Summer Connections: Why are you here?

On the first day of Connections, the stunned, silent and newly minted freshmen sit in rows like statues in our Little Theater. They are holding their Connections schedule, eyes forward, and straining to look nonchalant.

I tell them this . . .

Welcome to high school! You are the class of 20__! It’s great to have you here!

So why are you here? Some of you are here to locate that locker and turn that dial and feel that door swing open. Some of you are here to get a copy of your schedule. Some of you are here to scope out the lunch room.

These tasks will be done during the next ten days, but I would like to give you another reason that you are here.

We want you to lead the freshman class into their first day of high school. Our job is to equip you to help the freshmen that are not here. In ten school days you are going to understand a lot about how high school works. You are going to be the smartest freshmen in the building. And we want you to help your friends start high school well. That is why you are here.

You are here to lead the rest of the freshmen into a successful first year of high school and we are here to help you do that.