The Bears’ BBQ will take place next Friday to help students kick off the school year.  The semi-annual event will fill the upper parking lot circle drive and features teachers grilling hot dogs and burgers.

“It’s to give the students an alternative for lunch, to just hang out outside with their peers, and just enjoy a nice day,” Ryan Rubenstein, assistant principal facilities & activities, said. “[The school has done this] for as long as I can remember, which I’ve been here now for thirteen years, so probably longer than that.”

Having over two thousand hungry teenagers at the high school means a lot of faculty must help out, from cooking to supervising, Rubenstein said.

“I kind of coordinate the facilities aspects of it, like getting all of the tables and grills, and I set up all those types of things out there,” Rubenstein said.  “I just make sure that the day runs smoothly, that there’s enough cooked food, and then we’re good to go.”

The Bears’ BBQ has been a tradition for over a decade and some describe it as a time to “chill.”

“It’s a good stress reliever to just go and get a burger, to combine all grades together, and to be able to socialize with teachers too.  There are always teachers out there,” Annie Bunten, senior, said.  “I’ve gone most years and actually it’s nice being outside, too, when there’s good weather.”