Freshmen from the class of 2009 are officially beginning their four-year Paly experience thanks to the ‘Freshmen Orientation’ event held between 2:30 and 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19 at the Haymarket Theater.

The event aimed at acquainting the new students with Paly. Freshmen received class schedules, met with their teacher advisors, toured the campus, and received instructions for first day of school registration procedures.

Freshmen began arriving as early as 2 p.m. and received their class schedules before finding seats next to their assigned teacher advisors in the theater. Before the actual program began, music played while video clips of Paly events and classes were shown on the projector screen.

After students found their seats, the student council president, senior Anique Drumright, sporting a homemade “I *heart* Paly” shirt, began the program.

Drumright greeted the freshmen. “We’re all here to welcome you to Paly,” she said.

There was lots of energy from the freshmen audience. Just after Drumright’s introductory words, there was plenty of cheers and applause.

Drumright also talked about upcoming events, like the Spirit Week before Homecoming weekend where each class celebrates Paly spirit through dress-up days and rallies.

“I can’t wait for all you freshmen to be dressed up as babies or oranges during my favorite week of my life — Spirit Week,” she said.

She also encouraged freshmen who have suggestions or questions about events to talk to the student council.

“We want to know,” Drumright said.

Paly Principal, Scott Laurence, was next to address the freshmen.

“I’d like to welcome all 450 of you to Paly,” Laurence said. “We have sports, and we have clubs… your job is to take advantage of those.”

Spirit commissioners, seniors Alex Snell and Vanessa Tejada, spoke again about rallies and Spirit Week, and introduced a skit about Paly activities.

In the skit, several upperclassmen first talked about helpful websites such as www.paly.net, and the Paly Voice at http://voice.paly.net. Also, freshmen learned that they could watch In Focus TV network daily to find out the latest campus news.

The skit also encouraged freshmen to get involved in sports, and support athletics by watching games. The upperclassmen promoted involvement in clubs on campus as well citing only a few of Paly’s 70 clubs such as Youth Community Service, Spirit Club, Special Friendship, Snowboarding Club, and Vegetarian Club.

In case freshmen had trouble finding a club that suited their interests, senior Emily Long said, “It’s really easy to start your own club. You only need a teacher to sponsor it.”

After the skit, assistant principal, Katya Villalobos, explained registration for the first day of school and reminded freshmen to bring their Emergency card, District permission form, and Paly Registration checklist with them.

Next, the cheerleaders took the stage to perform a routine and teach the freshmen a cheer as well.

Joann Vaars, Student Activites director, introduced herself and explained that her job was “non-academic.”

“I get to do fun stuff like plan dances and work with student council,” she said.

She encouraged freshmen who wanted to become members of student council to attend the meeting in the Student Activities Office at 4 p.m. after the orientation.

After Vaars concluded her speech, freshmen were told to attend their first advisory meeting in their teacher advisor’s room, after which upperclassmen tour guides would show them around the campus.

Following the tour, freshmen attended an ice cream social on the quad held in their honor.

“I think freshmen orientation went well,” Drumright said.

According to Drumright, orientation is a pretty standard event from year-to-year.

“There were lots of new faces. They’re a really big class,” she said.

She also gave some final words of encouragement to the freshmen class of 2009.

“It’s going to be an awesome four years,” Drumright said.