The Student News Site of Bellevue East High School

The Tom Tom
The Student News Site of Bellevue East High School

The Tom Tom
The Student News Site of Bellevue East High School

The Tom Tom
Double tasks. Within an English class full of seniors in instructor Carla Palo’s classroom on November 19, senior Avery Walker is working on her assignment for one of her two English classes. Walker is taking two English classes in one semester because she is graduating early and needs to meet the graduation requirements. “I was, to put it bluntly, done with school and just wanted to move onto the next stage of life,” Walker said.

Bellevue East’s early graduates leave as semester ends

Lucy Cook, Newspaper Reporter
December 13, 2024
Illustration by Lisa Connell

Seasonal depression affects students

Savannah Stultz, Newspaper Co-Entertainment Editor
December 13, 2024
Lighting the candles. Two Shabbat candles fill the area with light at the home of Diversity Club sponsor Mark Coup. In Jewish tradition, Shabbat candles are lit every Friday before sunset to honor the Jewish day of rest. “This is the time we turn everything else off,” Coup said. “You’re just trying to give your body the rest that it needs.”

Winter holidays bring joy, community to students lives

Victoria Bogatz, Newspaper Co-Editor in Chief
December 13, 2024
Snip. Snip. Snip. Scissors cut through paper as Key Club President Addison Pithan works on holiday cards during their club meeting [Left]. Key Club is a club geared towards volunteering, and their next big project will be the Angel Tree, pictured right. “Here is this opportunity if you have the resources to donate. This goes back to the kids,” Pithan said.

Bellevue East angel tree represents art of holiday giving

Emily Hollars, Newspaper Co-Entertainment Editor
December 13, 2024
Spooky crafts. Waiting for students and the little kids to arrive, junior Amelia Watson [left] and junior Mila Hormann [right] volunteer with Art Club for Bellevue East’s BEAST Trick or Treat Night. They were in charge of running stations around the school in which kids stopped by and glued together Halloween themed characters such as pumpkins, ghosts, and Frankensteins. The Trick or Treat night is a fun opportunity for kids to connect with high schoolers and play games while dressed up in costumes. “BEAST Trick or Treat has been my favorite activity," Watson said. “It was fun working with little kids.”

Art Club members express their creativity

Charley Leon, Newspaper Co-Editor in Chief, Yearbook Copy Editor
December 13, 2024
Lights, camera, action. A few days before the show, the troupe rehearses the show from start to finish with everything like costumes, lighting, and sound finalized. In this particular scene, William (played by freshman Abby Hollingshead), Victor Frankenstein’s (played by senior Asher Briggs) brother, was found murdered. Surrounding the body is Victor, Alphonse (played by senior Ringo Sarratt), and Elizabeth (played by sophomore Taelor Stevens). Running over is the Constable (played by freshman Ozzy Trudell). “Some difficulties I've encountered are trying to memorize all of my lines,” Briggs said. “I have been running them to death to try and get them memorized. I know a lot of my cast members are doing the same.”

‘Frankenstein is coming to East theaters this November

Brianna Yang, Newspaper Managing Editor and Web Manager
November 1, 2024
Trick or treat. Robney Barnett, dressed as a zombie, steps into his at the House of Horror on Logan Drive. After starting the haunted house, Halloween has never been the same for the Mulkey and Barrett families. “It was such a quiet neighborhood, maybe some people across the street occasionally. [Now], we have people from up the street, down the street, everywhere they come.” Kelly Mulkey said.

Bellevue East students, neighbors create haunted house

Lucy Cook, Newspaper Sports Editor, Co-Director of Media Production
November 1, 2024

Bellevue East celebrates homecoming: “A Night In Paris”

Jaidyn Gaddis and Lailyah Duncan
November 1, 2024
Slam. While she performed in front of an audience at the All Writes Reserved Festival in April of last year, junior Mila Hormann displayed emotion to draw her listeners in. She performed her poem titled, ‘Cloudy Days’. “Slam poetry is important to me because [it] helps me process emotions and makes me be able to connect with other poets,” Hormann said. “I get to connect with poets I see at competitions or become a lot closer with other poets within our school’s poetry club.”

East slam poetry club starts season with a bang

Layla Hango, Newspaper Opinion Editor
November 1, 2024
Ka-ching. (Left) Senior Ty Yoon carefully counts the amount of cash he needs to give back to a customer at the Beast Brew located in the Bellevue East library on October 16. Money that is earned by the Beast Brew goes towards buying more supplies for the store and to the FBLA organization. “I’d say that at times it [working at the Beast Brew] can be stressful,” said Yoon. “But it helps grow that experience, like in the real world.”

Behind the scenes of student-run cafe Beast Brew

Savannah Stultz, Newspaper Co-Entertainment Editor
November 1, 2024

Rise and shine: Class of 2025 celebrates the senior sunrise

Lisa Connell, Newspaper Graphic Artist
September 30, 2024
Big heart and big dog. Ric Connell and his dog, Buck, cuddle together on the couch July 7, 2022. Connell gives words of wisdom to his anxious teenagers. “I know my children have a ton of potential, helping them find the key to unlock it is sometimes the hardest part,” Connell said.

Bellevue East student honors dad as personal hero

Layla Hango, Newspaper Opinion Editor
September 30, 2024
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