When Allison Figley walked onto the Connally High School campus in 1998 to start her freshman year, things looked quite a bit different than they do now. Fast forward 25 years later, and one thing remains the same as it did back then: starting out high school can be intimidating.
Figley, who is now going into her 10th year as a teacher on the campus, is doing all that she can to alleviate any stress that the Class of 2027 might have about this year.
Members of CHS’s incoming freshman class attended the annual Fish Camp orientation event from 1:00 to 3:00 PM on August 2. 75 students were able to tour the school, learn about traditions, and hear about the various clubs and organizations available for them to join.
“Fish Camp is a great way to introduce freshmen to the way that high school works,” Figley said. “With so many changes happening around CHS, this gives us a chance to welcome a new group of students to the campus with open arms and help ease any anxieties that they might have.”
Sharing a name with the Texas A&M University tradition, Fish Camp provides students with a chance to make themselves at home in what can otherwise be a strange, new environment.
“The best thing about Connally High School is that we really operate as a giant family,” CHS principal Hermann Pereira said. “I love this event because it gives us a great chance to introduce the entire high school faculty to our incoming freshman without there being any stress or pressure.”
Coming from the significantly smaller junior high campus, 9th graders also fear getting lost as they move between classes in the early days of school. To remedy this, Fish Camp includes a campus tour that teaches students to orient themselves around key landmarks on campus.
“This campus can be really confusing to someone walking in for the first time,” high school math teacher and coach Reagan Reed said. “By identifying specific areas like the theatre classroom, the ROTC hallway, and the library, students get a better understanding of the building.”
As students began to get their bearings on the layout of the multi-building 4A campus, they were able to relax and enjoy fun team building activities.
“One of the biggest goals of Fish Camp is to help our new students make connections and relationships with upperclassmen,” CHS English teacher and PALS sponsor Sarah Brooks said. “The activities that we do here help students jump out of their comfort zones by seeing the example that other kids set. It really shows them that it's okay to be goofy because all of the kids are doing it.”
Coordinating such a large-scale event is a daunting one, but CHS teachers made sure to take the time to decorate and highlight the vast array of clubs and activities that high school students are eligible to participate in. Many of these organizations do not exist at the lower grade level campuses.
“New students in the building don’t always realize how many opportunities there are for them up here,” high school UIL coordinator Harley Gervais said. “Between speech and debate, athletics, ROTC, and all of our clubs - there’s truly something for everyone up here.”
By the end of the two hour orientation, students had a greater understanding of the standards and expectations of their new home away from home.
“I feel like I am less nervous about coming to high school,” incoming ninth grader Juliey McDaniel said. “Every teacher was so friendly and so proud about working at Connally. They welcomed me with open arms and showed me what it means to be a Cadet.”