This week, Old Colony welcomed a host of young eager minds. Eighth graders from OC’s sending districts came for their annual visit to check out the school and learn what a vocational education could offer them.
On Tuesday and Thursday, November 1 and 3, buses pulled up to the school’s front doors. Older students, dressed in SkillsUSA attire and ready to act as student ambassadors, stood by and waited to begin the tours. The eighth graders were divided into groups, handed ‘passports,’ and led through the halls to the shops.
The kids were encouraged to visit every shop on their passport and to participate in each shop’s activities. They eagerly took to the task and groups of gleeful kids could be seen everywhere, competing at tire changing in automotive, getting their nails done in cosmetology, or enjoying a snack in culinary.
No matter where they went, you could be sure there was something fun to do. Even if they weren’t sure where they were going, student ambassadors were willing and eager to take them where they wanted to be.
After checking out all the activities, the eighth graders were brought back to the gym to view booths set up by OC’s various clubs and extracurricular activities. The nontraditional booth called out to students who wanted to enter shops not always associated with their demographic. Honor Society showed off its accomplishments. SkillsUSA asked kids to take selfies and picture themselves as champions at work.
When the hustle and bustle of the booths calmed down, the kids viewed a presentation on the school and what it offered for education. The Vocational Coordinator and Assistant Principal Mrs. Jackie Machamer spoke to the kids about the qualifications needed to be accepted to OC. Then awards in the form of gift cards were handed out to the winners of some of the competitions held by the shops. The kids eagerly walked up to receive their awards.
By the time it was time leave, the eighth graders had had only a small taste of what it is like to attend Old Colony. Some had found it wasn’t for them, but for many others, they had found a place they longed to call home. On Sunday, many students came back with their families for one last tour before making the decision to apply or not.
For more information on Old Colony and its many programs of study, visit www.oldcolony.us.
By Elizabeth Jerome