WGHS Welcomes Eighth Grade Tours

3/13/2023

WGHS welcomed incoming freshmen this week as they took a tour of their new high school to see the clubs and electives they could take to be on the path to their future career.
by Natonya Clinger

WGHS welcomed incoming freshmen this week as they took a tour of their new high school to see the clubs and electives they could take to be on the path to their future career.

At 9:15AM Monday thru Thursday buses are lined up with excited eighth graders ready to take a tour of their new upcoming high school, as they walk in they are greeted by the cheerleading team chanting “Welcome to The Grove.”

After walking through the spirit tunnel they are taken to the auditorium where Mr. Allen, Mrs. De La Rosa, and Mrs. McCollum, await to give them a speech about general information for next year including grades, attendance, classes, clubs, electives, and plans for their futures. Mr. Allen could not stress enough that he wants them all to leave “Enrolled, Enlisted or Employed”. He further explained that 9th grade is when most of the kids drop out because they can't handle the maturity level, and they do not want to even attempt school in general.

Right after this intro to high school, all 8th grade students were divided into groups A-H to take a tour of the clubs they can join- and electives they can take- as high schoolers. They started their tour in the lobby to talk about the bus's pick up and drop off procedure, they also stopped by the nurse’s office to take a look around and to get to know the nurse.

Tour stop 2, A hall where they discussed the healthcare CTAE pathway. They stopped at room 232 to see what was going on in Mrs. Wheeler's room. Some of her students explained that if they wanted the following types of careers: doctor, surgeon, nurse, physician assistant, physical therapy, or an athletic trainer, this is the class for them. They further explained that there are three healthcare classes taught at WGHS, including the option to become a certified nursing assistant in the level 3 class; they also have the opportunity to participate in an internship at Piedmont Walton and\or Athens Orthopedic Clinic in Loganville, GA.

As they finished up at the healthcare pathway they made their way down to the art room. Tour guides talked about all the art classes they can take including: Art 1, Drawing and Painting, Ceramics and Pottery, and Art 2 pre AP. Additionally, there were 3 AP portfolios (Drawing, 2D,3D) displayed, and students mentioned that it was possible to take art for all 8 semesters off their high school if they wanted to.

Outside of D hall Mr. Gray (Audio/Visual) was waiting for the young students' arrival to start talking about all the fun and interesting things he teaches. A little further down D hall they stopped at the Marketing-DECA board where they talked about how students learn to plan, develop, price, promote, and distribute products that satisfy the needs of customers. Some 8th grade students explained that DECA was the club they wanted to join. There would be field trips, competition, games, food, and tons of fun with friends.

Making their way down starting at their last stop, they stopped at the ECE room where they learned about the early childhood education program or the Future Georgia Educators program. The pathway prepares students for careers working with young children and consists of four classes. In ECE 1 you learn about child development from conception through school-age students. ECE 2 you learn about health and safety and about nurturing children. ECE 3 consisted of early brain development, appropriate technology integration, developing appropriate parenting, and child guidance trends. ECE 1, 2, and 3 will have the opportunity to work with preschoolers every week.

Bringing the tour to a close, all groups made their way back upstairs and to the lobby again, where the buses were waiting to take them back at 10:30 to the middle school. Some students were happy and excited to return again as freshmen next year and some less-happy-more-scared to be a freshman in high school.

Also participating as stops on the tour route were: Computer Science/ Future Business Leaders of America, Band, Drama, Chorus, Media Center, Cafeteria, Weight Training, Technology Students Association, Agriculture/FFA, Work Based Learning/WBL, and academic classes (English, Science, Math, History).