What’s recently happened?
As the Hebron Haunted House came to a close, there was one big announcement yet to be made: how much money was raised. With everything running smoothly, it was not a surprise that the Hebron Haunted House would surpass previous records without any difficulty.
Hebron’s biggest community service project was still extremely successful even with several changes. The new Zombie Escape, which was also voted Scariest Room, was a highlight of the changes to the route. It challenged attendees to avoid being caught and made into a zombie themselves. For both nights, the attendance was remarkable, with the line out the door for most of the evening.
Sophomore Syndi Parsons, who has been involved with the Hebron Haunted House for nine years, was a part of the Zombie Escape.
“I think it’s amazing how many people show up every year,” she said. “It really shows how united we are as a community.”
Many Hebron High School (HHS) students are involved with the Haunted House, even though the event is hosted by Hebron Middle School (HMS). The event is great for creating a connection between HMS and HHS, and it establishes a network for students to get to know each other. Many families participated, with the older kids showing their younger siblings how to make the event scary for attendees, fun for participants, and an overall success.
Senior Makala Chang was astounded when she found out how much the Hebron Haunted House raised.
“I was in shock and surprised by how much we raised. I’m so proud of the community for really coming together to raise that much money," said Chang.
HMS’s National Junior Honor Society was ecstatic to announce that the 2022 “Stephen King” Hebron Haunted House raised $23,500 for the Hebron Lions Club Angel Tree and other community needs.
What’s coming up?
As December draws closer, HHS students are preparing for their annual Homecoming traditions. HHS’s Student Council sponsors several activities throughout the week to boost school spirit among students. These activities culminate in a class versus class competition, where points are awarded for student participation and winning games. These activities include fun spirit days and hallway decorating, building up to the annual Homecoming Olympics, with good-natured challenges between grade levels.
Student Council members voted on the spirit theme this year and selected different holidays. Each class is ready to bring their all and go all out with these holidays. The senior class selected Christmas, juniors voted for the Fourth of July, sophomores were happy to get Halloween, and the freshmen got Valentine’s Day.
"I like it,” said Student Council Member and Senior Kylie Cole. “It's a simple and easy theme, and it is something everyone can dress up for.”
Spirit Week is an exciting activity that starts to build up school spirit at HHS. By dressing up in each day’s theme, students have the opportunity to earn their class points for the Homecoming Olympics. This Homecoming Week's spirit days are dress like Adam Sandler, dress like your type, country vs country club, class holiday theme, and class color block.
During the Homecoming Olympics, which takes place during the school day of the Homecoming game, students get to forgo class and participate in a day of rivalry in competition amongst the classes, and many students are looking forward to the Olympics more than the game itself. Some of the things students will get to participate in include tug-of-war tournaments, a life-sized version of the board game “Hungry, Hungry Hippos,” and dodgeball. The points earned will contribute to the final ranking of classes and which grade will be named king.
Freshman Alyssa Stepp has never experienced a Homecoming Olympics previously,
“I am excited about the entirety of HHS getting together and doing these activities because I know it's something I'll remember when I'm older and think of the fun times of school,” she said. “Being able to bond with the people I grew up with in school and having fun is always something I love to do and look forward to.”
Planned by HHS’s Students Taking on Problems (STOP) club, the Homecoming Dance is the ceremony that wraps up the week. STOP club has selected the branding of this year’s dance to be “Peace, Love, HoCo,” a disco-themed event.
“What excites me is the opportunity to hang out and dance with my friends and being able to dress up other than professionally,” Senior Song Galvin, who is a member of STOP club, said. “For the other HHS students, it's the ability to listen to the music that they like, bring their friends outside of the school to hang out, and have some fun dancing.”
Staff spotlight:
Mary Cameron is in her second year teaching at HHS. As one of three teachers in HHS’s Language Arts department, she teaches English 10 and English 11 and takes on the responsibility of being the Student Council sponsor as well.
Cameron became an English teacher because English was her favorite subject in school. Cameron did her undergraduate degree in creative writing, so when she went back to get her master’s, English education felt like a fit, especially given her love for literature.
Cameron was drawn to HHS because she went to a smaller high school herself and loves what smaller schools have to offer. Cameron also loves the sense of community HHS has. She lives locally, and her children attend Hebron Elementary School.
Cameron enjoys many things about being a teacher.
“I enjoy developing relationships with the students and getting to know them and who they are,” she said. “Helping them get better at the things they are good at, and things they struggle with a bit, are other aspects I enjoy.”
Cameron has quickly become a student favorite.
“I love how much Cameron genuinely cares for her students. She is all around one of the best teachers HHS has ever had,” Junior Sky Olsen said.
Cameron finds that, through literature, everyone can feel connected.
“It shows the students that someone is feeling the same things. The world is big, but we are still connected through it and through literature,” said Cameron. “English is all about being connected to other people, and that’s why I like it.”
Some of Cameron’s favorite things to teach include literature and writing. Cameron also does a creative writing unit with her sophomores, which she finds amazing because students don’t always get an outlet for creative writing in their education. Cameron dedicates a month to poetry and loves teaching literature such as “The Hobbit” and “The Hound of the Baskervilles” because she believes that students find them very accessible.
Cameron admits some struggles as a teacher, including juggling all the responsibilities teachers have, such as lesson plans and grading, as well as maintaining good relationships with her students and keeping up with extracurriculars as well.
Cameron took on the added responsibility of being HHS’s Student Council sponsor last year. She was interested in being a part of the Student Council, and HHS’s Student Council was in a predicament without a sponsor. Cameron genuinely enjoys the Homecoming activities she inherited as the Student Council sponsor and loves all that HHS’s Student Council does.
“It’s all about learning how to be a good leader,” said Cameron. “Student Council also helps build a community in the school. While I wasn’t expecting to take this on, a lot of the students were pretty independent, and it was enjoyable being able to help them with suggestions and putting activities together.”
Student spotlight:
HHS Senior Sidney Elijah has made a very full high school career. Elijah is the Student Council president, member of the National Honor Society, vice president of social media of HHS’s Business Professionals of America, and captain of the cross country, Girls Soccer, and Girls Basketball teams. She keeps herself busy, and her time is valuable.
As a part of the Student Council, she has planned the Homecoming Olympics for three years, continuing to uphold the high standards of fun and competition. Elijah has also helped plan the Hebron Leadership Conferences, which took place in spring of 2021 and 2022.
“I had been a Student Council officer for every year of high school,” said Elijah. “I’m pretty social as well, so I love bringing students’ perspectives on things to know what they would want to see happen from their Student Council.”
Additionally, Elijah challenges herself academically and athletically. Elijah has been a four-year varsity athlete. She has also had a rigorous class schedule, taking several AP courses in both her junior and senior years.
Elijah has been committed to the Hebron Haunted House, being a part of the project for 10 years. The rooms she led were always awarded runner-up for Scariest Room, and Elijah always goes all out on decorations. What Elijah enjoys most about the Hebron Haunted House is, being around everyone working together for such a great cause and seeing everyone’s reactions to being scared.
Following graduation, Elijah does not have any set plans, but has some ideas on what she would like to do. While she has not decided on what university she wishes to attend, Elijah is looking to major in biology or education, and is hoping to play basketball for whichever school she attends.