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Aaliyah Garcia
Staff Writer The Honeybees dance team has new coaches this 2025 season! Timber Chapa is the new head coach, and has been teaching dance for over 15 years. Skyler Torman is the new assistant coach for the dance team and has been dancing for 19 years. Both of the coaches graduated from Bonneville and are excited to show school spirit through the dance team this year. Chapa has trained at several studios growing up; she was part of her drill team in Utah where she participated on competitive teams. Inspiration to dance for Chapa started at a young age; she explains, “My mom and grandma were teachers, so the way they taught I wanted to teach kids as well so they can learn to love it and have passion for dance the way I did.” Chapa goes into further detail explaining how her grandmother was dancing professional ballet at the age of 14, and she led Chapa to have a passion for dancing. Chapa chose to coach the Honeybees because of her connection to Bonneville. Although she was not a Honeybee herself, she has always loved the school and wants to help build school spirit. One of the challenges that Chapa faces is the different variety of dance levels within the group of girls. Since everyone joined at different times, not all of them are at the same pace. Chapa overcomes this by having all the girls support and inspire each other, and her favorite thing about teaching the Honeybees is “the way they are really close friends. They all are super supportive of each other, and [she] feel[s] like there's always a good energy even in a hard practice." Practices can last up to three hours, the girls arrive at seven in the morning and finish at the end of the first hour. Practices often include stretching, working out, and cleaning up their dance routines. The Honeybees prep for their performances by dancing to “1, 2 Step” by Ciara and Missy Elliot. They also like to eat a squirt of honey before performances. Chapa’s overall goal as the dance coach for the Honeybees is to “build a program that the girls and Bonneville are proud of and that helps build the school spirit.” The Honeybees start their competitions in December. They are going to attend events like Idaho Classic in Pocatello, December 5th or 6th, Battle at the Border in Preston, ID, January 9th, and State, February 27th at Mountain America Center, Idaho Falls. With grace and ambition, the Honeybees will have a great season this year!!
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Kael Beckstead
Staff Writer In early September, the Bonneville Fencing Team launched their season in the lower A-wing, welcoming students to a sport that values mental agility and technique as much as physical fitness. There are three main weapons in fencing: foil, saber, and épée. While saber is popular among the team, team members also practice with foil and explore other fencing variations. The students on the fencing team enjoy their practice and fencing games afterwards. These include team games such as capture the flag and team death match as well as technique games like red light green light. They are excited to do sword fighting as a sport every Wednesday and Friday. Advised by Mr. Haroldsen and a non-specific student, the fencing team's structure allows students to rank up based on their skill and grade level. After completing their training period of eight meetings, students may earn ranks by winning the daily champion round or challenging higher-ranked peers to a formal duel. All fencers begin as squires and can progress through the medieval-inspired ranks of knight/lady, baron/baroness, count/countess, and duke/duchess. Alexis Littlefield, who has been on the fencing team for four years, remarked, “If you have any interest in swords at all, it’s for you.” For many students, fantasy media depicting sword fighting serves as their initial attraction to the sport, giving them a chance to practice techniques similar to what they see on screen or in books. Beyond the three main styles of fencing, students may have the opportunity to experience the freestyle or home brew methods, mimicking their admired fantasy genre. Freestyle includes everything except the three traditional fencing methods, and home brew is any style or weapon of your own creation. However, fencing offers more than just sword play; it demands quick mental agility as well. One student commented on how fencing requires problem solving; upon an opponent’s attack, a skilled fencer will have the ability to think of a strategy, parry, and counter attack all within a few seconds or less. Beyond the necessary problem solving, it was also mentioned that teaching the new squires is an enjoyable experience. According to senior Grace Wiklund, fencing differs from other sports because it allows students, like herself, to succeed based on skill and strategy rather than pure physical ability. As Wiklund said, “There's always those loners out on the outskirts who are like, oh, I'm not physically gifted enough to play a sport, but then there's fencing.” For students interested in experiencing this unique combination of strategy, skill, and fantasy fulfillment, they can join the team by visiting Mr. Haroldsen in room #102 in the lower A-wing after school on Wednesdays and Fridays. Maggie Arave
Staff Writer Hillcrest knights defeated the Bonneville Bees 49-14 in the annual Civil War game on September 5 at Thunder Stadium. The game started 7-0 and ended with a score of 49-14 with the Knights in the lead. During halftime, the score was 21-7, with the knights taking the lead. The Civil War has been played numerous different times with varying results. The game dates back to when Bonneville and Hillcrest split into two different schools in the 1980s to the early 1990s due to overcrowding at Bonneville. This led to the making of Hillcrest in 1992. Civil war holds major significance to both schools because of its rich history. Civil War requires extensive training and practice for both schools, so players can perform their best. Extensive training and dedication is essential for players during a sports season. Coach Stephenson, the football coach, states, “We have the talent to win the game for sure, but you never know. That's why we play the game.” Stephenson also states, “We lifted weights all summer, went to camps, and have been practicing.” During the game, the players sat in front of a TV that showed previous plays. Watching their playback film allows the players to see and improve their plays. Players watch their mistakes and successes allowing them to see themselves better. Players train and improve themselves since practice develops essential skills. Rivalries change school culture and the importance of games to players. Coach Stephenson reminisces, “when I was in high school, we had our rivalry game against Capital High (MT).” He declared “we wanted to change the culture of losing.” When asked, Coach Stephenson states that “I coached my cousin's 5th grade team, I loved it so much that I knew I wanted to coach in college or High school,” leading to his passion in football. Motivation is required when putting effort into something. Coach Stephenson states, “My high school, and college coaches. My drill sergeants and leadership I had while I was in the Army.” Role models motivate numerous people and players. Role models show people how to see or do a certain thing. Like football where a player or coach can learn to play better and teach players clearly. Coach Stephenson states, “I was proud of being a part of the culture change at my high school. That is what I want to build here at Bonneville.” |
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November 2025
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