With the school year coming to an end, it was time for the upcoming freshman to see their options for extracurricular activities to join at the start of their high school career. On Feb. 29 Fresh perspectives was a way for incoming students to find their passion and what they were good at whether it was a sport or a spot on the academic team. Some advisors were ecstatic to host interested students.
“Love seeing all the bright-eyed freshmen so nervous not knowing what to expect,” Esports, TSA and STEM advisor Danielle Stewart said. “Inviting them and showing everything is so rewarding.”
For freshman student Brooklyn Smith, being a member of Academic team was about honing her strengths and expanding her knowledge. She spent most of her free time practicing.
“It’ll prepare me not only just like for high school having to do that, but it also will improve in the future like for college, having had that dedication to studying,” Smith said. “Typically, I go to study hall every Thursday, or I just like to practice with the team. It has to be like on your own time, on the weekend I’ll just cut out some time to study and I try to break it up, so I’m not like stressing myself out.”
Being an adviser was a time-consuming job, so to have students who were interested that they could count on was a relief.
“I work 60-70 hours some weeks to make sure teams are ready and projects are ready. Not including when we travel,” Stewart said.
Most of the advisers left their top students in charge of the booths to recruit new students and get them interested in their clubs.
“I just put it on my officers,” National Art Honor Society adviser Rachel Adams said, “It was hard at first having to get everything pulled together, but now that we have the materials prepped, and we use them year to year and then I just have it all planned out.”
Though leaving students in charge of the booths at Fresh Perspectives was typical, some teachers had concerns about how the event would unfold, since this could determine how the clubs would play out the next school year.
“I do not think they will be more organized, more like chaotic, or perhaps a bit more lively,” Academic team adviser Ty Haisten said.
Through the event, clubs and teams had the opportunity to meet potential upcoming members. “Esports is a tight-knit family, some getting used to getting new people in, but once everyone gets comfortable it’s much better,” Stewart said. “TSA and STEM are like mentorship they love having new people to make teams and help out with.”
Not just the advisors, but students awaited to have new people join their teams and were ready to help anyone who is lost or confused.
“I’m just going to make sure that I’m the person that I wanted to help me when I started,” Smith said.