Students test their skills in annual Brain Bash

Plains High School students gathered before break last week for their annual Brain Bash. The event has been held for many years and required student teams to compete against other teams across the school in various games. This year, each of the 15 games were held in 15 classrooms, where devious teachers designed mini games to test the students' skill, memory and even their dance skills. Each game granted the possibility of winning a team 100 points, which would go to the team's overall score.

Teams were given two minutes to cycle to their next station and ten minutes to complete the game to the best of their ability. Each team, named after a holiday, vied for the top position. Teams were given extra points for those who put effort into dressing up as their holiday. First place winners would receive a homework-pass, second place would earn five extra credit points to an approved assignment while third place winners could get a chocolate Kiss candy.

Students were able to participate in a variety of games, from dice to mini golf. In Ken Nelson's history class, students were asked to participate in a type of shuffleboard game he called "Russian Bowling." There, they had to knock over certain pins while others had to remain standing or acted as obstacles. In the gym, Athletic Director Mike Cole organized a "Tennis Tank Shootout" where he strapped together two "tanks" made from rolling boards and tennis ball launchers. In the bleachers he placed colored cones with the faces of teachers posted over elf costumes. Each teacher would earn points, and the furthest targets, which featured administration faces, would earn extra points. The team was split in half and the two tanks would compete against each other. All students on each team needed to sit on their assigned tank to help it move and the total score of both tanks at the end of the game was added together for their final score.

Carl Benson held the same "Shooting Gallery" game he has every year, but this time for the last. His station is set up like the carnival game of the same name, with cork firing popguns. Students gather points for each animal they take out, but lose points for ones that are "endangered." Benson will be retiring after 38 years, so this may be the last year this game is held.

In Cindy Noland's English class students had to try their hand at roping a PVC calf. Each student was given two tries and if the rope stuck onto the calf it would count. Their points were derived from how many successful attempts they had out of the total tries allotted. One student, junior Jose Martinez, said he had never roped before but tried his best.

In Tanna Klammer's math class, students had to work together to disarm a "bomb." The bomb game is called "Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes," and is available online through a gaming platform called Steam. Several students are selected as the disarmers, and the rest of the class are given printed manuals that explain how to disarm the bomb. The bombs come in a vast variety of "if this, then do that" scenarios in random combinations, explained Klammer. Students with the manuals cannot see the bomb, and disarmers cannot see the manual. They must communicate with each other what they see and what to do to clear the bomb stage. Klammer explained that it can be very difficult, and it would be fun to see the teachers play this game.

Organizing the event for her fifth year was Nichole Cockrell, who explained how each team was a random placement of students from various grade levels. In contrast, this was High School Principal Ryon Noland's first year. Noland said he loves the idea of the Brain Bash, explaining, "When you do things in groups like this, it's easy to keep kids having fun. I really like the idea where everyone is active." He also explained the reason the games are done when they are, saying, "Everyone needs Christmas break; it's been a long haul until now." Noland likes the idea so much that he is thinking about trying something similar in the spring where everyone can get outside while doing games and activities. He said they have not put any plans in motion yet and he would like to wait and see what the school traditionally does in the second part of the year, but he is excited about the idea.