Lawrence Middle School children participated in annual high school orientation last week.
By: Lea Kahn
While Lawrence Middle School is across the parking lot from Lawrence High School, the divide between the two schools is greater than the several hundred feet between them, prompting school district officials to initiate an orientation program several years ago.
By the time 14-year-old Rebecca Adamczyk finished the two-day orientation program at the high school on Friday morning, she felt ready to make the switch from being a LMS Cardinal to being a LHS Cardinal. The Cardinal is the mascot for the two schools.
"It’s really helpful," Rebecca said. "I think when I walk in on the first day of school, I’ll know what I am doing. It’s a very big change. You are really independent. There is so much more homework and classes and activities."
Rebecca was one of 125 freshmen who participated in the overnight program held at LHS, said Linda Weltmann, a high school social studies teacher who helped to coordinate the event. There are about 300 incoming freshmen. The 9th-graders were joined by 44 peer leaders juniors and seniors who volunteered to help.
LHS Principal David Roman said the goal of the orientation program is to allow freshmen to get to know some of the teachers and administrators. Teachers and administrators including himself stayed overnight at school with the freshmen, he said. The students brought sleeping bags.
"We take the kids and give them the ability to develop a sense of where they are," Mr. Roman said. "School is safe, and there is structure and rules they are going to have to learn. We are playing with them, but also letting them know they need to get ready for high school."
Ms. Weltmann said the orientation program offers students an introduction to the academic side of high school, as well as extra-curricular activities. The students learn about the courses offered to freshmen. They also discuss appropriate school behavior, such as displaying respect and courtesy, she said.
"They will take social studies, math, science and world language classes," she said. "They see their textbooks and they get a sample homework lesson. They come in, knowing this is the first day of school."
The peer leaders play an important role in the orientation program, Ms. Weltmann said. The peer leaders work with the freshmen throughout the school year, she said, adding that they continue the relationship they began with the 9th-graders during the orientation program.
"The peer leaders show up at the freshman athletic events," she said. "It’s important for the freshmen to be recognized by upperclassmen. The freshmen want to belong. (When they finish orientation), they know they belong."
Peer leaders Alex Bagherian and Emma Hansen, both 16, recalled their first days as high school freshmen and the help they received from their peer leaders. It made the transition from middle school to high school much smoother, they said.
Alex said the freshman orientation program and the peer leader program were helpful to him, because he had attended parochial school, making the transition to Lawrence High School even more difficult than those coming from Lawrence Middle School. So, he wanted to become a peer leader to return the favor.
"My first day of school as a freshman is why I wanted to become a peer leader," Emma said. "My brother left me all by myself. I ran into my peer leader. We stress that we are here to help the freshmen."

