March 28, 2001
Students orient to life at West Senior High
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
The kids are bigger, the halls seem endless and where are the bathrooms, anyway?
The transition from junior high to high school may not be as dramatic as the one a few years back, where students jumped from small elementary schools to a large junior high, but a little guidance can certainly smooth the way a little.
West Junior High ninth graders got a head start on being a high schooler Friday morning during a Freshman Orientation session at West High School.
The orientation featured a school tour, a video about the school's students and activities, presentations by music and drama students and a chance to meet and mingle with members of sports teams and extra-curricular clubs.
For the freshman, with spring break on their mind, fall did seem a long way away. Still, they listened attentively and tromped willingly through hallways and classrooms, getting a glimpse of their futures.
"It helped me, I've never even walked in here before," said Andrew Griffin, a ninth-grader.
The tour also received a thumbs up from Jonna Lefler.
"This helps us figure out where everything is, like all the different wings," she said, as she checked out a display by the school's paper, The Occidentalist.
Numerous ninth-grade teachers accompanied students to the orientation, providing a familiar face in a new setting.
"A lot of students have already been up here, for sports, music or athletics," said Sherry Stoltz, a ninth-grade teacher at West Junior High. "But they are the outspoken ones, not the quiet ones who may not know their way around next fall otherwise."
Besides the school's newspaper, the school gym featured more than a dozen tables scattered around the gym featuring many of the school's extra-curricular and co-curricular activities. Students could learn about everything from cheerleading, girls basketball and cross-country to the forensics team, the technical education department and the German American Partnership Program. Elaborate displays or videos lured passerby to find out more.
At one table, Titan football players sat next to their towering trophies, proudly displaying their jerseys and answering questions. An enthusiastic crowd of freshman boys gathered around, eager to learn more or join up.
"I'm signing up for football," said Dave Ebersole, noting that his brother attends West High School and he is somewhat familiar with the building.
Group after group was whisked through the hallways and into the library, art rooms, newspaper office, science labs and the Counseling Center.
"The Career Center is a very important place for your next three years, you should know where this is," said tour guide Rob Neu, who will be working with the students as one of their class principals.
Volunteers at the high school helped with the orientation, with sophomores greeting students they went to school with just a year ago. Some of the volunteers signed up to help because they remembered their awkward first days of high school and wanted to help others avoid that.
"This gives them an idea of what high school life is all about," said Heather Olson, a sophomore volunteer. "It was so helpful to me when we came here last year. I remember when I was in seventh-grade, this school seemed like such a big place, but it's really not."