PULSE
THE
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF BROKEN ARROW HIGH SCHOOL
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BROKEN ARROW, OKLAHOMA
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BAHSPULSE.COM
Leading the way, together Students attend third annual retreat in Dry Gulch By Ally Coldwell and Gracelyn Basinger Pulse Staff Writers The third annual Leadership Retreat was held at Dry Gulch, USA on Oct. 1-2. Over 200 students attended as well as around 25 teachers. “The experience inspired all of us to want to change our lives and everyone else’s,” senior Andra Fauvell said. “It made us want to have a more positive school and life outside of school.” Throughout the retreat, students participated in many team building and trust activities. Some of these activities include icebreaker games, meeting new people, bonfires and a trust building activity called “Cross the Line,” during which students were asked to respond to different questions or instances in one of three ways: choosing not to answer, standing in place or crossing the line. As the activity went on, these questions or instances got deeper and more intimate, urging students to open up to fellow classmates. “The icebreaker games helped bring me out of my comfort zone and get to know upperclassmen that I had never met before,” sophomore Madison Foster said.
LETS GO SURFING NOW Senior Corbin Knox crowd surfs during an impromptu dance party at the third annual leadership retreat. (Photo by Gracelyn Basinger)
During the retreat, many new friendships were made and previously established friendships were made stronger. Some of the games focused on students digging deeper into themselves and opening up to people they haven’t before by sharing information about themselves that they normally wouldn’t share with others. “I had an amazing experience at the retreat by getting to know so many different people and hearing their life stories,” junior Cole Gillean said. “I also learned so much about people I
thought I already knew pretty well.” A bonfire was held Saturday night and lasted around two hours. At the bonfire, seniors were encouraged to stand up and share their wish or hopes for the underclassmen and the future of the school. “My message at the bonfire was to the underclassmen. I told them to live it up and enjoy everything high school has to offer,” senior Isaac Bullen said. “I mentioned that this year is a bunch of firsts and lasts for myself and I would do anything to have an extra year or
two to enjoy some of the best times of my life.” The goal of the retreat was to promote a positive environment while bringing students closer together, and reinforcing the importance of community on campus. Students interested in attending the retreat next year can visit the Student Union desk for more information.
More Photos on Page Four
Principal Burns: the face behind the voice By Cloey Patton Pulse Staff Writer
TECHNOLOGY
Roles reversed: Sophomores are teachers By Cheyenne Pauls Pulse Staff Writer
Broken Arrow High School’s newest sophomores have taken up an interesting job along with moving up a grade: Chromebook coaches. Canvas is an online program that connects every student to every class they attend. It opens up more opportunities for teachers in assigning homework and grading previous assignments, as well as allows parents to see their student’s assignments and what the student turned in. Sophomores have begun aiding juniors, seniors and teachers alike with Chromebooks and Canvas since they used them in the test run of their freshman year. “Teaching teachers, seniors and juniors isn’t bad,” sophomore Payton Shreve said. “The seniors and juniors usually ask the teacher, and the teachers ask a lot about using Canvas.” With the high school’s new education program, Canvas, teachers were unprepared to transfer their classes
into the online school. The teachers didn’t quite understand the use of the Chromebooks but the sophomores were quick to offer help. “It’s great having sophomore students who have experience with Canvas,” Language teacher Shelley Mashburn said. “I’ve had one of them help me upload a document to submit an assignment. At least once a week they teach me something new and fix a mistake I made.” The teachers weren’t the only ones with the new device introduced to them. Seniors and juniors were given Chromebooks this year to keep track of their assignments and gain access to Canvas in their classes and at home. “The sophomores helped me figure out how to use my Google drive and how to turn in my homework,” senior Gracie Basinger said. So far the first few weeks of school have been a learning period for students and staff alike, and with the sophomores teaching fellow classmates and teachers classes have begun running smoothly again.
Elizabeth Burns is a person that is not always seen, but always heard. Burns is most known by students from her daily announcements over the intercom. Though she’s known for her voice, there’s a lot more to her as a person. Burns joined the high school staff as principal for the 2015-16 school year. She was a teacher for 20 years before becoming an administrator. Starting off, Burns taught for five years at BAHS and Choir Director Justin Rosser was one of her former students. “I remember specific assignments that we had to do in her class, and I remember her being a very fair, engaging and funny teacher,” Rosser said. “When I first started teaching in Broken Arrow, I was still a young teacher. She was not only my employer, but also my mentor. After many years as her employee, our relationship continues to evolve.” Broken Arrow High School’s 2015 Teacher of the Year Mary Fowler also taught beside Burns during Burns’s time as a BAHS teacher. “I respected her as a colleague and teacher back then,” Fowler said. “I continue to respect her as a colleague and principal now. I am very proud to call her my principal and my friend.”
Principal Elizabeth Burns
Burns spent 13 years teaching at a middle school as well as two years as a missionary teacher with Southern Baptist Church in Taiwan, Asia. “I taught English to Chinese students, schools, churches and businesses,” Burns said. “I did that when I was a young teacher. I only had two years of teaching experience when I went overseas.” When Burns can find the time outside of the busy bustle of her job, she gravitates towards reading, music and going to see theatre
See “Burns” Page Two