Almaise Le Gall
Staff Writer
  On November 16, 2024, Miss Bonneville took place at the Hillcrest Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. 14 girls competed for the crown of Miss Bonneville; however, only one girl won, and this year it was Preslie Arfmann. Arfmann previously cheered for Bonneville High School (BHS), but joining the Miss Bonneville competition was a new challenge. After seeing an Instagram post for the pageant, Arfmann decided it was time for a new experience. She and her mom attended the first Miss Bonneville meeting. Besides, she knew plenty of girls who were engaged in Miss Bonneville, so they all exclaimed, “Let’s do it together!”. Arfmann knew she was ready for this competition. 
  She decided to sign up in advance and establish her talent for the competition: singing. In July, she started preparing  for the event by meeting and rehearsing with a vocal coach. To help her prepare for the questions on stage, Arfmann’s mom and uncle worked together to plan and ask her questions. Her uncle would ask her a new question each day and help her correct her answers. Arfmann tracked her answers on flashcards and practiced to increase her confidence on the stage. After enjoying the competition, Arfmann believes her accomplishment and knowledge will serve her as an advantage for her future. This opportunity will help her be more aware of people next to her.
  She thought she did a pretty considerable job on the stage, but she did not really expect to win. When Arfmann heard her name called, she was truly surprised and excited. After the competition, Arfmann spoke with the Miss Bonneville director, Trina Dahkle, before the winner was announced. Dahkle already knew that Arfmann had won, but she chose to keep it a secret to really surprise Arfmann. Arfmann ended the conversation a bit disappointed, but she was ultimately shocked when they announced her win. Going against other talented girls, Arfmann thought Erin Bake, Lilian Mickelsen, Chelsea Hansen, or Isabella Cheney would win.
  Arfmann believes that Miss Bonneville is important for the community because she can organize or participate in activities to build the BHS community. For example, she’s planning to help people make friends and meet new people by organizing activities to build the BHS community. Since being crowned Miss Bonneville, Arfmann has worked within the community to shop for the holidays and spread Christmas cheer. Moreover, she plans to participate in local parades and give gifts to the less fortunate. Next year, when Arfmann will serve the community as Miss Bonneville, she is going to explore new experiences and be more aware of the world around her. 

Ashlynn Morgan
Staff Writer
  Bonneville High School is always looking for an opportunity to make the environment at the school better for students. The faculty introduced biweekly lessons in order to improve the student body and environment at BHS. The short lesson, lasting only about 15 minutes, covers topics such as grit, mindset, goals, needs, and more. Students and teachers at Bonneville were sent a survey on December 9th 2024 asking about these lessons and their impact. People pointed out that the lessons have not been going on long enough to be any actual change, but some have noticed that people are more attentive to other people's struggles and a more positive environment. 
  Opinions vary on the SEL lessons: numerous students and teachers agree the lessons are an excellent idea and that they go over important topics. However, some agree that there are topics they wish Bonneville would talk about. Emotional intelligence, saving and spending habits, social anxiety, and procrastination cycles were some of the topics students would like to see in future SEL lessons. Overall, most agree that mental health is a topic that should be addressed. Students pointed out their wants for the lessons to be more engaging with activities or chances for a small reward for answering questions. It is important for a teacher to be able to show the benefits of the SEL lessons. Students mentioned that when a teacher is not interested in the lessons it makes it harder to learn. Teachers showing interest with the lessons can help make them more interesting because then students can connect to the lesson. Explaining that these lessons can help make school a better environment could help people pay attention and engage.
  People have said some students do not take the lessons seriously. Some that do say that they do discuss the lessons outside of school, but most do not discuss them very often. One response said they talk about SEL “[v]ery often, especially with trying to change [their] mindset” and improve themselves. Some people on the responses understand that the SEL lessons can be a good thing and are not just there to mess up the time on the school day. 
  Overall, the majority of students and staff have a positive attitude towards the InFocus SEL lessons.