Out with the old and in with the new- students that is. The class of 2017 stepped onto the 28 acres last Thursday for the freshman orientation, eager to make a name for their class and ready to achieve success in these formative high school years.
Bright and early, these youngsters congregated in the Terry Center for their first real exposure to Jesuit. Most of the administration spoke to the class and described their jobs, explaining why certain school policies exist, while also passing along words of advice.
Among the faculty who spoke, counselors Tim Murphy, Corey Marr, and Tim Host presented about their special positions as Jesuit counselors. Host characterized the class as “cooperative and friendly,” and Assistant Principal of Student Affairs, Mark Knize elaborated, “They seem excited to be here,” but “it is too early to tell [what their class identity will be].”
After this, President Mike Earsing then moved to his classic and time-honored freshman speech, which includes an array of loud volume and abrupt commands that new students find intimidating. His speech does not lack purpose, however, as he prompts an upperclassman near the side of the room to answer a simple question: “What time is it?” To which the student inevitably responds: “The time is now,” meaning that every second at Jesuit should be treated as an opportunity to make a difference and fulfill a purpose.
At about 9:30 the freshmen were released into the main school campus to find their first period classes and get a better feel for the school, which is the main goal of freshman orientation, according to Knize. The academic portion of the day probably felt most comfortable to this new class, which came into Jesuit with the highest ISEE average the school has seen so far.
In about 20-minute periods, the class of 2017 whizzed through their schedules, gaining more confidence and comfort in the physical layout of the school. They eventually ended 9th period at around 12:00, when they convened again in the Terry Center for mass.
Once mass concluded, the freshmen were introduced to their big brothers, a group of seniors set up to mentor and help the lower classmen especially in the early weeks of school. “It’s great to help out these freshmen and lead them into the start of their Jesuit careers” remarked Big Brother Charlie Wensinger ’14.
From here, both seniors and freshmen migrated to the cafeteria for their first Jesuit lunch, consisting of hamburgers and french-fries. When the students started finishing up their inaugural meal, the big brothers swarmed the cafeteria to rally the class and lead them in their first “Yell,” and after two sloppy attempts, they reached perfection. “I really liked The Yell because it made me feel like a part of Jesuit, finally” said Jordan Rice ’17, younger brother of Tucker ’12 and Parker Rice ‘14.
Now with blood pumping and adrenaline flowing, they once more retreated to the Terry Center, where they received class shirts along with the dreaded nametags that plague every freshman. Finally came dismissal, as the class of 2017 concluded one of the busiest days it will ever experience in its four years. They marched off campus and hopped back into their cars, determined to take on whatever the future may bring.
