Brain Bash gears Plains kids up for winter break

PLAINS – What do Jenga, sundaes, movie quotes and IQ tests have in common? Brain Bash.

As students worked together with their friends throughout the day, creating new memories along the way, they began winter break Plains-style.

The annual Brain Bash event gave students a chance to wind down from their studies and prepare for break by providing them with a day’s worth of interactive games.

While some focused on team work, others focused on personal strengths but the end note was clear – it was a day full of stimulating activities.

Whether the students were attempting to transfer a bucket of balls into a larger bucket with just strings or matching movies to popular quotes, the kids were constantly using their brains in a fun, interactive setting.

Student organizer Nicole Rehbein said this year saw a few changes. For the first year ever the teachers were part of the games and each of the workshops was ran by a JMG student. The kids were also matched with groups of friends to avoid some of the downfalls of random pairing. Also new this year was a thought-provoking twist. The students had to try to solve a murder mystery and find out who killed Santa.

As they rotated through the 12 stations, the kids were handed out different clues to help piece the mystery together. While they played the games at each station, they were also able to mull over the possibilities of who the killer could be.

Although the day was focused on having fun, a lot of planning went into the event. Students of the JMG class were responsible for coordinating the entire event from the beginning to the end. Work on the event started early in December and a variety of committees were appointed to work on different aspects of the project.

While one committee figured out the master schedule, another one busied themselves with figuring out room rotations for the event.

“[Brain Bash] works really well with the setup of the JMG class because we try to get the kids organizing and delegating tasks,” said JMG teacher Annawyn Griffin.

This year the event ran smoother than in past years, even with the new additions and changes.

“It was probably one of the smoothest ones we’ve had. It shows well on the students because they really planned the whole thing,” said Griffin.

She also credited Rehbein for stepping up to her leadership role.

“[Nicole] did a great job. She’s a very organized student and she gets along with everybody very well – she just did super,” said Griffin.

Brain Bash is one event that makes Plains unique. Griffin explained many schools have a movie day or a Christmas party before break but this event is one of a kind.

“It’s important because it gives the students a project to work on and it’s a huge school wide undertaking. For the rest of the school and the students in the school body, it’s nice because they’re not just getting a free day. They are still participating in things and working together,” said Griffin.

The day obviously strays away from a traditional classroom setting but it still gives the kids an educational opportunity.

According to Griffin, the event would not be possible without the endless support of the local businesses in town.

“I’d like to thank the businesses for always supporting us. Not just with this project but in general throughout the year, the community supports the program very well,” said Griffin.

She also congratulated the students for pulling off a successful large-scale event – a task that is paired with a lot of hard work and dedication.

The event changes each year and is customized to the wants of the JMG class in charge. No one knows what next year will hold but it’s evident that the day will bring a lot of fun to the students at Plains High School.