This past Sunday and Monday, the school welcomed its newest students with a two-day freshman orientation designed to kick off the year on a high note. Guided by Link mentors and faculty, the program brought together about 100 new members of the class of 2029, more than 240 returning students from the middle school, and several new sophomores and juniors.
These two intense days brought students from all grades together at the Upper School to play games, teambuilding activities, and introduce all freshmen to the campus in which they will spend the next four years of high school.
On Sunday, freshmen kicked off orientation by splitting into four teams for a series of spirited challenges, including a sponge relay, a tower-building contest, bingo, a hexathlon, and other team-building games. After lunch, the competition moved to the pool, where each team constructed a homemade boat and raced it to the finish.
For many students, the day was as much about reconnecting as it was about competing. “I liked it because I enjoyed seeing all my friends that I haven’t seen all summer and meeting the new kids that I didn’t know yet,” Freshman Luiza Osorio said.
(Stella Cardoso)
While Sunday focused on fun competitions and bonding, Monday Orientation introduced a new group of upperclassmen Link mentors aiming for a more driven agenda. After a speech from Mr. Sandaal and a few icebreakers, students were separated into groups and set off with their new mentors to several classrooms.
Each group had two to three upperclassmen who ran a series of activities in their small groups. These activities were followed with all students introducing themselves. The mentors led campus tours, and activities designed to help new students navigate both the grounds and the community they’ll be part of in the year ahead — a setup that many found valuable.
“I think that freshman orientation was very useful and successful because I got to ask the seniors a lot of questions about high school and it got me prepared for the first day,” Freshman Julia Cardoso said.
By the end of the two days, freshmen and new students left with more than just a schedule, they had new uniting experiences, helpful advice from upperclassmen, and new bonds with their classmates. With the first day of school on the horizon, orientation not only eased the nerves of starting fresh but also set the tone for a year of growth, collaboration, and school spirit.
