Link Crew leads Awtrey students on tour of future campus
March 25, 2015
On March 13th, nearly 200 Awtrey students visited NC’s campus. Link Crew members hosted the eighth-grade event, along with assistant principal Mr. Noblet and Link Crew coordinator Mrs. Woolsey.
The morning starts with a plan-debriefing for the day and group organization. Link Crew members wait patiently for the 8th graders to arrive. “This visit gives them a first hand look of the campus and a chance to ask questions and interact with the students and link crew leaders,” Mr. Noblet said.
“This event will be really fun and enjoyable, because we get to show the school from a student’s perspective and get to witness how excited they are for high school,” Link Crew leader and junior Samira Parsa said.
The marching band, colorguard members, and cheerleaders welcome 8th grade students with a traditional Warrior anthem.
Students fill up the auditorium. Therome James, an 8th grade science teacher at Awtrey, points out the importance of eighth-graders visiting high school: “This event is definitely needed because is shows what they need to strive for and what they need to do to prepare for high school. It also shows that we [teachers] don’t exaggerate and high school is different.”
In the orientation, principal Dr. Page addresses the students by asking questions, such as how many students have current or graduated siblings at the school, and how many play sports for NC. Students proudly raise their hands as they talk amongst one another.
After Warrior Productions showed a “How to Survive High School” video, Mr. Noblet opens the floor to Link Crew leaders to talk to the students. Eighth grader Allen Alayla enjoyed senior Chris Mclean’s advice to listen, learn, and live.“I like his advice; it was different from the others to start off strong and join clubs,” Alyala said.
Eighth grade homerooms break up into smaller groups with at least two or three Link Crew leaders. Students toured the ninth grade academy, both cafeterias, the media center, the foreign language hallway, both gyms, the magnet lounge, and the front of the building.
Link Crew leaders senior Chris Mclean and junior Nija Strickland lead a group, explaining the importance of the front office and the convenience of the ID lab.
Juniors Lauren D’Olympio and Samira Parsa brought the eighth graders into Dr. Gorlin’s honors biology class to watch a test review. “This school is amazing! Classes like these make me more excited to go here. There are so many different environments, unlike Awtrey,” eighth-grade students Christine Mclean and Jasmine Copeland gushed.
Junior Nija Strickland asks the group to lower their voices because of classes. She also addresses any questions the students have to ask.
As students tour both gyms, the pacer and other games fascinate many students.
Right before viewing the Magnet lounge, junior Danielle Kelly talks to the group about the usefulness and value of the magnet program. She also encourages students to take numerous AP classes throughout their high school career.
Ending the tour, Link Crew guides show eighth-graders the front of the school. Chris points to the counselor office: “This is for upperclassmen, but once you get out of the academy, this will be all yours.”
Eighth-grader Josh Jenkins looks forward to the next four years: “The tour really helped me see what high school was really like. I think I’m 10% less likely to get lost on the first day.”
