Bonny Eagle High School welcomed almost 350 new students on the first day of school, Aug. 29.

The first day at the high school is reserved for incoming freshmen who participate in activities, go through schedules, have a picnic lunch, visit classrooms, and meet their teachers.

The students were welcomed to the high school by Principal Robert Strong. The activities in which the students participated included teacher/student partnerships, which showed the students leadership, collaboration, and clear directions. The class of 2011 also worked on team building and reviewed the rules of the high school. The new students visited an activities fair to learn about various clubs and activities available to Bonny Eagle High School students and many signed up.

Some of the high school seniors acted as mentors, helping out the new students and answering their questions. These students applied last spring to become student mentors. They reported feeling privileged and excited about helping this year’s freshman class succeed.

The student mentors will be working with the freshman focus class teachers during the first semester, and will then work with freshman homebase teachers during the second semester. Freshman focus class meets every other day. The seniors will be answering questions and helping freshmen with the projects they’ll be working on in the class. During the second semester, they’ll be helping freshman create a successful personal learning plan. Teachers for freshman focus are Bethany Harrington, Randa Thomas, Robin Nappi, Joey Luchini, David Ezhaya, Stan Sampson, Dan Baker and Kevin Cooper.

This year’s senior mentors are: Anastasia Skibicki, Audrey Frenette, Brett Dostie, Bridget Ferry, Danielle Napolitano, Ellen Wormwood, Emily Seekins, Jamie Barilone, Katlyn Gardiner, Kayle Hamilton, Kevin Stack, Kristen MacLean, Murphy Doughty, Natasha Young, Stephen Hilton, Victoria Frankl and Victoria Negus.

On freshmen orientation day, the mentors gave tours of the school to small freshmen groups, ate lunch with the freshmen, and met with them in their freshman focus classes and homebases.

Bethany Harrington the advisor for the senior mentors said of the day, “I had many of our faculty approach me saying what a great job the mentors did and what a great help they were to the incoming freshmen.”

Enjoying the freshman picnic are: (L-R) Shannon Titcomb, Kayla Skurski, Meaghan Kane, Catherine Patchell, Erika Stevens, and Stephanie Waddell.

John Giberson presents freshman Alison Clift with a raffle prize she won at the freshman first day activities at Bonny Eagle.

Senior mentors Jamie Barilone and Murphy Doughty help to clean up after the BEHS freshman picnic.