On Thursday, August 22nd, all of the incoming freshman grouped up outside the daunting front doors of their high school. During orientation, name games were played, inspirational speeches were heard and new friends were made. However, did it really get incoming freshman ready for high school classes? 

Freshman Orietation’s purpose is clear, to get incoming freshman prepared to go to high school; whether that be making friends, learning the new rules, or knowing your way around. This year’s orientation was very successful in creating an environment where that was possible, and as Grace Jenson explained, “being able to meet new people and my Link Crew Leaders helped me feel a part of the school community.” This was really important to Jenson because high school can be a scary place and feeling a part of a community helps break down those walls.

This year’s Freshman Orientation was led by Ms. Feuerstein and Ms. Kugler, both of whom had never led it before, and they kept it pretty similar to the years prior. However, Feuerstein commented and believes that it still has room for improvement, and she plans to elongate the tour portion so less freshmen are running around their first day looking for classes. 

Overall, Feuerstein and Kugler did a tremendous job in combining the Wood students, Meridian students and students who moved districts, and letting them feel more comfortable starting their high school career.