Stepping into bigger shoes

Incoming freshmen get their first look at AHS during its annual Open House

AHS hosted Open House on Thursday, February 5th, welcoming incoming freshmen and their families onto campus to have a first look at life in high school. Teachers and students from AHS’ leadership class helped the newcomers find their way around and answered questions.

The majority of the eighth graders were coming from Thornton Middle School, and many were excited to experience the campus culture for the first time. Farah Abdullah (8) said, “Everyone’s been super helpful, super welcoming, and super nice. I am very excited for freshman year.”

For Abdullah, high school represents an opportunity to begin thinking seriously about what’s to come. “Planning out my future excites me the most about high school,” she explained.

Similarly, Ken Ishiguro (8) said, “I’m excited for a new environment and meeting new people. The campus is okay, though; Thornton is lowkey better, but it’ll do.”

While some students expressed clear excitement, others admitted feeling nervous about the academic changes that come with high school. Kirthick Dhanaprabhu (8) shared concerns about the workload. “It’s going to be a lot of work, and it might be really hard to handle all the classes,” he said.

Despite these worries, Dhanaprabhu hopes to enroll in mostly advanced classes, like English 9 Honors and double-accelerated math. “I came to Open House to just check the courses available here,” he explained.

Teacher DeBlonk, an English 9 teacher who attended Open House, said, “Our role is to help new students and give them information about classes that they’re potentially interested in taking in the next year. Being able to ask whether they should take certain classes and get those questions answered is often very helpful.”

Saanvi Joshi (8) explained a difference she is anticipating with the switch from middle school to high school. “I think my friends and generally the people I surround myself with will change the most.”

Abdullah echoed, “I feel like there’s going to be a different sense of being. Friend groups will shift, and everyone will grow up and change. You’ll find yourself here.”

Parents who attended Open House were eager to learn more about the high school environment and classes that their kids are going to take. Komal Singh, a parent of an incoming freshman, said, “I have a high schooler here, and I see how involved she is in school. I wish the same for my younger kid.”

During Open House, Singh attended the opening session and visited the rotunda to ask about math and English placement. “The leadership team here was so helpful. I did not even have to go to the front desk; they answered all my questions,” she said.

Romir Swar (11), a member of AHS’ leadership team, explained that his role during Open House was to assist incoming families. “Leadership shows up and helps people out,” he said. “I answer questions from kids and parents.”

Many incoming freshmen use Open House as a chance to ask upperclassmen about their class choices. “I think the biggest question they ask is whether or not they should take English Honors,” said Swar.

Swar viewed Open House as an opportunity to reminisce on the time when he was an incoming freshman. “I remember when I was an eighth grader, and I came to Open House. I remember walking to the big gym, and I climbed up the stairs and tripped. It was so loud. Everyone looked at me, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is high school,’ and I started laughing.”

Starting high school is a strange but thrilling experience for incoming freshmen, and leadership students strive to welcome them with open arms. “I remember all the upperclassmen when I was a freshman, and looking at all these freshmen, I just want to emulate those upperclassmen and be the same person that they were to me,” Swar said.