Beginning this school year, the responsibilities of Link Crew and freshmen orientation have fallen onto the Associated Student Body. Now, more than two months into the new school year, a guiding role for freshmen is more important than ever.
Olivia Trieu (10) is a member of the Pep Committee and also oversees the welcoming and guidance of freshmen by ASB.
So far this year, ASB’s largest activity for freshmen was the orientation at the beginning of the school year. At this event, ASB invited all freshmen to come and explore Aliso Niguel High School before the school year started. Incoming freshmen were guided throughout the school by an ASB guide, being shown where important places are located and where their classes are.
This event’s main purpose is to welcome incoming freshmen, helping them feel more comfortable in their new school.
This sentiment of embracing freshmen is a main focus of ASB this year. Trieu says, “This year we are trying to involve more freshmen…don’t want to boo them, we want to help them.”
One of the most important jobs of Link Crew was its bi-yearly finals preparation classes for freshmen. Twice a year before finals week, Link Crew and upperclassmen joined together to help freshmen approach their finals. This daunting task was made easier with help from peers who were seasoned studiers and knew how to properly study to pass their classes.
Trieu could not confirm if ASB is going to continue this tradition, but knows that ASB is committed to helping freshmen any way possible.
If freshmen want to become more involved with the school, ASB has provided many different and fun activities so far this year. Lunch activities are a staple of lunchtime at Aliso Niguel High School, as ASB plans lively events with fun prizes that are open to all grades. More recently, freshmen have had the opportunity to participate in the Homecoming Halftime show, where they learned a choreographed dance to several Taylor Swift songs. And, if they participated, all dancers were rewarded with front of the line passes for Homecoming.
I spoke to a couple freshmen about their personal experience at Aliso Niguel High School. Although it has only been a short time, those I talked to seemed to have their barings.
Lusora Oishi (9) is a freshman this year. He told me that he has never heard of nor attended any ASB freshmen help events; although, in my time talking with him, I came to the impression that he had a good grasp on high school life. He told me that he would appreciate more programs that would offer help to freshmen, especially as this year’s freshman class prepares to take on their first finals in the winter.
When asked about his overall impression of ASB and its impact in his transition from middle school to high school, Oishi said, “If I have trouble, they kind of…help out.”
I also spoke to Lusora’s friend, a freshman named Kingston Paulo (9). Kingston also has never attended any freshmen help events during the school year. Despite this, he feels that it is always good to give people extra help, and he would invite any more programs that could potentially help his fellow classmates.
Paulo said, “It’s always good to help people out, but I think I’ve got it.”
Overall, it seems freshmen believe that ASB has done a good job so far with helping them fit into their new environment, but still would appreciate additional help as finals approach.
