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Student-led 'Start Strong' orientation welcomed 145 freshmen, organizers say
Summary
At its Aug. 15 meeting, the Middleborough School Committee heard from school leaders and student coordinators about Start Strong, a two-day, student-led ninth-grade orientation attended by 145 incoming freshmen and run by roughly 190 junior and senior orientation leaders.
At the Aug. 15 Middleborough School Committee meeting, Superintendent Mrs Lions and Principal Paul Branagan highlighted Start Strong, a fully student‑run ninth‑grade orientation that organizers said welcomed 145 incoming freshmen this year and involved about 190 orientation leaders.
"I have to tell you every year I'm blown away by this," Principal Paul Branagan said, praising student leadership, public speaking and the energy students brought to the program. Student coordinators Amanda Gunnison and Emilina Trus described two full days of workshops, an activities fair, an Olympics field event, one‑on‑one tours and senior‑buddy rotations designed to help freshmen connect with peers and navigate the high school.
"It definitely was such a great experience to watch all of them grow," Amanda Gunnison said, summarizing the coordinators' account of the program's impact. Emilina Trus added that organizers worked for months to refine the schedule and emphasized that the event helped freshmen "bloom" and build friendships.
Coordinators said workshops included sessions on stress management and writing professional emails, and that the activities fair let students explore clubs and athletic programs. Committee members and at least one parent attending the meeting praised the program; a parent said the smile on their child’s face after Start Strong was "pretty amazing."
The committee watched a short video of Start Strong during the meeting and discussed next steps for fall transition events. The presentation was framed as a student‑led success intended to ease the incoming class into high school life without additional committee action required.
