On Wednesday, September 5th, Madison High School’s brand new freshmen went through 9th grade orientation. Mr. Levine, head of guidance, could be seen anxiously waiting outside the high school doors to greet the new arrivals. The some 200 students whose schedules he had spent hours perfecting were about to arrive. Mr. Levine and student volunteers had been preparing for this day for about two months now and the wait was finally over. Giving orders to volunteers and running from hall to hall, Levine wasn’t about to let anything ruin the class of 2016’s first impression of Madison High School.
The morning of orientation brought overcast skies and some rain, but overall, the vibes given off from enthusiastic volunteers made the weather unnoticeable. Everyone was ready at 7 A.M. to greet incoming freshmen and show them around the halls. The 9th graders began showing up around 7:45. Some mixed emotions and nervous faces could be seen. “People were loud. It was kind of a crazy atmosphere, but good.” Freshman Josh Staneart said about the greeting. After the freshmen received nametags, a class of 2016 shirt and a snack, they were free to proceed into the building for the rest of the day’s activities.
The freshmen then continued into the auditorium to listen to a commencement address of sorts from Principle Robertson and Vice Principle Connolly where school guidance counselor, Mr. Joseph Giugliano, left a lasting message on the 9th graders. “The root word of guidance is guide because you’re on a journey. High school is a journey that will eventually lead you into college or your future career. You need a guide. We are here for you.” The freshmen then split into groups and went on a scavenger hunt to become oriented with the building and it’s figure eight design, ran through a mock schedule to meet their teachers, and had lunch in the cafeteria.
Overall, Freshmen Orientation 2012 was a complete success and the weight on the shoulders of Mr. Levine, student directors and volunteers was lifted knowing the 9th grade students were prepared and excited for high school. Freshmen Jack Spags summed up the day’s success saying, “I knew where I was going on the first day.”