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Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Tunnel Vision: Willow Glen Middle School WEB leaders Jessica Leglu, 11, and Danielle Vlkovic, 12, welcome the sixth-graders to the orientation by creating a human tunnel for them to run through.
Students make the grade
Sixth-grade orientation gives new students a taste of middle school life--without anxiety
By Jessica Lyons
Incoming sixth-graders Nick Graziano, Mark Piethne and Eric Zetterquist know what's waiting for them at Willow Glen Middle School--middle school girls.
"I'm excited to go to class and see who's new in there," 11-year-old Eric says. "Yeah, new girls."
Mark,11, elbows Eric in the stomach. "The dance on Friday," Mark says, referring to the dance that takes place at the end of the first week of school.
But these three aren't waiting till Friday. Early Wednesday morning, they were already scoping the crowd.
On Aug. 25, Nick, Mark and Eric--and about 400 other members of the class of 2002--got their first taste of middle school life at Willow Glen's annual sixth-grade orientation. It was more than just girls.
Seventh- and eighth-grade student volunteer leaders from WEB (Welcome Every Body) guided the new students through a full day of assemblies, a motivational speaker, small group activities, a school tour, a hot dog roast and a pool party.
"It gets the sixth-graders excited," principal Lois Allen says. "The new students get teamed up with a peer partner, their WEB leader, and they have that peer mentor for their whole sixth-grade year. It really eliminates the fear factors and makes the kids feel special to have this older friend."
Although WEB is a nationwide middle school orientation program, Willow Glen Middle School is the only school in the San Jose Unified School District to use the program. It's been in place for four years. Underclassmen hazing is out, and inter-grade friendships are in. WEB's goal is to make the younger kids feel welcome, and that doesn't include any assemblies where a lucky few are chosen to eat caramel onions.
"We want their first experience at middle school to be positive," says activities director Lauren Maslyar, who has coordinated the orientation since its inception. "It's so successful because it is student generated. It's kids connecting with kids. The whole orientation is run by students."
The 65 student WEB leaders spent the last week training, phoning their WEB groups and encouraging the sixth-graders to show up for orientation. The WEB leaders stay in contact with their sixth-grade groups throughout the year.
"It's fun to help people belong and not feel all alone," says seventh-grader Danielle Vlkovic, 12.
Seventh-grader Jessica Hanson decided to be a WEB leader after seeing how much fun her sister Jamie had doing the job last year. Checking in the multitude of sixth-graders, however, proved to be more of a challenge than she had anticipated.
"It's hectic right now, but it's going to be a lot of fun," she said, standing behind the registration booth, a list of all 416 new sixth-graders in hand.
WEB leaders weren't the only ones with worries, however.
"I'm sort of excited, but nervous at the same time," says 10-year-old Jenna Veggian. "I'm excited because I get to see all my friends, and nervous because it's a whole different school. I might not find my way through it."
Even Eric Zetterquist and crew had a few fears beyond meeting members of the opposite sex. "We're worried that the classes are going to be more difficult, we have to walk to all seven classes, and we're nervous about being late," Eric admitted.
For some students who didn't come from the traditional Willow Glen Middle School feeders--Willow Glen Elementary, Booksin and Schallenberger--meeting new friends was a top concern.
"Right now I'm kind of shaky because I don't know anyone," says 11-year-old Randall Hoppe, an incoming sixth-grader from Trace Elementary. "It's going to be a lot harder than elementary school, that's for sure, and I'm going to have to start all over. I'm excited to meet my teachers, and hopefully meet some new friends because it's going to be a lot different."
But after the morning registration, walking through a tunnel of WEB leaders in the gym, students' concerns quickly turned from classes and new friends to balloons and "booties."
Motivational speaker Micah Jacobson organized a team relay, six boys competing against six girls. Each team member was given a balloon and had to pop it in an unusual way. "Put the balloon on the booty and sit down," he instructed. "The first team to smash all the balloons wins."
Over the roar of screaming, cheering middle school students, the girls popped all their balloons first. Jacobson put the crazy race in perspective. "Middle school will sometimes be like that. Sometimes you will think, what are we doing?
"Today you get a chance to meet the people you are going to go to school with. Today you will meet seventh- and eighth-graders who will show you around the school, and that's part of what makes today neat."
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
