Bell Choir

Have you ever yearned to play music but cannot sing or play an instrument? Well, Bell Choir is for you!

Photo courtesy of Mr. Strayer

I recently received the opportunity to interview Mr. Strayer, the director of the Bell Choir, to get an inside scope on the day to day life of all four of his classes. Teaching tempo and rhythms is just the beginning for his beginner class, and for his advanced classes, the students earn the opportunity to perform popular complex songs. For instance, the bell choir (also known as the Good Vibrations) is playing “Bohemian Rhapsody” at their upcoming performance on May 8th.

But a lot more goes into creating these classes than most people would think. Some of the bells used can cost thousands of dollars, and the yearly costs can be quite large. The fundraisers Bell Choir puts on each year helps raise funds for new equipment and to repair the current bells. Some of their fundraisers include the annual game of footgolf and cheese sales. The student body can help by participating in these fundraisers at the appropriate times by participating and showing support. Students who are thinking about participating in Bell Choir in the upcoming year should add it to their schedule. The benefits of the class include learning life long skills and friendships like no other.

By: Amber Hawkins

Student Spotlight- Liz Brugnone

Everyone has their own passions and special interests in life. Today our BHS Blog will be spotlighting junior Elizabeth Brugnone and her passion for showing horses. She has been showing and training horses for as long as she can remember.

Liz has shown a strong passion for horses ever since she had watched a movie called The Black Stallion at the age of five. After watching that movie she had immediately brought the idea up to her parents. Her dad was supportive, but her mom was a little unsure. Now, Liz owns two horses, Miss Ellie and Snoopy. However, each horse is given a show name; Snoopy is known as “Bold As Brass” and Miss Ellie is known as “Karmas Charge to Elegance.” She boards her horses at Bridle-vue Stables here in Bellevue.

Liz competes in several categories, including Showmanship, Western Horsemanship, Western Pleasure, Eastern Showmanship, English Pleasure and Equitation. She travels all over to compete. Liz shared that showing horses in Ohio is more difficult than in other states like Pennsylvania. Ohio judges make it harder to place and take it more seriously as they use a harder judging scale when looking at how the horse moves and how well it listens to you as the rider. Liz also said that the judges will also score you on how well you are dressed including your hair and make-up. She said other states do not care about this. Even with all of the hard judging, Liz is doing really well as she qualified for State this year and was ranked in the Top Ten for Showmanship.

For someone who did not know a lot about this specific sport, I am definitely happy that I had the chance to interview Liz. I hope to see her succeed more throughout the years with this passion of hers.

By: Madeleine Corrado