Moses Lake schools start today

Posted: Wednesday, Sep 02, 2009 - 04:06:54 pm PDT
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By Sarah Kehoe
Herald staff writer 

Sarah Kehoe/Columbia Basin Herald Eighth grade students wore school colors to welcome sixth grade students to orientation at Frontier Middle School in Moses Lake. The half-day event on Tuesday centered around introducing sixth grade students to a typical day in middle school.

MOSES LAKE — Hannah Duffield, 11, is not as nervous to begin sixth grade after attending orientation at Frontier Middle School.

“It helped me feel better about starting the school year,” Duffield said. “I was nervous about all the people because it is a big school here.”

Duffield joined about 250 other sixth grade students for a half-day orientation Tuesday, the day before school started. Faculty and 66 selected eighth grade students planned the event to welcome the sixth-graders into school.

“We do this every year to alleviate any fears or uncertainties sixth grade students coming in may have,” said principal Chris Lupo. “We use eighth-grade students as leaders to help out the kids, because they have gone through this process before.”

Students entering eighth grade were required to fill out a form and write an essay about why they wanted to participate, said leader Kayla Wiltse-Collins.

“We help the sixth grade students get an idea of what it is like to be in middle school.”

All staff members came to introduce themselves at the beginning of orientation. Eighth grade students and staff showed school pride by wearing blue and white. Eighth grade students were given six sixth-graders each to show around.

“This is a very important event because it helps get the school year started much easier,” Lupo said. “It enables the sixth-grade students to meet classmates and teaches eighth-grade students some leadership skills.”

Music blared from stereos inside the gymnasium to the outside of the school, causing kids to laugh and dance together.

“I’m excited that on Fridays I get to wear blue and white,” said Duffield, her eyes widening in excitement. “Working with my locker will be something new because I’ve never done it before, but now I know I can ask an eighth-grader for help.”

Orientation consisted of ice-breaking activities, skits teaching kids about what to expect in middle school and a tour of facilities.

“I wanted to be a leader because I remember how I felt when I was in sixth grade,” said Wiltse-Collins, 14. “I was nervous — I thought for sure I was going to get shoved into a locker or something, but luckily that never happened.”

Wiltse-Collins said she is looking forward to starting school.

“I love everything about school,” she said.

More photos here.

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