Graduating seniors at Conard traditionally walk past a line of teachers as a final symbol of leaving high school for good.
This year, Principal Julio Duarte started a new tradition: having freshmen walk past a gauntlet of clapping teachers to welcome the new students to high school.
Check out the video here.
Conard welcomed the Class of 2017 with more than a snappy greeting. There was also a brief presentation by the executive committee of the student council and a barbecue.
"We have a lot of school spirit," Duarte told the students. "We take a lot of pride in what goes on here."
Duarte said that the freshmen have an opportunity to reinvent themselves - to focus on the positive things they did in middle school and to make some changes, too.
"We will challenge you to push yourselves academically and to get involved," Duarte said.
Later, upperclassmen clad in red shirts went on stage while announcing what Conard has done for them.
"Conard helped me find my voice," proclaimed MacKenzie Stansfield.
The new students responded to the orientation enthusiastically.
"It was a nice way to open the year," freshman Melina Kritzman said. "It was very inspirational and it gave me hope for the future."
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