Brain Bash tests students' mind, body

Even at the last day of school, the student of Plains High School had to use their brain power. But this time it was for fun, said teacher Betty Taylor, who heads the Jobs For Montana Graduates class.

The 24 JMG students — all seniors — planned, organized and coordinated the school's annual "Brain Bash" contest, which involved about 200 students from eighth grade to seniors Dec. 21.

For nearly three hours, 18 teams rotated through the 20 stations around the school. At each station, they were tested with puzzles, word games, charades, trivia knowledge, and even a steer lasso competition.

"The Christmas Story," a movie about a boy who wanted a Red Ryder BB gun, was the theme for the Brain Bash this year. At the end of the contest at noon, team Fragile (it must be Italian) took first place with 153 points. Three points behind was the You'll Shoot Your Eye Out team, followed by Schwartz with 145 points.

In last place was Mommy's Little Piggy at 105 points. Other teams included names, such as: Ralphie, Black Bart, Bumpus, and Mother of All Words. Four teams finished with in a tie. The JMG students come up with the theme each year "after a little debate," said Taylor. Last year, it was cartoon characters.

The first place team members will receive pizza; second place gets Subway foot-longs; and third place receives movie tickets, according to Annawyn Griffin, one of two JMG teachers. JMG has run the Brain Bash for about 12 years. Prior to that, teacher Don Stamm conducted the battle of intellects to give the students a fun final day before the Christmas and New Year's break.

Teachers at each station came up with some sort of competition to test the students' knowledge and in some cases their agility. In some cases, the contestants had to think outside the box, said Griffin. The JMG approved the criteria, looked over the teachers' ideas so that no games were duplicated. Griffin said the JMG students encourage the teachers to come up with different ideas to keep it interesting.

Each station lasted eight minutes and students had one minute to get from one station to the next. A team could get a maximum of 10 points at each station, but sometimes they left with a score of zero.

Some of the teachers came up with new games. School Resource Officer Chris McGuigan conducted a steer lasso contest. Music teacher Tom Bushlen devised a rope competition, where the students had to transfer a looped rope between each other, as they held hands, and could not use their fingers or thumbs, and could not break the circle. Science teacher Carl Benson resurrected his six-foot long homemade Operation game.

However, others went with traditional games, such as Ken Nelson and his "French Tank School," a military shuffleboard game, and Ellen Childress and Carol Pilgeram with "Guestures," a charades game.

The teachers were also recognized by the students for having the best games. Sandy Revier was voted first place by the competitors for her computer game. Nelson took second and Stamm's golf putting machine took third. Revier received a $50 gift card. Nelson and Stamm got $25 each.

Last year, Mike Cole, the physical education teacher, took first with his fishing game with 71 points. Nelson took second last year, too.

Putting on the Brain Bash is part of the JMG students' grade, said Taylor. Griffin said the game teaches the students how to plan a school-wide event and teamwork. She said the eighth-graders are included because it's one of the ways to help them adjust to high school.

"I think the kids look forward to it," said Taylor. "It gives them an opportunity to shine."