Asher Montano
Staff Writer Brooke Wagner is a human being who sometimes acts like an adult. She is a 25 year old woman who originates from Indiana. Wagner now resides in Idaho teaching English, Journalism and yearbook at Bonneville High School (BHS). Wagner was born and grew up in a small town called Fayetteville, Indiana. Her hometown “is a small town on the county border, so the zip code does not match the city name.” Through her life growing up in Fayetteville, Wagner was a huge fan of cartoons. She would get up to enjoy almost any cartoon that was available. With all these animated shows, her favorite had to be the show Danny Phantom. Wagner explains, “Danny Phantom was hot, and I will die on that hill.” Wagner also indulged in dirt biking with her dad when they had the time, yet she mentioned that they have not been able to go out and ride bikes for years due to time constraints in her adult life. Wagner attended high school at Bedford North Lawrence school in Bedford, Indiana. “I took multiple upper-level classes, but advanced English was always my favorite.” Beyond that point she fell in love with teaching due to an opportunity to teach “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner to a 9th grade class. Those who attend Bonneville High School may have the opportunity to know Mrs. Wagner as an English teacher; however her skills have not always been as sharp as they are now. For example, Wagner made a simple but heartbreaking mistake while competing in a spelling bee in the 5th grade. Wagner misspelled the word drawer, a place to put clothes, as “D-R-A-U-E-R.” Even though the spelling bee of 2009 haunts her to this day, she eventually moved on to tackle the English language and fell in love with grammar in high school. Due to her love of English in high school, “I started college at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, transferred to a cheaper option, and started my sophomore year at Brigham Young University Idaho.” She now has a secondary degree in English education, allowing her to now teach at BHS. While working to pay for school, she had the opportunity to meet her future husband! She worked as a training mentor, and she was assigned a “challenging bald man with an authority problem.” No matter the circumstances, when push came to shove, she fell for him, and now they are happily married while also possessing their cat, Binx . Depending on who is asked, the origin for the name Binx changes. Wagner is set on her belief that their cat is named after Thackery Binx from the movie Hocus Pocus, while her husband is sure it is Jar-Jar Binks from the Star Wars prequel films. Brooke Wagner has experienced a life of her own, from loving cartoons as a kid to going to college and marrying another human being. She now teaches full time at BHS in the English department, helping her students learn and grow to the best of their abilities. She works incredibly hard every year to keep the yearbook and school newspaper afloat, and students keep coming back. She tries her best to make everyone feel welcomed and also occasionally says someone's name without ever formally meeting them. Overall, Brooke Wagner is an adult who fills the responsibility of a teacher but deep down she is a goof who expresses her love for the way she lives. She tries her best to make everyone feel welcomed and also occasionally says someone's name without ever formally meeting them.
0 Comments
Allyson Wilson
Staff Writer Eden McIsaac is a freshman at Bonneville High School. When she is not at Debate tournaments, writing for The Bonneville Buzz, or working on her homework she spends time on her friend's horse ranch. McIsaac goes to her friend's ranch to help take care of the horses and occasionally helps with running horse camps. She has been working with horses for almost one year, and throughout that time, she has found her love for equestrianship. When McIssac was younger, “[her] Grandma's brother had a horse but he doesn't usually work with horses.” Eden and her sister got to sit on the back of the horse her Grandma's brother had owned. Ever since she was little she has had an interest in horses and has wanted to own a horse ranch of her own. In the summer of 2023, McIssac began to work with the horses on the ranch by learning basic grooming and riding skills. On the ranch there are six horses and she bonds with one of them which is Poco by working with the horse in the round pen . According to McIsaac, “round pen [is] where you use a whip and a long lead rope ... and it makes the horse run around.” McIsaac uses two ropes which are the lunge line and whip one in each hand with the whips to slightly hit the ground behind the horse. McIsaac stands in the middle of the round pen using her feet to pivot in a circle to keep the horse moving. This exercise creates a bond because the horse is enclosed with its handler in the round pen which leads the horse to have less control than the handler and the horse has no choice than to be with its handler. Poco is a paint horse that is any breed of horse developed in the U.S. On the horse there are marks that look like paint splatters. Pocos job is to lead the herd of horses. Poco is the main horse McIsaac works with; she haulters him and leads Poco out to the round pen to groom him or leads the horse to the arena to work on leading exercises involving cones and poles. McIsaac has been working with Poco for about a year. When McIssac was younger, “[her] Grandma's brother had a horse but he doesn't usually work with horses.” Eden and her sister got to sit on the back of the horse her Grandma's brother had owned. Ever since she was little she has had an interest in horses and has wanted to own a horse ranch of her own. After one year of experience, McIsaac has had the opportunity to work with a variety of breeds. The type of horse McIssac has always wanted to own was a Buckskin horse. A Buckskin is a bay horse that possesses one copy of the creme gene which causes the lighter color of the horse skin. Although McIsaac wants to own a Buckskin, her favorite is a Paint Horse. After almost one year of experience McIsaac has found her love for equestrianship through her experiences and what she has done with Poco. Through her experience she has learned new skills, acquired new knowledge, and made new memories. Aaliyah Garcia
Staff Writer GOALLL!! Soccer is a sport filled with athleticness, skillfulness, and overall competitiveness. Many individuals think it is a fun sport to play, and it takes an enormous amount of skill to control something with feet! Here at Bonneville High School (BHS), soccer plays a major role in some of the student’s lives, including freshman Lia Hendrix. Hendrix started soccer when she was around five. She was on an actual team at that age, but recalls playing in her backyard with her cousins since she could remember. With all her experience from playing this sport, she hopes to take her talent further and continue playing soccer in college after school. Hendrix was influenced to play soccer because her sister played soccer in college, and her whole family participated. She felt like it was something everyone in her family should try including her, and she enjoyed it because it is an interesting sport. During soccer, there are a variety of positions, and players need to do different things like, blocking the goal, and moving forward. Hendrix informed that she “plays everywhere, but what [she] mainly play[s] is center mid or striker.” She mostly dribbles the ball and tries to get the ball farther down the field. Hendrix travels the most throughout any game, which requires large amounts of stamina in order to run where she needs to be on the field. It takes an enormous amount of practice and cardio to keep up with her runs, which includes stamina because it is extremely tiring. Hendrix’s favorite thing about soccer is how relaxing it can be; once she steps on the field, soccer is "all that matters" in her head. With all that goes on in soccer, it is important to remember to not stress. She is a good example of being a natural soccer player, and does not let her worries, and school get into her head due to her just focusing on soccer Hendrix has experienced a few injuries throughout the year; once she received a concussion when she kicked a soccer ball towards the goal, and it ricocheted off the goal post and hit her in the head. Hendrix also mentioned that she fell on her hip while playing, causing her hip to pop out of place. Despite all her injuries, Hendrix still continues playing. A large number of people would quit after a fall, but not Hendrix. Her perseverance is impressive, and she is a strong player. Hendrix’s schedule for soccer takes an enormous amount of her time, so much so that she goes “every morning to the gym, then everyday after school [she has] practice.” She also included the Melaleuca Center as the location for her practices. Soccer needs an excessive amount of attention, and most soccer players, including Hendrix, are balancing school, work, and family. Being able to make it to practices with everything going on shows their dedication. As a whole, Hendrix's team trains by doing a large amount of conditioning such as runs and sprints. During practice the team puts an emphasis on passing the ball; many practices end with scrimmages and to help strengthen foundational skills. An important life skill Hendrix has learned is not being scared to look “dumb.” The player expressed that playing soccer requires one not to be embarrassed if they mess up, and learn to move forward. To any student interested in soccer, Hendrix cautions that “[i]t takes a lot of work, and you have to be willing to put in the time and practice if you want to be good.” Hendrix would know what it takes to be a successful player, and all the practice has paid off for her. She is one of many soccer players that puts dedication in their sport. With that, soccer will play a major part in her life in the future. With her attitude and perseverance, she can succeed. Hendrix is a part of the BHS soccer team during Lia Hendrix
Staff Writer On Thursday, January 18th, at 2:45 in the afternoon, disaster struck when Reed's Dairy, a popular ice cream shop in the community, was engulfed in flames. The business is located at 2660 West Broadway in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Alan Reed, the owner, stated nothing was out of the ordinary. He was running errands when his son called and informed him that the building was on fire. Reed expressed his concern that the building would eventually catch fire, and he had worried about it earlier. He rushed to the building and saw a “great amount of smoke, and it just really made [him] sick.” Reed’s first concern was making sure everyone evacuated the building safely. Luckily, everyone had made it out safely before he arrived. Long before the current location, the original milk barn structure was built in 1937, by Reed’s great-grandfather. In about 1975, a new milk barn was built. Later in the 1980s, Reed’s family built onto the old, existing building, adding a new processing factory. After this, the old milk barn was used for storage, this was the building that caught fire first. Reed commented that when the new building is constructed, it will have all the necessary precautions to ensure something similar never happens again. Reed stated that he and his family are scrambling to keep customers happy. Currently, they are still looking for people to help them bottle their milk and other products. They are worried for the well-being of their employees. Reed explained how he wants to keep as many employees working as possible, so they can still support their families. Reed described how many other businesses have volunteered to help their family and how helpful their support has been. He reported that it is humbling; however, he is still appreciative. “It's been amazing; the amount of people that have reached out, wanting to help out in some way or another, it's been, like I said, humbling.'' Reed explained that they have received support from other dairies. Ballard Cheese offered to make cheese for them; furthermore, Gosner’s brought them cheese curds. Other dairies offered to bottle the milk and help make ice cream. ''To me the fire is one story, the bigger story is the generosity, and love and support of everyone… To me, that is the best story around here” (Reed). Reed’s Dairy has not reopened yet; however, the owner thinks that all reconstruction and renovations will be finished in a year. Reed and his family are thankful for all the support and kindness they were shown during this challenging time. The family found the fire to be significant; however, they found the love shown by the community to be the more important thing to focus on. Aaliyah Garcia
Staff Writer Spain, Germany, Japan, Brazil — these are just some of the places around the world that Bonneville High School’s foreign exchange students come from. There are 29 students part of the program. People from across the globe can experience what life is like in the United States through the Foreign Exchange Program. Pedro Viagel Escobar is a junior from Madrid, Spain who is currently attending Bonneville High School. One reason Escobar came to the United States is to "learn English and have an American experience." Escobar's favorite memory is when he "tasted Wendy’s for the first time." Escobar mentioned that back home they do not have a Wendy’s and he extremely enjoyed it the first time he tried it. Escobar was asked how his parents felt about him coming to the United States, Escobar commented, “My mom said it would be a good idea to come here… she has not had any bad reaction.” Escobar’s mom has been extremely supportive throughout his journey, and she felt he should come and gain the experience. As well as being homesick, Escobar stated, “I really miss Spain, but I am doing good. Just do not think about it, and do not look at pictures.” People often miss their families, and imagine going to a whole other country! Escobar has shared a few tips to stop feeling homesick that have helped him get through these past few months away from home. Escobar stated that he wants to drive a car before he goes back to Spain and said, “I have never driven a car and I think that is a very American experience.” Escobar would love to drive a car and receive a license; however, since he is a foreign exchange student he is not able to get a license. He said, “In Spain it is very difficult, and you have to study way more.” Escobar stated that in Spain he used to study five hours a day. Since coming to Idaho, Escobar has yet to study since the academic experience is "much easier” in the US than in Spain because he has already learned the majority of lessons. Spain and America are different in various ways; however, Escobar can experience both in the foreign exchange program. He is one of the lucky few that get to experience American culture and can go back and spread his memories back in Spain! Allyson Wilson
Staff Writer For this month's foreign exchange highlight, Panni Lida Balogh was chosen to be interviewed. Originally from Hungary, Balogh prefers to be called her middle name, Lida (Lee-duh). Since Balogh has made such a life shift, she was asked about how the academic system at Bonneville High School (BHS) compares to the one in Hungary. Balogh replied: “You have a schedule, but you don't choose it… here you can choose so many classes it was shocking to me.” The students in Hungary receive their schedule with no chance to alter it. The class sizes are significantly smaller; typical classes usually range in the teens. Balogh mentioned that while in Hungary, “[she] had one [classroom]. Students either stay in one class for the whole day or follow the assigned schedule. Balogh emphasized that schooling here is more well rounded and flexible because the students can choose what they want on their schedule. Not only do the academics differ in her home country, but sports do as well. When Balogh was asked about her athletic history, she stated “In Hungary [she] did track and field for five or six years… [she] was very serious about it. [She] wanted to grow up and go elite.” Early in life, Balogh found her love for track and field, and she wanted to continue her running career in Hungary. Even though Balogh felt she had to be perfect to become elite, she continued the sport because “[she] never really felt enjoyment” anywhere else. However, her time on the track did not last forever. In the end, she needed to quit because “[the environment] was toxic.” Her love for track never faded, and she is planning on joining the Bonneville track team. Outside of academics and sports, Balogh discussed a few differences between Hungary and her current home. When the end of December rolls around in Hungary, the students enjoy Christmas break for two weeks. For participating families in the United States, Christmas is usually celebrated on the 25th; however, Hungary honors the holiday a bit differently. Balogh announced that her family celebrates on “the 24th in the night [to] have dinner then open gifts.” The 25th is reserved for visiting relatives. In Eastern Idaho, the winter is characterized by heavy snowfall, while Balogh stated that “the weather in Hungary is very mild, so [she] never [saw] snow. Bologh was completely shocked when she first saw snow because it is rarely seen in Hungary. Life as a foreign exchange student requires flexibility, open mindness, and curiosity. Living in Idaho so far, Balogh has been able to experience frigid weather and typical American school days. Wish her luck for the upcoming track season and remainder of the school year! Lucy Ker
Staff Writer Hey, bees, the Bonneville High School (BHS) English department has gained a new staff member! Ms. Katrina Pearson, a first-year teacher, joined the English department in the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. She loves the color yellow and grilled cheese. Ms. Pearson makes her own jewelry and clothing in her free time. She decided to teach high school because she loves kids and wants to help as much as she can! When asked by the staff what her first impressions of BHS were, she “thought it would be a lot harder.” She is working to “have a kind of connection with [her] student[s]” that benefits them and their success.” Throughout her years of schooling, Pearson had teachers tell her she should be a teacher, but she chose another career path because her dad always told her “if you can’t do it, you can teach it.” Pearson stated she was able to write; therefore, she thought she would be unable to teach. However, she started her career as a student teacher for her professor in college. While being a teacher's assistant in a college philosophy class, she learned effective ways to lead and teach a class. She felt this better prepared her to teach and would recommend to anyone learning to teach high school to take a philosophy class. Within a few months of being a student teacher, she quickly realized that she loved teaching and wanted to teach high school students. Only being in the second trimester of the school year she has learned way more than she thought she would. When asked what Pearson could change about BHS, “[she] thinks school spirit could be better.” Seeing more students and faculty attending games and events would improve BHS’ culture. Besides wanting to see more spirit, Pearson would want to change how lunch is scheduled. She said, “some kids have scheduled test corrections and some doors get locked and they can't do what they need to do.” She loves her students and would not trade her job for the world. Pearson is a friendly face to her students and is their to answer the questions they might have. Ms. Pearson is happy to teach this year and many more years to come. Joanna Dickson
Staff Writer Teachers deserve appreciation because they put up with all the mischief that happens at school. Bonneville High School's math department consists of ten teachers; this year, four of those ten teachers are new. Mrs. Joyner is a new math teacher located in the E-wing. She teaches Algebra II and her classes vary in size. Joyner transitioned from teaching at Rocky Mountain Middle School to teaching at Bonneville High School. Joyner made the move because she "needed a change" and was excited to move schools because she "enjoyed [her] students so much in the past that [she] was excited to teach them again.” She mainly changed schools to progress with her students and have them for another year. According to Joyner, "having the connection to the same students all year was huge.” Often using the words “my kids” to describe her students, she is grateful they are more mature than in 8th grade. Even though “it's a longer walk to the office,” she still loves seeing the familiar faces from previous years. One of Joyner's favorite things about being at Bonneville is watching her students grow up. Seeing her former students that have not been around for a while brings back memories. According to Joyner, one of the biggest differences between teaching at RMMS and BHS is the connection between teachers and students. Another difference between the two schools is the change in colleagues. Joyner said that a few of the "people here are still strangers," and after working at Rocky for a long time, her "colleagues [were] a part of [her] family." Although she is still putting names to faces, Joyner is thrilled to have air conditioning! Her old classroom at RMMS did not have air conditioning, so her BHS classroom is significantly more comfortable. Bonneville High School is fortunate to have Mrs. Joyner in the math wing. At some point during the trimester, feel free to swing by her room and wish her a great school year! Eden McIsaac & Aaliyah Garcia
Staff Writer Many changes are happening in the facility departments. One of them happens to be the science department. Cody Baxter is a new teacher in the science wing at BHS. He teaches Chemistry A and B, Intro to Chemistry, and Study Skills. Chemistry A and B are all about the structure, language, and interactions of chemicals. This class includes several labs that deal with chemical reactions. Students conducting these labs take measurements and calculate the chemical reactions that occur to determine their relation to the world. In Intro to Chemistry, students use the scientific method to discover properties of the world. They work on chemical bonding, atomic structure, molecular structure, and periodicity. As for study skills, it is a class for students to finish homework, and receive intervention. All of these courses provide insight about Baxter's passion for science. Baxter has been interested in science for a long time, which has led him to become a science teacher. Before coming to BHS, he taught at Sandcreek Middle School for two years. Baxter mentioned when teaching at Sandcreek, he focused on managing his classroom in order to teach well. At Sandcreek, Baxter had the privilege to teach Earth Science. Baxter came to Bonneville because it was in the same district, and he was interested in teaching chemistry. When asked what some differences are between Bonneville and Sandcreek, he responded, “Where I taught before had a more positive, friendly, [and] optimistic atmosphere. I have not quite felt that here at Bonneville.” The only similarity that Baxter mentioned was that both schools are in the same district. When asked why he decided to teach Chemistry, he stated, “I enjoy [teaching] chemistry and [doing] the labs associated with it.” Baxter loves every aspect of chemistry, and seeing all the chemical reactions from varieties of experiments. He mentioned that he became a teacher to teach students new things, and he enjoys seeing students set individual goals in order for them to improve. A change that Baxter would like to see at Bonneville is, “A more positive, optimistic atmosphere.” Baxter thinks that it would impact Bonneville by adding more school pride, and people would feel more connected to the school and their peers. Baxter is just one of the many new teachers here at Bonneville. The new teachers are here to pursue their passion and help Bonneville become an even better school than before. Go Bees! Eden McIsaac
Staff Writer Sandra Wallström, a Swedish exchange student at Bonneville High School, is working on completing her junior year with many cultural differences and new experiences. One thing that Wallström enjoys is soccer. She played soccer for the junior varsity team, and in the same year, she advanced to varsity. Another thing that Wallström enjoys is her Food and Nutrition class, where she gets to learn about the importance of certain foods in the diet and how they can affect her. This class is where Wallström is able to talk to her classmates, which is something she enjoys greatly. Wallström’s favorite part of BHS is the school spirit, the variety of sports, and the reality that something is always going on. Wallström added that if she could choose to travel anywhere in the world, she would travel to the Maldives, a small island in Asia with several houses on the water. Wallström described it as her ideal vacation. Wallström mentioned several variables she enjoys about Idaho such as the cultural differences and similar weather to Sweden. One of the biggest cultural differences that Wallström noticed is how everyone is always nice to each other in Idaho. Another cultural difference is the lack of transportation; Sweden is booming with different methods of transportation, and Idaho has shockingly fewer ways other than personal transportation. Wallström mentioned that her favorite food from Sweden is meatballs. Swedish meatballs are based on a traditional recipe from Turkey brought to Sweden by King Charles XII. Wallström mentioned that her family does not have any special traditions; they celebrate the main holidays in Sweden such as Christmas, Easter, and MidSummer, which is a Swedish holiday not celebrated in the US. MidSummer takes place in June, and it is a celebration of the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. For this event, there is a pole, known as Maja or Maypole, decorated with greenery and flowers for people to dance around. The Maja flower represents feminine energy for the people of Sweden. As well as dancing around the Maja, Swedes often gather together to have traditional food and drinks such as smoked salmon, strawberry cake, Swedish meatballs, and grilled meats. Wallström mentioned that the easiest part about coming to Idaho for her was knowing English before she came here; the hardest part about coming to Idaho for Wallström was the cultural differences and the 8-hour time zone difference between Idaho and Sweden. Overall, Wallström has enjoyed her time in Idaho and all of the opportunities that she now has at Bonneville. |
FeatureThese articles contain the most high profile topics of the month. They feature one subject ranging from politics to entertainment. |