Incoming Freshman night took place on Tuesday, Dec. 12. Eighth graders from Winston Campus Junior High School and Walter R. Sundling Junior High School came with their family members. This event is held to give students and their families entering Palatine High School next fall information about the high school and to release the student Explorer Test scores.

As described by Jason Klein, the principal of Winston Campus, this event helps gets students excited about high school. It is especially valuable for students who are the oldest in their family to find out about AP classes, dual credit classes, and activities offered at the high school.

The first event on the agenda was a presentation in the auditorium. As students waited outside the auditorium doors for the presentation to start, students ran towards their friends to give them hugs or start up a conversation.

“[It’s] overwhelming,” Brittany Berleman said, a social studies teacher at Palatine High School. “So many students to teach in so little time.”

The clubs, different activities, new privileges that come with high school, and chances to meet new people are some parts the incoming freshman are excited about for high school. On the other hand, walking into the wrong class or whether their peers would like them were some of the concerns the incoming freshman expressed.

All the staff at the event were warm and friendly. They offered direction to all the new faces to PHS throughout the whole night. The amount of students present did not make it chaotic, rather it was their presence that had the greatest effect.