The transition from middle to high school is often a turbulent one, with new students arriving to a larger and much older student population, many times unsure of where they will fit. In order to ease this anxiety, the De Soto High School Ambassadors and Mentoring (A&M) Crew assisted with the orientation process on a freshman-only day on Aug. 14.

To start the day, the freshmen partook in a DHS tradition by shaking hands with every teacher and support staff member at the school. They were then treated to donuts, performances by the dance and cheer teams, and a presentation from Principal Sam Ruff. They also got the chance to travel to each of their classes in preparation for their first day of class.

“If there wasn’t a freshman day, I think every freshman would have been really confused,” freshman Clayton Tilley said. “No one would have known what to do and there would have been chaos.”

In addition, the new arrivals traveled to their freshman-only Seminar classes, where designated A&M Crew members shared their experiences at DHS and gave their advice on how to be successful in high school, as they will continue to do throughout the year through the Freshman Mentorship program.

“I love being a mentor because the program helps both the upperclassmen and underclassmen know more familiar faces around the school and definitely builds to the welcoming environment of DHS,” said senior A&M Crew member Alyssa Perry.

Perry emphasized the importance of club involvement for new students to quickly make connections with others across the school.

“My advice would be [to] get involved in the clubs and activities the school has to offer. It will help you meet new friends and better your time at DHS,” Perry said.

Tilley concluded that freshmen having a day where they had the school to themselves was highly beneficial to their comfort levels with the both logistical and emotional anxieties of entering a new environment.

“It [freshman day] is really good for all the nerves … it really just calms everything down so it’s not as big and scary as it seems,” Tilley added.