Relay For Life

Senior discusses cancer awareness overnight event

By Shea Splittorff

Friday nights pull people in all different directions, especially teenagers. There is so much to do after the long grueling week, often leading high schoolers to choose other ways to spend their time. But senior Mila Van Hoecke, and thousands of other students across the country, the choice to participate in Relay for Life, a cancer awareness organization, is the perfect way to dedicate their time for a cause bigger than themselves; a cause that saves lives and grows community along the way. 

“Relay for Life’s mission is to raise money and awareness for those who struggle with cancer, but also those who survive it and their loved ones who have to face it with them,” Van Hoecke said. “It’s building a community through that struggle and pushing through it [together].”

“There’s fun activities every single hour, it’s also a school spirit competition with all the other schools,” she said. “[We stay] up all night, and everything is more fun when you’re kind of tired. You’re just laughing the whole night.”

As a second year member, Van Hoecke has enjoyed getting to know the organization better and continues to involve herself in new roles. 

“I started last year on the school committee, and I got to the district committee this year,” she said. 

Van Hoecke’s growing dedication to Relay for Life’s mission reflects the impact the organization has had not only on herself, but also on the community around her. 

“I think [Relay for Life] gives perspective about how many people struggle, not just them, but their family, or people they know who struggle through cancer,” she said.

This unique bond over a shared struggle allows connections that may never have been made otherwise, and provides a uniquely understanding environment for students to open up and confide in each other. 

“You would never know that about someone without asking, and I’ve learned about some of my friends [who] I would have never known have struggled with their loved ones going through it,” Van Hoecke said.

This impact reaches far beyond just the overnight event, fostering profound connections across students while supporting a great cause.

“[Its] such a fun event, and because it’s [for] a good cause, it’s a double boost. It’s fun, but also has a purpose,” she said. “It’s definitely helped me to connect with more people in school.”

| Photos submitted by Mila Van Hoecke

Community Clubs

Students share the impacts their clubs have on BV

By Abbey Blasi

Maddie Wang, 10

What prompted you to Kay Club?

“I joined Kay Club in my freshman year, and I wanted to join it because I knew a bunch of my friends were doing it, and I knew that it was a good opportunity for volunteering hours.”

What does Kay Club do?

“Kay Club offers you a bunch of volunteering opportunities, and they give back to the community. Sometimes we’ll write cards for kids in hospitals, and we’ll have outside events to help our community, like at marathons.”

How do you feel more connected to the community?

“I feel more connected with my community because I’m able to give back to them. It allows me to talk to more people, and talk to upperclassmen and connect with them. It’s a really positive environment at all the meetings and events we do.”

How do you impact the school and its students?

“At the end of each semester [Kay Club does] finals goodie bags, which is one of the biggest impacts I feel like we have on the students, because most of the events impact our overall area. Our finals goodie bags really get people hype for the end of the year.”

Describe the club in one word.

“Positivity.”

Ella Taylor, 9

What prompted you to join Seven Days?

“I have Miss O’Bryan as my AVID teacher, and she talked to our hour about it. They have a lot of seniors, but they need a lot more people. So I was like, ‘why not?’”

What does Seven Days do?

“We do a lot, and right now we’re doing a canned food drive that’s going to start in April, and then we’re going to start doing the [Kindness] walk.”

How do you feel more connected to the community?

“It definitely helped me meet a lot of seniors, which is helpful when you’re a freshman. [Also] meeting new people, especially in such a new school, and getting to know a lot of the teachers that help out with the club.”

How do you impact the school and its students?

“I think there’s a lot of kids around here that don’t know the things that they say hurt people. So I think that that’s definitely going to help with the seven days and the kindness.”

Describe the club in one word.

“Exciting.”

Aarushi Pateel, 10 

What prompted you to join Red Cross Club?

“I heard about Red Cross Club because it’s a nationwide organization. What also stuck out to me was that we help worldwide too. It’s not just in the United States.”

What does Red Cross Club do?

“We get together and raise awareness to different diseases or causes. We do different fundraising drives, for example, we did a period project one and a natural disaster one, where everyone donates different things to help people and create kits for them.”

How do you feel more connected to the community?

“We help people that don’t really get a chance to raise awareness too, so if you were able to help them, then it’s easier on them. So just like keeping people informed, and making sure your community is safe.”

How do you impact the school and its students?

“Most of the time we do posters and drives, making sure that our students are also aware that these opportunities are present, and how they can also help their community.”

Describe the club in one word.

“Proactive.”

Yoya ke, 12 

What prompted you to Seat belts Are For Everyone (SAFE)?

“When I joined track, both my coaches invited me to join, and I thought it was a good thing because it’s helping the state. There are a lot of benefits to it: we get a lot of food, we get breakfast in the morning and we get gift cards.”

What does SAFE do?

“Every morning, we go out to each of the roundabouts. We stand out there marking off each person who has their seatbelt on, and then if they’re distracted by music, their phone or something else. We also look at if a passenger is belted. Then, after everyone’s done writing down the tallies, we will fill out the rest of the questionnaire for the state.”

How do you feel more connected to the community?

“We give the state information, and that helps give them real-time evidence and facts of who has their seat belt on.”

How do you impact the school and its students?

“I would say a lot of teachers and other students will come up and ask, like, ‘Hey, what are you guys doing?’ and we get to share what we do each day and how it actually does benefit. It’s also nice to connect with the SROs, because I would say not a lot of people know them too well or talk to them”. 

Describe the club in one word.

“Safe.”

Splashin’ Surprises

Game Master discusses year-end class tournament

By Lucy James

Every year, a portion of the senior class participates in a lesser known, unofficial, tradition: Senior Assassins. This has been a staple of the fourth quarter for many years, and now it is run by two senior Game Masters, who wished to remain anonymous. The goal of the competition is for students to try to eliminate their target by squirting them with a water gun.

“Everybody gets a random target, and the goal is to shoot your random target before the end of the round, but also not get shot by your assassin,” one of the Game Masters said.

As many seniors are accepted into colleges, almost finished with extracurriculars and are not worrying as much about school, they have the ability to participate in this game and celebrate the end of their high school careers.

“It’s a fun way to end the school year— there’s so many people in it that everyone is kind of together,” they said. “There’s an energy around [with people asking] ‘ooh, who do you have?’ It’s a fun energy at the end of the school year, especially for seniors.”

The first round started on Monday and will continue for six weeks, with the final round ending right before graduation on May 15. If participants are able to stay alive long enough to reach the final round, they have the opportunity to win a cash prize.

“Right now there’s a little over two grand in the pot,” the Game Master said. “The majority of that will go to the winner, and then some to second place and some to third place.”

Additionally, there are awards for the first kill, funniest kill and the most creative kill. There are also opportunities to gain immunity from getting out of the game.

“You could get one of the Game Masters or wear floaties so you can’t be shot,” they said. “But if the other person who’s shooting you wears floaties, they cancel out. That’s the only protection you have.”

With hundreds of students in the class, Senior Assassins provides the ability to get to more people before they leave BV. Seniors have to ask others to figure out their target’s schedule to get an opportunity to get them out. 

“It makes people get out more and talk to other people and meet who they haven’t met yet” the Game Master said. “I know so many people have targets that they’ve never talked to before. You kind of just get out and you see the community more.”

However, the game can not take place on school grounds and many business locations. Nevertheless, the Senior Assassins allows for the senior class to become closer in their last weeks of high school.

“I don’t think a lot of the businesses and stuff in our community love it,” they said. “But I think they understand that it’s a fun thing that kids do— it’s just a fun community thing.”

| Senior Assassins is not associated with any Blue Valley School or Administration