A club fair and tours were part of the new orientation focused on creating a welcoming environment for incoming freshmen.

“After the freshman took their pictures, they were directed to Plus team, and the Plus team gave them a tour of the campus,” junior Rebecca Nasser said. “We played a few games that helped people get to know each other a little better.”

The tour included practical information about class location and traffic on and around campus. Fun facts about the campus, such as the random fire alarms, were provided as well; guides shared stories about what the school was like before construction, such as when everyone used to hang out by the portables.

“I thought it was really cool because I got a feel for the school,” freshman Christina Hendricks said.

During the tour, freshmen received the opportunity to sign a class banner. The banner read “Keep your eye on the cap,” and signing represented a commitment to graduating high school.

“[Freshmen] get to see the banner again at graduation,” PLUS member Hannah Kellermeyer said.

After the tour, Royal Lancers greeted the freshmen, gave them planners and promoted the seven healthy habits found in the planner.

“[The Royal Lancers] basically explained how to use the planner and how to be a student, since there is such a big gap between 8^th grade and high school,” junior Rebecca Nasser said.

Also, the club fair set up in the quad included a variety of clubs, such as Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (SETA), French Club, Students Against Destructive Decisions and ASB. Club representatives spoke to incoming freshmen about the different opportunities offered by the clubs and invited students to join.

“We’re trying to reinvigorate the club scene,” French club member senior Tate Landau said.

This year, a lot more effort was put into welcoming the freshmen and helping them get to know the school. In past years, counselors did orientation for incoming students. This year, however, Plus team, ASB and volunteers made up the CHS welcome crew that ran registration and most of the orientation.

“[This was the] first registration I’ve worked at where parents were very impressed by the organization and flow,” volunteer Laura Ogan said.

Overall, the orientation provided a chance for freshmen to get acquainted with the school and the different opportunities Carlsbad High offers.

“It’s nice to look around the campus and know where everything is before the start of school,” freshman Joy Chapman said.