ABRHS Freshmen: Off to a Good Start

While many of their fellow students were likely enjoying one more chance to sleep late, freshmen at got an early jump on things Tuesday at a day-long orientation designed just for them.

Initiated last year, the freshman orientation program received positive reviews by both students and staff, who said allowing the freshman to be in their new school on their own for the first day helped with the transition into high school—as well as gave them the chance to cut loose with their friends at a PTSO-sponsored ice cream social outside at the end of the day.

The day initially started as part of efforts to “do a better job orienting the kids to their new school,” said ABRHS principal Dr. Alixe Callen. “We definitely think it starts their year off on a good note.”

According to Callen, the program, driven primarily by staff members Todd Chicko, Ryan Steege and Liz Marcotte, relies heavily on the help of student “ambassadors”—ABRHS upperclassmen who help guide the younger students through their first day.

One such ambassador, David Quantrille, said the presence of those older students—easily identifiable in bright-yellow T-shirts—clearly eased the minds of some worried newbies, who might otherwise have been too shy or nervous to ask for help.

“Having older students around helped a lot with the transition,” said Quantrille, a junior. “Some kids would do fine anyway, but a lot of the quieter ones may not have asked teachers” for help.

In addition to guiding freshman throughout the day and at various assigned stations, students who participate in the ambassador program are given one or two incoming students’ email addresses and begin communicating with “their” students weeks before school starts, even meeting them at school to give them a tour, in some cases.

“It’s really well organized,” said junior Luciana Petcu of the ambassador program. “We didn’t have this (as freshmen) and I know it really helped. I will definitely do it again.”

For their part, the new students said they enjoyed the day and appreciated the chance to take things in without the added stress of a full school, as well as to unwind with their friends at the end.

“It was more fun than I thought it would be,” said Cindy Gu, with her friend, Emily Damiano, adding, “I did get a little lost but it was also fun.”

Another student, Sarah Early, said the presence of the ambassadors was “really helpful,” with Jacob Mullen agreeing that the older students “really did help with nerves.”

All in all, said Callen, it was a great start for the class of 2015.

“I told them this morning that this day and graduation are my two favorite (school-related) days,” she said. “The end of high school is a huge celebration, but we really feel like the first day should be celebrated too.”