Young, budding eighth graders fill the Jesuit hallways, learning new information about the historic school, contemplating if it is an ideal fit for them. Led by knowledgeable Jesuit ambassadors, they make their way throughout the campus, speaking to faculty about anything from college preparation to freshman football.
This was the scene at Jesuit for three hours during the afternoon of Sunday, November 22nd in which hundreds of eighth graders familiarized themselves with Jesuit at the annual Preview Day.
Recognizing how Preview Day benefits both aspiring students and Jesuit, Mr. Host, the Director of Admissions, explained that “[students] meet Jesuit faculty, learn more about the school, and…[Jesuit] gets to kinda show off how great the school is.” He stressed that the quality of the school always “stuns” families who have never been to the campus.
The afternoon kicked off in the Terry Center with a speech from President Earsing, who talked about the exemplary young men that Jesuit molds in its students throughout their four years of high school. He emphasized the importance of the Profile of the Graduate at Graduation, asserting that Jesuit focuses on more than simply academics for their students. Proud of his graduates’ integrity, Mr. Earsing recounted stories of the how people can always recognize a Jesuit alumnus based off his compassion and care for others.
After ending with the Prayer for Generosity, the families were released to explore specific aspects of the school. Presentations continued in the Terry Center throughout the afternoon with ambassador Miles Okamoto ’17 discussing his own unique high school experience. Okamoto commented that “[families] learned a lot about the Jesuit experience and how to apply,” honored to represent Jesuit and provide his own insight into the life of a Jesuit student.
Many other Ambassadors volunteered at Preview Day and gave tours to the interested families and eighth graders. Explaining facts about Jesuit ranging from the origins of the legendary 12345 Inwood Road address to new innovations in the Science Department, the Ambassadors tackle the difficult task of encapsulating the features that make their school truly special.
A key aspect of this year’s Preview Day was the addition of specialized tours about athletics, fine arts, and science to the basic and overall tour of the school. This extension allowed families that were interested in those areas to “learn more in-depth rather than just an overview,” as explained by Mr. Host.
Preview Day also serves to provide a glimpse of student life at Jesuit. To achieve this, Jesuit faculty across each department offered mini-lessons throughout the day, incorporating technology such as the interactive smart boards in each room. This gave the hopeful students and their families a chance to preview what an average class would be during their freshman year and what technology would be used on a daily basis.
Even in the cafeteria, many of Jesuit’s clubs set up small booths with a few representatives who discussed their club’s activities and purpose, which demonstrated the wide variety of amazing opportunities offered at Jesuit.
A total of around seven hundred people attended Preview Day this year, making it one of the most successful ever, and countless Jesuit faculty and students made it possible.
Preview Day continues to grow and develop every year and serves as a useful event for all curious eighth graders!
