For young students, making the jump from junior high to high school can be intimidating. Scary, even.
Each fall, older students at Hapnot Collegiate volunteer to help make that leap less difficult.
Student orientation is held at Hapnot shortly before the school year starts. Both students and teachers walk new faces through the rooms and hallways that will soon be their second home.
When you ask many incoming grade 9 students what will happen or how they’ll feel on their first day of school, the answers indicate unease.
“Probably a little nervous,” said Anna Lies, a new Hapnot student who attended last week’s orientation. “Mixing up classrooms, or different things.”
It’s a feeling grade 12 student Lalain Bashir remembers well. She was one of 10 older students who did most of the work during this year’s orientation.
“It was really scary,” said Bashir, recalling her first day of high school.
“I didn’t know what was going on. It’s really big compared to McIsaac [her previous school], and I was really scared and nervous and I didn’t know what to do. That’s why we’re helping them out.”
In the past, school orientation was run mostly by staff and student council, and included more classroom-based sessions.
While the orientation begins with a session with school faculty, most of the process is now led by older students.
“I think over the years that’s sort of been the philosophy the administration has,” said Hapnot principal Brent Bedford.
“Any time we have a tour of the building, we try to have the students do it, just because I think it’s much easier.”
“If they know how to get to class and open their lockers, it’ll give them more confidence on the first day of school,” said Bashir.
Lies said the orientation helped her learn more about her new school.
“They showed us everything and explained different stuff,” she said.
When asked if she thought the orientation would prepare her for class, Lies grinned and replied, “I think so.”
Classes in Flin Flon and Cranberry Portage began Wednesday. School opened in Creighton last week.
