Undoubtedly, there’s a lot you could tell a new student about East. Perhaps it’s that all of the three quads look the same, or to beware of the Lower Quad A bathrooms. Maybe it’s that nobody ever uses a locker or that the pool on the roof definitely exists.
But no matter what you choose to tell a brand new Wildcat, it continues to stand true that East brings in a vast number of new students and freshmen each year, and with new students comes a myriad of efforts to establish a stronger sense of community and spirit.
Among this year’s efforts were events like Community Day, which took place Aug. 26, right before the football team’s first home game. Students, families and staff mingled throughout the cafe commons and picnic area.
“[Community Day] was trying to get the students to have a feel for a little bit of the campus and to get people to see the faces that they’re going to see in the hallways,” said senior Maya Larrabee, who helped student council with their bake sale at the event.
Several booths were set up advertising academic programs within the county. Music played inside the cafe commons and food, courtesy of admin, was provided outside. Performances from the cheer team and a cappella groups also took place. Most notably, the event allowed new students to get familiar with the school.
“I think it [was] nice, especially for new students,” Larrabee said. “I think that it’s nice that admin is trying to incorporate students into a new culture. It’s kind of more community based.”
Others, including sophomore McKenzie Brown, a cheerleader who performed at the Community Day, have noticed a new wave of student involvement through these events.
“I think now more students are getting engaged. They’re having better communication with teachers and families. So I think it’s a good thing that there are more [events],” Brown said.
The Community Day was also a kick-off for East’s first year of tailgates, many of which senior Jake Bryan, an Eastside member, has attended this fall.
Bryan has observed an increase in the amount of students showing up to support the school, especially new students.
“I feel like we have a lot of younger people at the games this year. Last year, there were a lot of juniors and seniors. I’m seeing a lot more freshmen this year, which is really good,” Bryan said.
Another member of Eastside, senior Jayden Perry, hopes to continue to lay down a culture for new students. In order to achieve that, Perry and the rest of Eastside plan to get students to not only attend more games, but to attend games that usually don’t get a lot of student support.
“Field hockey and tennis, usually it’s a lot of parents that go, but I feel like we should be able to get more students, especially rival games,” Perry said. “Even if you don’t understand it, the experience, being around all those people, the energy, it’s really fun.”
In addition to games and tailgates, a New Student Breakfast was held Sep. 27 in the cafe commons.
The event has been held at East for 15 years and allows students who are new to the district, state or country to interact with each other. In small groups led by upperclassman volunteers, students from as close as Fayetteville mingled with students from as far away as the Philippines.
Dozens of students attended, including freshman Oliver Gellad, who attended the Duke School in Durham.
“It was pretty fun. We got to eat bagels, drinks, and then we got to go into smaller groups and get to know some people,” Gellad said. “It made me feel more connected to the community.”
