Different pathways
BVH ASB anticipates challenges in 2023-2024 school year
On May 8, financial commissioner of Bonita Vista High (BVH)’s Associated Student Body (ASB) Kian Torres is seen working in the ASB. He is given money from a student trying to buy the yearbook.
At Bonita Vista High (BVH), the Associated Student Body (ASB) devotes their time to duties that strengthen Baron spirit for BVH students and staff. However, many students will be discontinuing their time in ASB related to various factors such as graduation, the desire to try different duties and explore other teams on campus. ASB Advisor Patricia Perez mentions a significant number of ASB seniors and low number of returners that will leave a smaller class size for the 2023-24 school year.
“BVH has had years where they’ve had fewer than 40 [students in ASB] and they’ve had years where they’ve had [exactly] 40. I don’t think ASB has gone over, so it fluctuates every year,” Perez said. “We have 27 seniors who are graduating. And then of the 39 [ASB members], we have seven students who are returning and then four [or] five, who are not going to return.”
Reflecting on the low number of returners left for the next school year, ASB Spirit Commissioner and senior Blake Franklin explains as to why some students may choose to discontinue ASB. Additionally, he expresses his thoughts towards the workload from ASB.
“[ASB] sometimes receives some backlash for not supporting some sports [at games], but it’s just that we get swarmed with so much stuff to do with ASB. There’s always some sort of event or national holiday so we’re always busy with making posters for those people,” Franklin said. “A lot of the time the school kind of just forgets about how busy we are and how we also have [personal] lives,” Franklin said.
With a low number of ASB returners, Perez expects a large number of ASB members who will learn from scratch and need to be taught. This results in Perez choosing officers who can take on and share the big responsibility that comes along with being a member of ASB.
“[ASB is] a lot of work and it’s a lot of commitment, so some students will change their senior year. [Seniors] want to be part of the pep rallies at the football games, they don’t want to work the football game, they want to enjoy their senior year, they’re going to start working. They don’t have the hours to commit to ASB after school,” Perez said.
Furthermore, preparing to support many BVH clubs and extracurriculars requires time outside of school hours, which can present many challenges to ASB members schedules. ASB Spirit Commissioner and junior Alexis Acosta will be serving as the 2023-24 ASB President and explains how complications arise when preparing for events.
“[It can be challenging] handling everything going on at certain times. [There may be] a lot of overlap in events going on in the school and [it can be difficult] balancing all of those things. Also making sure everything goes smoothly and to the same quality as it should be,” Acosta said.
Acosta further comments that although the ASB faces challenges, when the team works together “everything works out fine in the end”. When working together, the team works to bring in spirit and energy for BVH. Franklin describes how the hard work can lead to sacrifices being made along the way to the success of ASB.
“I’ve sacrificed a lot of my time, energy and sometimes even money. I remember for football games other friends and I bought some noise makers [and other materials] to make posters. A lot of time and energy is something that I’ve definitely sacrificed,” Franklin said.
Furthermore, Perez describes how commitment for an extracurricular during high school is beneficial and hard work is essentially paid off. ASB has provided its students with various opportunities in the future according to Perez.
“ASB students district-wide end up going to their college campuses, and being leaders. They become presidents or vice presidents of different clubs and programs on their campus. So they take [the] skills that they learn [at BVH],” Perez said.
Along with the various academic opportunities, ASB Art Commissioner and sophomore Ava Nixon describes her first year of ASB and the various social benefits she learned from being a part of the team as a whole.
“[ASB] really pushed me out of my comfort zone and it really [helped me make] a lot of new friends in ASB that I wouldn’t have made if I wasn’t in ASB. That’s something that I’m really happy that [I] was able to do,” Nixon said.
Franklin reflects on his senior year of ASB and the various memories the ASB team was able to make. Moreover, he mentions the most memorable time of the 2022-23 school year.
“[My highlight] was definitely homecoming week. We refer to that week as ‘Hell Week’ because we had to be at school at five a.m.. It was probably one of the most memorable weeks because we spent so much time together. We were all super sleep deprived and stressed, but it was one of the most exciting weeks in high school I’ve experienced,” Franklin said.
Being a member of ASB not only provides students the opportunity to bond with one another but allows students to connect with BVH as a whole. Ava describes how ASB allows its members to grow as people and learn essential skills and why more people should try to join.
“I hope for the upcoming [school] year that we continue to have a positive ASB and are just like a family. [I hope] that we continue to work together and keep the positive and welcoming environment,” Nixon said. “I got to meet a lot of people and it really was a fun experience.”
Hello, I am a senior at BVH and this is my fourth year as part of the Crusader staff. I am currently the Managing editor and was previously a News Editor,...
I am a senior at Bonita Vista High School and this is my first year on staff. This year I am one of the Opinion Copy Editors for The Crusader. I joined...
