure that families don't go hungry over the winter every year.

The event includes all of the schools in the district. Very Recently the can drive has branched out to elementary schools to include more students to participate, so this year there are many more people involved. 

The can drive happens around this time in early November in preparation for thanksgiving from October 31st to November 18th. During this time, students, teachers and parents are urged to participate in donating cans, boxed goods, dried goods and frozen meats. The food pantry takes just about everything. 

To kick it off Student government will have a special surprise for the students with a video that they filmed and edited themselves. They say that they also plan to have a specific theme to it, to suit the occasion of it also being the day of Halloween. 

Teachers love to see how their students perform service within the classroom. 

Mr. Davidson said- “I like watching my class… I like talking to them about setting a goal, and getting that satisfaction of accomplishing it.”. It's really rewarding for the students and the teachers. 

Teachers also enjoy the competition. Teachers urge their students to donate as much as possible just to get more than the other teachers. The rules behind the competition being every item is worth 1 point. Some teachers conspire together to ensure the other teachers don't exceed their total. The winner gets bragging rights for the whole year. 

“Bragging rights are very important!” said Mrs. Storm, a  competitor from previous can drives. 

This year, the time of the event has been changed due to certain complications. It would be good to have the food pantry extra stocked in time for Thanksgiving so the times were moved a few weeks earlier. 

Davidson explained that some teachers complained the can drive was taking too long in previous years, and was taking too much time out of school. The can drive used to go on for three weeks but was brought down to two for that reason. 

Giving to help support the local food pantry is well worth every can and box. A lot of community members rely on it, even students at our school. In preparation for Thanksgiving feel free to hand cans or boxes to any teacher during the 1st period of school within the time frame of October 31st - November 18th. It helps out our school and others as well.

Seniors' express concerns over the cost of the mandatory cap and gown for graduation, the orders and payment are due this Friday, Oct. 28th. All students are required to have a cap and gown to walk at graduation. However, some students are concerned due to the high prices about being able to afford them. The caps and gowns come in varying packages, the prices ranging from $180 to $460. 

Julie Edwards, a senior at BEHS stated, “I just don’t have that kind of money right now… I worked really hard to graduate and school doesn’t come easy for me. I’m not sure I’m going to be able to walk because I don’t have the money… it’s not fair.” 

Edwards isn’t the only student who expressed that concern, another senior Jaxon Carstons said, “it’s my whole paycheck for a piece of cloth I’m only going to wear once, I don’t get it. Why doesn’t the school just loan them to us?”

However, buying an expensive gown isn’t the only way to get one as students are allowed to borrow caps and gowns from other people. 

Mrs. Shannon Cheney who organizes the graduation ceremony said, “You can borrow a cap and gown from a previous student, and so that's what most students do. They either have an older sibling who already had purchased a cap and gown, or a family friend and they wear that one.” Cheney went on to explain that even if they don’t have an older sibling there are other ways to secure a gown other than buying a new one. 

“We're not going to say a student can't graduate or can't walk because they didn’t buy a new cap and gown. Most students are able to find one either by borrowing it or sometimes former students sell their caps and gowns so they can purchase a used one for a much cheaper price.” 

BEHS principal Mrs. Jamie Kent offered clarification about borrowing gowns and the requirements. “You can use any cap and gown that a past student has a brother or sister. It needs to be a purple gown. So if a student has a hard time finding one to borrow, if they let their counselor or their admin know, we will help find one.”

A cap and gown are mandatory to participate in the graduation ceremony. If students want to walk during their graduation they must have a cap and gown. However, students are not allowed to alter or decorate their caps, despite spending a large amount of money in purchasing them. This can make locating individual caps after the traditional cap toss a challenge.

“We always throw them. If you don't want to throw your cap, you don't have to. Some students don't like to because they don't want to lose it” stated Kent. “We usually end up finding them, but they may not end up with the very same one they had.”

Whether students end up buying, renting, or borrowing their gown the administration and organizers want everyone to look uniform and have a night to remember. 

Cheney said, “We try to make graduation a special night for our seniors as much as possible.” 

Girls this is your chance, Sadie Hawkins dance. A school dance in which the girl gets to ask. So hurry up and don’t be late, make sure you have a Sadies Date.

The Sadies dance will be hosted at Box Elder Highschool on October 22nd, at 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm in the commons.

Ticket prices will range from $10 for singles and then $2o dollars for couples.

To keep up with tradition Sophomore student body president Trey Bauer says “ There’ll be marrying Sam’s which will be teachers, who go around saying by the power vested in me, by Box Elder Highschool,I now pronounce you husband and wife for the rest of the day”. 

With the weather cooling down, the location for the dance may be scheduled to change. 

Mr. Davidson Student Government Adviser stated in an interview “ The weathers looking bad, we had plans to be outside, but due to the weather the dance will most likely be in the Commons”

Bauer and Davidson, both talked about how if the dance was outside then there would be hay bale rides provided by Mr. Bingham and Mr. Cefalo would have telescopes up for students to look at the night sky.

Davidson stated “That since the dance is here, we can wait right up till Saturday to decide where the dance will be”.

Though there is still a chance the dance will be inside, be sure to dress warm, it is sure to be a night to remember. 

Davidson also said “ I think in my entire teaching career usually Sadies is the best dance of the year.”  Mr. Davidson says that since the girls are not in dresses, they usually dance harder.

So come prepared for a night to remember, and like Davidson said, be prepared to “Dance hard.”

Box Elder High Schools' class of 2022 are leaving the hive at the end of May, but before they go, they’re going to have a farewell party at the Rush Funplex in Syracuse. The all-night party starts on May 31 at 10:30 pm, and ends June 1 at 2:30 am. Tickets starting at $40 and seniors are scrambling to be able to enjoy one final school activity.

Jon Nation, is a senior, FBLA officer, and hope squad member here at Box Elder High. In an interview Nation stated that he thinks that his senior year went well and had a lot of fun. His favorite memory from senior week was just spending time with his fellow senior classmates.

When asked about how his senior year went, Nation responded with, "I feel like it was pretty good, definitely better than the seniors last year. We had a lot of fun stuff happen.” he also added,”I think that just being with the other seniors and just looking forward to making those good memories.” When asked about his favorite part of senior week.

Shan Robinson, a senior on student government and on the school board, thought her senior year was really awesome. Her favorite part of senior year was senior week because this time of year is when all the seniors start socializing with each other because its their final goodbye.

Robinson said, "I don’t have any regrets, it was really awesome. I learned a lot of things and did a lot of cool things. It’s a bittersweet time but I think that this is the time, for our grade, where we get closer than ever. People get to know each other that they never talked to before because it’s kind of like oh we're all going to leave so let’s all be friends.”

The senior all-night party will take place at the Rush Fun Center. There will be unlimited game cards provided for continued fun all night. 

There will also be two prize drawings. When entering the party you will be given two tickets. Those will be entered into the drawing for two different prize categories, The grand prize category and the general drawing. 

Grand prizes include two flat screen televisions, two stand up paddle boards, a laptop, and $250 in cash. Students will be given an opportunity to win any of these prizes if their tickets are drawn. 

The general drawing includes over 100 prizes. This includes hammocks, Box Elder blankets, Mini-fridges, speakers, games and much more.

Come enjoy food, drinks and games with all your senior friends. Box Elder bees are buzzing for their final hurrah as Box Elder class of 2022.

The seniors at Box Elder High School have been playing Senior Survivor for two weeks now, and it doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon. 

Senior survivor is a tradition that has been going on for three years. It's a fun thing that the seniors get to participate in, and it consists of getting a target and dousing them with a water gun before the end of the week. If the senior doesn’t get their target in time they get put on what's called the “Hit List”, where anyone who is playing can target that person.

Oakly Dalebout is part of the Junior’s Student Government, and is helping with setting up and running Senior Survivor. She stated on the subject, “I do like running senior survivor because it's fun to see how things go when you know the background of who has who.” Senior Survivor has been going strong and people participating in it have been taking each other out really quickly. Dalebout stated on the subject, “This year has been very aggressively fast.”

Being a participant in Senior Survivor is just as fun as watching it happen from the outside in. Marshall Rust stated, “I had a bunch of friends do [Senior Survivor] last year, and it seemed really fun.” He later stated, “I thought it was really fun, I got to stake out at someone's house for a little while, and a few friends staked out at mine, it was tons of fun.”

There are still rules to the game to make sure that everyone has time to have fun, but still be safe. The be_senior_survivor instagram page has all the rules on it, those rules include; No assassinations on campus during school hours, you can't assassinate your target during any school events, parking lots are only free game 5 minutes after school, or a school activity, you cannot assassinate the target within five minutes before their shift, however right after said shift is free game, you cannot break into anyone's home, and there is no physical contact allowed during the game.

While ``Senior Survivor'' has been going on for a little bit, it's still not perfect. On that subject, Dalebout stated, “If I could change anything, I would let the players have two lives so that people could know who they had, and it can be more of a battle.” On the same subject, Rust stated, “I would probably not trust people as much as I did, and I would be more careful about what I do.”

The seniors have been having a lot of fun during this entire thing, smiling the whole time they play. “When I am a senior I will for sure be doing it, I can't wait, it will be really fun.”

Box Elder High School student government elections were held on Apr. 14, 2022, and Apr. 22, 2022. Congratulations to the incoming 2022-2023 student government! 

Box Elders’ student body president dives into the conversation of what he wants to improve in the school. “Unifying and trying to create an atmosphere that everyone wants to be a part of. One where we’re all involved, we’re all shooting for the same thing. Find what the personal thing is that will help them grow whether it’s theater, whether it’s singing, whether it’s sports, whether it’s academics; if we can find those things and mesh them together into a unifying goal, I think that’s the goal, that’s what will get everyone involved,” said Isaac Brockbank.

A common theme through exclusive interviews with The Buzz was mental health and attitude. “Lately, mental health has been one of the highs that’s not good. If somebody has somebody be a friend to them it’s a nice way of coming closer together for a better school,” said Luke Sutton, next year’s Senior Class President.

Oakly Dalebout, next year’s Senior Vice President, goes on to talk about Box Elder’s attitude and how she is going to improve it, “I am going to try to have a good attitude and lead by example to get everyone to have a good attitude to make sure we have our last year of high school good because when everyone has a good attitude it just makes everything better.”

The new Student Body President will be Brockbank, his vice will be Seth Mortensen, and their secretary will be Sofi Burgraff. 

Senior President will be Sutton, his vice will be Dalebout, and their senators will be Alexis Vranes, Tyler Coburn, Judah Richardson, Alyssa Allen, Paige Udy, Savana Steel and Milton Farr. 

Junior President will be Dallan Davidson, his vice will be Anders Powell, and their senators will be Peyton Hubbard, Landon Lloyd, Kyson Glover, Sadie Wright, Blade Burden, Adelaide Nelson and Isabella Griffin. 

“Be outgoing, be prepared, and be determined,” concludes Derek Davidson, the current Student Body President. We can’t wait to see what next year holds. GO BEES!

Box Elder High School students are quickly preparing for the upcoming AP test season. AP Psychology, AP Chemistry and AP Biology are just a few of the AP classes offered at Box Elder High School. It costs $96 to take the test. It is not required to take the test in order to pass the class.

Melanie Williams is the teacher for the AP Psychology class. At the start of the year, Williams had 60 students and now in the final trimester, three months before the test, she is down to 50.

Learning the information as it's being taught instead of cramming all the information in before the test is crucial. Williams stated in an interview, “The best way to pass is by doing what I say.” She also said the best way to conquer AP tests is just by studying and making sure you know the material while you're learning the unit. 

Most AP classes are just loads of information gathering and memorization. The point of an AP class is to learn the information. 

In AP classes, the workload is much higher than those of regular high school classes. AP credits look very good on a college application. AP classes mostly rely on notes and long strenuous tests in preparation for the AP final. 

Most AP finals take place at the end of the school year in May, after the three trimester course is over.

Every year, as the end of the school year approaches, senioritis starts to spread throughout the seniors and with it, issues for teachers and students. Senioritis is a condition where those who are graduating, mostly seniors, start to feel demotivated and decide that going to school isn’t worth it. 

Maggie Fisher, a student at Box Elder High School, is related to someone who she claims started to show signs of senioritis. Fisher stated, “Sometimes he just doesn’t come to school because he just doesn’t feel like it, and I can’t do that.”

Not showing up to school is one of the biggest symptoms of senioritis, and it has quite an impact on not only the seniors but also the teachers who are trying to teach. This started to become an issue in Fisher's debate class.

“There was a lot of people not showing up which made it a lot harder on the teacher to organize because you have to perform in front of the class and stuff and I think it was kind of hard on the teacher.”

Brain Whitney, the teacher of the debate class agreed with Fisher saying, “When you're debating you need everyone so not having as high of attendance can hinder the debate and the class overall.”

Teachers have an expectation to make things work, even with the seniors' lack of attendance. Brock Durfee said, “Sometimes I will refrain from doing more in-depth or difficult assignments because I don’t expect a high amount of energy input from kids who are struggling with senioritis.”

While senioritis definitely has an impact on the teachers, it also has a strong impact on the classmates of an affected senior.  As Durfee put it, “I feel like senioritis is kind of a black hole, kind of draws people in.” He later elaborated, “If a couple of students have it, other students start to feel it too, and the whole energy level goes down, and it gets hard to get kids to pay attention.”

Even though the “black hole” of senioritis sucks in and affects lots of people, there are still some who are not hit as hard as the other students seem to be. Erica Jones said, “I don’t really have a lot of classes with seniors, my sister is a senior but she likes school and she gets mad at the kids that don’t care.” Jones later mentioned that she thought that senioritis would most strongly affect the Seniors and that she had not personally seen it affect anyone that wasn’t a senior.

Senioritis also has some long-lasting effects. Aaron Crawford stated, “The seniors here tend to think that they deserve time off, which becomes a problem because that's not how you get a good launch into your future.”

Senioritis isn’t going away any time soon, so even though some people think that the seniors are the only people affected by senioritis, almost every student will become a senior at one point, so it stands to reason that everyone should be warned. Do not let the black hole of senioritis infect more than it has to.

On April 10th, Box Elder High School will be having a Spring Break, where students get to have a week off of school. With a week off, students will have an opportunity to have some free time. 

Brenden Holland, a Box Elder High School student, is excited for Spring Break. “I can leave this place and go hang out with my family in Saint George,'' said Brenden. When asked why he didn't want to be at school, he said, “It's boring here”. 

Brenden isn't the only one who thinks school is boring. “School is really boring”, said Joey Benson, a student at Box Elder High Joey's plans for spring break are simple: sleep and make homemade food. Ella Robinson , a sophomore at Box Elder High School, when asked about school, said “School is stressful and it's boring”. 

Mackay Norman, better known as Mack, holds a more optimistic attitude “I can't say that I like school, but I enjoy actually being productive. When I’m at home or at break I’m more likely doing stupid stuff anyway, but I guess thats where the fun is, isnt it?” says Mackay. 

Norman sees Spring Break as “A time where I can recollect. Either I will try to get caught up with school work or just hang out,” says Norman. 

Conor Downing, a sophomore, is excited to have some free time. “My family isn't going anywhere this Spring Break. I'm just excited to have this week off. It gives me some time to relax at home” Connor then followed up saying, “Which, after I got my job, doesn't happen way too often.” Conor doesn't have any big plans besides just hanging out. When asked what he was going to do on his time off, Conor said, “Not much, probably just video games, go to work. I might go to Smiths to buy something.”

The students at Box Elder are excited to have a week off of school and have some free time. 

This April, elections will be held for BEHS student government, giving students an opportunity to influence the school and the school activities. 

Student elections determine next year's Student Government.  Derek Davidson, the current student body president, says “Student elections are awesome because it gives kids a way to reach out to their whole student base.” 

The process to run can change from year to year. To run, students will get a form from the office and will need to fill it out. They can then create posters that are hung around the school, advertising themselves for office. During an assembly the candidates will advertise themselves for office, sometimes with a skit, a video, or a speech. A question segment will be held, where kids get to ask questions, and an interview between the administration like the principal and vice principal is held. 

Derek Davidson when talking about running says,   “..if you're thinking about doing it I would say really do it, the friends you make and the experiences you have in student government are some of the ones that you will remember most about high school”

The student government gets to plan dances, assemblies, service projects, and other activities. Dallan Davidson, reported that last year 11,000 dollars for toys for tots was donated, and this year 6,000; as well as 15,000 pounds of food during the can drive. 

Many people are quite extactit about student government. Brandon Nelson, the vice president, says this about student government, “I think it's awesome. Like anyone who cares  about what's going on in school, I'd encourage them to run and get involved as much as they can”.

Not everybody is enthusiastic about elections and student government. Cloee Youngberg, a sophomore said, “It's a popularity competition, the chances of me getting in were very low.”

Conor Downing  mimicked that sentiment, he said “I feel like only the popular kids can really get in there, I don't mean any offence to any of the student government people … everyone knows they are friends with a lot of people”. 

Of course, not everybody will get into student government. Blade Burden, a sophmore, ran last year in the student elections. However, like many people, he didn't make it. When asked why, Blade said, “ I just went up against some good people, I don't take any offense to it, because I lost fair and square.”

 But despite his loss, Blade will run again, “I’m gonna keep at it, because I don't give up. I want to make Box Elder a better place, I feel like I’ve done pretty good these past few years and I would like to do it again”.

The upcoming and highly anticipated Valentine’s event, Sweethearts, is getting closer and closer by the day.

The Sweethearts Dance is going to be on February 26th in the high school commons area, from 8:30 P.M. - 10:30 P.M. It will consist of a lot of things similar to Homecoming - those being dancing, listening to music, and eating. “It’s a really fun opportunity that you’d look back on and want to relive,” said Mrs. Jamie Kent. 

There have been many concerns about what the dress code will be. Mrs. Kent clarified, “a lot of people have been asking me what to wear so - it’s semi-formal.” She then went on to say that many students have been wondering if it’s matching hoodies, like Sadies, or more ball-gown-like attire, like Prom or Purple and White. “Think more like Homecoming,” states Kent.  

Mr. Roberts, head of student government, is assisting student council members to plan the dance. When asked what part of the planning process was his favorite, he said that it was “watching the student government work hard.” He also explained exactly what the dance will consist of. When it came to music, he established that “there will be a playlist but that always gets bumped for requests.”

The food that’s being served is much alike to Homecoming, being mini Crumbl cookies and cups of water. However, it isn’t set in stone what flavors of cookies we’re going to be receiving, since Crumbl flavors vary from week to week. 

There’s been concerns about the dance, considering COVID-19. The people planning the event have taken precautions so that the virus isn’t further spread. There will be individual wrapping on the concessions, and it will take place in the same wide, open space we walk through everyday, the commons area. 

Sweethearts has been an annual tradition at our high school for 17 years, according to Mr. Roberts. “We are really excited to have the dance and hope students have a great time.” 

Tickets for the event are currently on sale at boxelderathletics.com. They’re going for $10 for singles, $20 for couples. Mrs. Kent encourages students to attend, “whether it’s with a group of friends or a date.”