26 students visited local middle schools Joaquin Moraga (JM) and Stanley to promote Campolindo electives on January 30 and 31. Representatives from French, German, Mandarin, Yearbook, Journalism, Video, Art, Drama, Band, Choir, and Photo presented their programs to next year’s freshman class.
This year, the maximum number of students allowed to present for each program was reduced to just 2. Counselor Karen Friesen said the reason for the change was because “the presentation at JM is a shorter time, and we wanted a chance for all the electives to be represented.”
In addition, JM’s presentation format was changed, also due to time constraints. Previously, at both schools, the 8th grade students were split into two groups. One group listened to a presentation by the counselors about their folders with class selection information and about visiting open house. The other listened to a presentation by principal John Walker, ASB president Newton Kwan, and the class representatives about campus culture and the electives.
This format was retained at Stanley. However, at JM, the two presentations were given consecutively in front of the whole 8th grade class.
According to Friesen, the counseling department organizes the elective visits each year “to show the 8th graders their class options for freshman year and to get them excited about coming to high school and to encourage them to get involved in something that they’ll enjoy.”
The Campolindo counseling department coordinates with JM and Stanley on scheduling and structuring the visits.
Freshman Michael DaRodda and his Drama classmate took audience suggestions for a situation, and then improvised a scene. The volunteer’s suggestion, DaRodda said, “wasn’t appropriate for her age group,” so DaRodda modified it a bit.
Kwan, who is a senior, said he “got the incoming freshmen to get excited about coming to Campo” through a speech, telling 8th graders “a little bit about what life was going to be like on campus.” He also promoted the music program, and played the saxophone.
“I always love seeing the bright young faces that are expected to come to Campo,” Kwan said.
