June isn’t a time when students typically volunteer to go to school.
Incoming freshmen were invited to Charger Camp, an opportunity to prepare themselves for the imminent school year.
The camp allowed students to become familiar with Bullitt East. Current students volunteered to show the new students around. There is much to gain from attending Charger Camp as a freshman.
Charger Camp took place on June 4, 5, and 6. From 9 AM to 12 PM freshmen spent time forming connections, alongside learning how to navigate high school life. Students participated in icebreaker activities and had free time to interact with their peers. From there, over the course of three days the freshmen alternated from classroom to classroom. Faculty gave lectures on anything from grades to cyberbullying. Lectures like these address concerns held by new students. “I feel like I’m learning more as I come here,” freshman said.
Freshmen were led through the halls by current students. One of those students was sophomore Marissa Herron. “I was an incoming freshman last year and I was learning a lot of the same stuff as them. I wanted to help them kind of just get a feel for who we are and what we do,” Herron said.
Herron understands the nervousness that comes with being a freshman. “I used to be stressed about tests and stuff, but I want to tell my freshman self to just not worry about anything,” Herron said. Still, she emphasizes working hard no matter what.
Meanwhile other students took part in a panel, where freshmen could ask upperclassmen questions about their own high school experience. “The freshmen had a lot of interesting questions at the panel just about what to know and what to expect,” senior Ethan Jacob said.
Jacob believes freshman year is a crucial part of the high school experience, where students start to take on more responsibility. “I would tell myself as a freshman to not reject change and to to grow up a lot sooner because freshman year was a big wake up call for me,” Jacob said.
For many freshmen, high school is scary. It’s a new, big, place, one where they will spend the next four years of their life. Events like Charger Camp make all the difference, smoothing the jump from middle school to high school. “I think doing this in the summer just gives them more of a comfort coming into the building,” teacher Kelsie Wiedmar said.
Freshman Mya Hetler was excited about aspects of high school like football games, but worried about other aspects like hallways. After a day at Charger Camp however, Hetler feels more confident. “Yesterday I thought it was gonna be super intimidating, but it’s not as intimidating as I thought,” Hetler said.
Ultimately, the freshmen who adapt the quickest and the students who succeed the most in high school are the ones who get involved. It can be through an opportunity like Charger Camp or the variety of sports, clubs and organizations within Bullitt East. “Find your place, find something that you can enjoy doing besides schoolwork, and that’s going to help you just enjoy your high school experience so much more,” Wiedmar said.
