Soon the bell will ring on March 30, 2024, and the students of BBHHS will leave the school for one last time before the summer, except most of them have to come back.
With the promise of summer nearly within their grasp, these young Bees will have to enter the school once again on May 31, and June 3-4 to complete finals.
These tests are meant to “help provide teachers with evidence and understanding of students’ learning as related to the course standards,” says Kevin Jakub, BBHHS Principal. “They [finals] give teachers valuable information that they can use to help intervene with students to improve their understanding of material or reference for future courses.”
While a survey conducted at BBHHS revealed that most students are not severely worried about finals, the general consensus is that these are not enjoyable endeavors.
Maria Schneider helps to coordinate the end of the year festivities at the middle school, the highlight of many student’s last days every year. This includes the “annual Kick it with the BEES event and fundraiser,” a day where young Bees get the opportunity to spend one of their last days at school playing kickball and other small carnival games to fundraise cancer research through Kick It for Cancer.
“I hope it teaches students what it is like to advocate for something they believe in, how they can make a difference in their community and beyond,” says Schneider.
Not only are these festivities meant to benefit a good cause, but they also allow students to let loose and enjoy themselves at the end of the school year.
Schneider continues, “I think they [the end-of-year festivities] create great memories when they [students] look back on their middle school years.”
BBHHS students have many ideas on how the high school could make the end of the year more exciting, or easy going. These range from the simple change of making finals projects, instead of tests that people have to come in for, or even allowing students to eat from food trucks like commonly seen at the middle school.
Sophomore Abigail Choi goes as far to suggest a collective tearing session where students come together and get to rip the school papers collected throughout the year.
This idea could be further developed to resemble something similar to the BBHHS homecoming bonfire.
At the end of the year there could be a parade to honor the spring sports teams and the event can end in a bonfire where students are allowed to toss in their old school work and watch all of the built up stress burn in front of them.
Events like these can allow for a newfound excitement for BBHHS students and will create memories for a lifetime.
