OPRF High School welcomed the 2024-25 freshmen class with a celebration during its annual Huskie Kickoff Day.
The event, held Wednesday, Aug. 14 — a day before the regular session started — to help incoming freshmen get better acquainted with each other and the school.
“We have made it a whole experience knowing how it important it is for them to just be in the building and get that experience of touring and seeing the space but not being so overwhelmed by the other 3,000 students that will be arriving,” said Lindy Novotny, visual art department chair and Leadership and Launch program teacher.
Leadership and Launch Program is a near-peer mentoring program designed to provide consistent social, emotional and academic support for freshmen through relationships with upperclassmen. The program began as part of the high school’s 2014 strategic plan.
When OPRF was trying to develop the model for the Huskie Kickoff, Novotny said bringing in the Leadership and Launch students to help facilitate was a no brainer as the upperclassmen would already be meeting the freshmen during the first day of school, why not bring them in a day sooner and make the experience more personalized.
This year, 168 launch leaders helped run the event, whose theme was on brand with the highly anticipated OPRF Project 2 construction: “Follow the Blueprint.”
Leaders donned bright orange construction vests as they helped freshmen navigate their new school.
Freshmen were greeted with an assembly to kick off the day, then met with counselors, participated in breakout groups, and ate lunch. There was an activity fair in each cafeteria with student clubs and organizations set up and ready to answer questions students had before they joined them.
“We are super excited to welcome the new group of students to OPRF,” said Sadie Collins, a senior at OPRF. “We hope they are as excited about joining Trapeze.”
The Trapeze is the student newspaper.
Freshmen also picked up their schedules, figured out how to open their lockers, and ran through their schedule to learn their way around the campus.
Amor Brown, a freshman, said coming to Huskie Kickoff Day gave her the opportunity to see all the opportunities she will have at OPRF as well as the opportunity to ask questions.
Caleb Bowman, a senior, said they remember participating in the day as a freshman and wanted to be part of creating a positive environment for the incoming freshmen class.
“Seniors have a little bit more understanding of high school life than freshmen who are just coming in so it might be easier [for them] to ask questions,” Caleb said.
Novotny said the majority of freshmen participated in the day, with very few schedules not being handed out.
“We have found that the initial experience of being welcomed into the building and feeling that sense of belonging…it’s just crucial to their experience here,” she said.