Sophomores welcomed back to campus

After a year of being online, CVHS welcomed freshmen and sophomores with a Link Crew orientation on Aug. 5 and 6. Unlike normal years there were two different orientations — freshmen and sophomore — since there are two classes that haven’t been on campus before.

It can be hard for students to adapt to a new environment and Link Crew hopes to make that transition a little easier. Orientation is designed to be a time for freshmen — and this year sophomores — to meet people in their class and learn from upperclassmen. There, students get to play games, hear advice, and get a tour of the school in hopes of making their first day less intimidating.

“Having an orientation was very beneficial this year because I got to connect with the only other peers in my grade but with the upper-classmen who help me and give humor through the orientation. They really made me excited for high school, something that I wasn’t so sure about,” said sophomore Jason Oliveira. 

Due to COVID, the class of 2025 did not get an orientation before their freshman year and those who came back for hybrid classes in the spring were thrown into a new school with little guidance. “Last year it was kind of stressful going to school like without anything, we got ten minutes to find our classes,” said sophomore Somaya Panjwani.

“In 2020 we did a virtual freshman orientation so the sophomores this year did have orientation but this year we decided to do an in-person to help them get reconnected to the school,” said Link Crew coordinator Amy Ryken.

Some students may have also been coming from outside of CVUSD and had to adapt on another level. “Last year not having an in-person orientation and expected to come to school for the last half of the year was very hard at first but I got the gist of it but with COVID, it made sense why we couldn’t have one in person but it would have helped if and when we went back in person especially me since I went to a private school and I’ve never been to a public school before being able to see the big campus sound even how to open the locker would have been helpful,” said Oliveira.