Syosset High School Hosts Freshman Orientation

The start of September means back to school for students. The members of the freshman class have many new exciting experiences to anticipate as they get their first taste of high school.

Syosset High School held its annual freshman orientation program on Tuesday August 30, 2011 to help the new students feel more at home in their new school.

Students were given a guided tour of the school and also participated in various other activities. Freshmen had the benefit of being introduced to school by upperclassmen, who provided them with insider advice about how to get around at Syosset High School.

“It’s cool to see the older kids helping out the incoming freshmen!” said upperclassman Amanda Nagler.

The orientation was split into two sessions. Students could either attend the program in the morning from 10 a.m. to noon, or in the afternoon from 1 to 3 p.m.

Ninth graders were greeted with a warm welcome in the auditorium by SHS principal Dr. Durante, along with other school officials. Superintendent Carole G. Hankin was also in attendance.

The freshmen were then broken off into smaller groups led by the upperclassmen. Group leaders gave everyone a chance to socialize and make new friends with ice breaker games. They discussed topics that were pertinent to every freshman: What if I get lost? How do I find my locker? What if I miss my bus?

The new students were also introduced to the many activities that SHS has to offer after the final bell rings. Student representatives from the various extracurricular clubs set up booths throughout the hallways and in the student lobby to show the freshmen what their respective clubs had to offer.

The Science Olympiads boasted state and regional trophies, along with a flying device and other cool scientific odds and ends. The cooking club offered cookies and miniature muffins, while the school newspaper, The Pulse, distributed issues of the paper.

“Everyone finds their place eventually in high school. Hopefully they realize that getting involved here is the thing to do because of all the great clubs that our school offers,” said Kavin Sanghavi, SHS junior and member of Science Olympiads.

In between the two orientation sessions, the school hosted a free luncheon for the students. It allowed students from both middle schools to mingle and get to know each other before the official start of the school year.

All in all, the day served as a great start for the class of 2015.