The JP Stevens Freshman Orientation for the class of 2027 was held on August 3, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. This has been a staple of JPS culture for years, and is a way to relieve some of the nerves of the incoming class by becoming familiar with the school. Members of the H.A.W.K.S. (Helping Another Wonderful Kid Succeed) club have been meticulously planning the event alongside their advisors: Mr. Miller and Mrs. Silberberg. The members of the club, called HAWKS, played a large role in running the event, assigning lockers, giving tours, and being overall guides for the freshmen. 

As freshmen filled the gym, the HAWKS greeted them and helped them register. This was an extensive process that was facilitated by the aid of the teachers who volunteered to take part. After registration, the freshmen were then taken into the auditorium where they witnessed the JPS Marching Band perform a few songs, along with speeches from Mrs. Quick and the HAWKS board members. Then, they were greeted by a guest speaker, Mykee Fowlin, who talked to the freshmen about his inspiring story as an actor and his identity as an African-American. 

“I thought that the speech Mykee Fowlin did was so good! I really liked it, and I also liked the freshmen orientation, as we got to see the school and become a little more familiar with it,” said freshmen Imani Khandker. “This is a big step up from the middle schools, and there’s so much that’s different.”

Next, the freshmen were taken into their homerooms and were instructed to await further instruction from their homeroom HAWKS and homeroom teacher. The HAWKS then introduced themselves and started to check off their list: handing out locks, assigning lockers, going through stations, handing out schedules, and letting the students walk their schedules. 

The HAWKS informed the freshmen about attendance policies as well as important aspects of scheduling, such as requirements of 21st century and visual arts courses.

“The orientation went really well, and I had a fun time answering all the questions that the freshmen had,” said senior Ananya Gunda, a member of H.A.W.K.S. “It really made me more reassured, as I think they are less anxious about their new school year.” 

 Afterwards, the freshmen rotated through four different stations: school picture, library/tech, rules, and counseling. The counseling rotation consisted of the HAWKS members talking about the different types of counseling: college, PATH, and regular, and how to make appointments. The library/tech rotation not only advised the freshmen on how to take care of their MacBooks and how to file tech tickets, but also helped to show them the library rules and etiquette.The newest rotation, added this year, was the picture rotation, where the freshmen took pictures for their student IDs. 

“You only get one chance to make a first impression, and freshman orientation is just that,” said Mr. Miller, one of the HAWKS advisors. “We relish the opportunity to bring new students into our community and show them that they are seen, they are heard, they are loved, and they belong at JP.”

Overall, the freshmen orientation was a success in welcoming the new students into the JP Stevens family. The orientation is and will continue to be a tradition that JPS will host for years to come.