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Lia Hendrix
Staff Writer Everyone needs a break once in a while; for some people, it could be going on a run or reading a book. For many students at Bonneville High School, that break is going to choir. Two students, Mikaila Young and Walker Steffen, provided additional information on this. Mikalia Young, a senior at Bonneville, is a member of Bonnevaires, the top choir at Bonneville. Young is an alto section leader and in Chanteuse. Young reported that “going to choir is a bit of relief from the rest of high school.” At Bonneville, there are several choirs available for students to join. Two of those choirs, Bel Cantos and Bonnevaires, are “audition-based choirs” according to Director Steven Dresen. Bel Cantos is an all-women choir, while Bonnevaires is mixed. Joining Bonnevaires is a significant achievement because students must compete against others and try out for a spot in the group. Another student in Bonnevaires, Walker Steffen, declared that since he has been in choir for a long time, auditioning was not really a problem for him. However, for some students who have never gone through an auditioning process, it might be stressful. After auditioning, the students who have been selected start rehearsing for their various concerts and performances. Although rehearsals may differ, each practice follows a similar structure. When asked what a normal day of rehearsal looked like, both Young and Steffen responded by saying they warm up first by doing scales and some sort of vocal exercise. After warm ups, the students break off into groups to dive deeper into the music. The chosen piece is usually dependent on the upcoming event or performance. The last five minutes are reserved for talking about goals and how the group can accomplish them together. In choir, it is essential for individuals to work together to ensure that the end result is the best it can be. Young mentioned that the choir's friendly atmosphere creates a positive working environment. She stated: “There's something so beautiful about being surrounded by people who love music as much as you, and just being able to create with them is a pleasure.” Steffen stated that the only thing he would change about choir would be the time. Steffen wished the classes and rehearsals were longer to avoid being rushed. Even though the classes may be on a time crunch, a devoted vocalist will dedicate the necessary time to be successful. Bonneville provides students the chance to unwind by joining a choir. Regardless of whether it is men's, women's, mixed, Bel Cantos, or Bonnevaires, everyone is offered the chance to feel included and relaxed.
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Elliot Kidd
Social Media Manager One of the many joys of Bonneville High School (BHS) is theatre. The art of theatre established itself during the Ancient Greek era. There are even different spellings of theater (the location) and theatre (the art/class). To this day it is still appreciated with performances ranging from schools to lights of New Yorks’ Broadway theater. An anonymous interviewee of BHS theatre stated: “I've always like[d] [seeing] plays, so I decided to take a drama class” and was “ totally invested.” The majority of students in technical and drama are juniors and seniors. Together as a majority, most students have spent two to three years at BHS in theater. Most of the time and dedication spent in theater is on working each scene's scenery and learning memorizing skills for play scripts. Memorizing lines for some actors can take only a few hours; for others memorization may take up to weeks or months. These students dedicate themselves to theatre and even as they “put [in] time and effort” while still finding time to socialize. Most preparation for performances may take anywhere from seven to ten weeks. Shaun Nichols, drama teacher, has stated there is “no requirement theater class like Drama One, Musical Theatre (fall), or Intro to Stagecraft.” Other classes such as advanced drama and musical courses “require [prior classes], teacher approval, [or] [an] audition.” While technical theater does not need prior knowledge of construction; students will be taught how to build sets and use tools safely. Several students, who had played characters, enjoyed last year's performance of BrightStar. Throughout each year, the process of choosing the next show is when Nichols “tries to rotate the genre so that [they] don't always end up doing the same kind of show.” The next step requires Nichols to “read four to five plays” and “assess the talent pool” to “meet the needs of the show.” Once the show idea is picked, it heads off for approval by the school board. This year's fall musical is Seussical, a dream come to true for Nichols. He has been wanting to present a production like Seussical for years. In relation to dreams coming true, these theatre students dream of what they would like to do after high school. Not all of their dreams are theater related, some have used drama as a way to communicate, like a communication class. While others with a more theatre based career path, have opportunities throughout the school year to compete district wide in competitions. As well share their love for theater to the elementary children. If theatre ever sounds interesting, give the class a shot. Sometimes people never know the perfect path is right there. It is never too late to try! Buzz out! Cooper Ruesch
Staff Writer College is something that people are either excited for or want to skip entirely. For some students, college may seem far away; however, the time to decide is getting closer. There are some ups and downs for attending a college. Some of the positives include gaining the skills and knowledge on how to be a doctor, electrician, or any other career. On the other hand, the downside to attending a post-secondary program is potentially earning debt. Tylene Hales and Alexis Tucker are the College and Career Advisor at Bonneville High School. Her job is to help students build the best plan, earn financial aid, and succeed in their chosen college or career. One thing students need to know before attending a college is that they need to complete a FAFSA which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. An application needs to be completed before the specific college’s deadline. Besides FAFSA, there are always other opportunities, such as private scholarships, that are available to qualifying students. Hales explains, “There are so many scholarships available out there. [Students] can start applying as soon as [their] freshman year. If [they] don't have access, [they] can come see us in the library, and we will get [them] added!” Having a scholarship application filled out and ready in the first few years of high school is something that does not take too long to do. However, some students may choose to not attend a college and go to a trade school or the workforce. Hales explains, “Though for some others, it matters of the cost of schooling, and some students are just burnt out after high school and want to take a break.” For students who feel too burnt out to begin more schooling, Tucker warns about taking a gap year. She states: “Gap years are great for some people and very detrimental for some people. If the student has a plan for the gap year, and has a commitment to doing something after, then they are beneficial. If the student doesn't have a plan of action for the gap year, it can become increasingly difficult to convince themselves to go back to school.” Without knowing the next step, taking a gap year may cause students to fall off the educational wagon entirely. If one does not want to go to college that is their choice, nonetheless there are a few career options where a student does not need a college degree though still needs some kind of certification or license. Examples of that include being an Electrician, mechanic, firefighter, Distribution Manager Plumber, cosmetologist, paramedic, and welding, ect. There are always options such as CTE programs which provide students and adults with the academic and technical skills, knowledge and training necessary to succeed in future careers. Which can be completed in high school, or the opportunity to join the military as well as other options. The percentage of this year's graduating class planning on attending college or another post-graduation program is around 80-85%. Hales described: “Freshman year is one of the most crucial years to start preparing for college. Start building good study and attendance habits early… I have had a senior sit down in my office and realize that [the] things they did or didn't do as a freshman.” Tucker said students need to learn to attend class, get involved, be productive, and be punctual. Not all students need college to be successful in life, especially in today's society where there are opportunities that have opened up a whole world of possibilities around each corner. Some examples for other possibilities include Social media by making videos, CTE training, apprenticeship for business etc. The most important thing is to obtain education and training beyond high school to be proficient and capable at the job. Eric Perez
Editor-in-Chief Parent teacher conference (PTC) is a chance for teachers, parents, and students to l get together and talk about what the teacher and student do in school. PTC took place on January 22nd, at Bonneville High School. There are not that many teachers at Bonneville High School (BHS), and a little over 1000 students. With all the work the teachers put in, the parent teacher conference gives parents an excellent chance to understand how their student is doing and how the teachers are instructing their child. An interview was conducted with Mr. Smock from the English department, who teaches junior and senior english. Smock was asked how PTC affects him. He responded by saying, “Parent teacher conferences give [him] a chance to actually put kids in a different perspective… It gives students a more [real life] perspective.” Meeting with parents and teachers helps students get a real world perspective and can help their education by seeing what goes on in the background. Smock believes PTC can help students by putting in an easy understanding perspective. Smock was asked what he does to prepare for parent teacher conferences. Towards the beginning of Smock's career he was doing “a lot more preparation.” In preparing for his PTC meetings,Smock would set up slideshows and get the curriculum laid out. However, since BHS’ PTCs are open-house style, Smock just “plays it by ear.” He focuses on “[what] the parent want[s] to talk about, and what the student wants to talk about.” Smock works relentlessly making vocabulary units and content lessons for students everyday in class. Having teachers and parents talk about what is discussed and expected in class helps parents understand what the student is learning. Smock's craziest experience during the parent teacher conference was at the beginning of his teaching career when a parent was wearing an inconvenient shirt. He explained to parents, “I firmly believe, respecting one another. It's easier to give respect and you'll get respect, and I'm not a fan of respect is earned aspect.” Unlucky for Mr. Smock, a parent in the audience that was wearing a shirt that showed, “Respect is earned not given, and he did not agree with my stance on that which created an awkward moment.” Mr. Smock and many other teachers learn a great deal from meeting parents. Knowing what students are learning in class, whether their behavior is excellent or not so excellent, can help parents better understand their child. |
CampusCampus News is where stories relating directly to Bonneville reside. Most are reports on school activities and events. Archives
May 2024
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