Deer Park welcomed its Class of 2017 with the high school’s annual ninth-grade orientation program on Aug. 28, presented by school counselor Noel Skelton and college and career counselor Rachel Chalmers.

The incoming freshmen were given a detailed look at Deer Park’s array of student activities, clubs and sports, as well as information on other useful topics like guidance counseling, graduation requirements and the location of faculty offices.

“Freshman orientation is a very important program for several reasons,” said James Cummings, the high school’s principal. “Most importantly, it is the first step in helping the incoming class make a smooth transition to the high school. It’s also important because it gives the upperclassmen an opportunity to ‘give back’ to their school. It shows that they have a vested interest in the new students becoming part of the fabric of the high school. Lastly, it hopefully provides the freshmen with some familiar faces that they can turn to in the first couple of weeks.”

As they filed out of the auditorium, the late-summer heat lingering in the classrooms couldn’t dampen the excitement of these new freshmen as they met with their guidance counselors, who provided expert advice that is sure to assist the students in making the most of their educational experience during the next four years.

In the final part of their orientation experience, the ninth-graders toured the halls with older high schoolers as guides and found their new lockers.