Freshmen get introduced to high school

Among freshmen attending Friday's orientation at Carson High School, the sentiment was about the same.

"We're finally in high school," said Mike Warren, 14. "Cool."

But the parents were reacting differently.

"I can't believe my baby's going to high school," said Sue Bukowy. "He's the eldest of my four, but he's still my baby."

Still, she remained optimistic about her 15-year-old son, Robert Bagley, making the transition.

"He's a good kid," she said. "I think he's going to do fine."

Students gathered in the gymnasium for an overview of school rules.

"I see a lot of hats out here," said principal Glen Adair. "There's no hats at Carson High starting 8 o'clock Tuesday morning."

Adair also addressed the new rule regarding cell phones.

"If you have them in your pocket, fine," he said. "If you interrupt a teacher, then you've got a problem. If we're giving you a high-stakes test and your cell phone comes out and you're taking pictures of the test, then you've got a major problem."

Student leaders encouraged the freshmen to get involved in school clubs early, and freshman cheerleaders gave their first performance.

"It was really nerve-wracking in the beginning, but once we got out there and started doing it, it was fine," said cheerleader Lindsey Bleuss, 14. "It made me look forward to the rest of the year. It will be so much easier to perform in front of everyone."

Classes begin at the high school Tuesday morning with about 2,600 students expected to show up.

"It's going to be weird," said freshman Linda Murray, 14. "There's so many more people here -- but more guys, too."

And there are more opportunities than in middle school.

Kyle Banko, 14, has been playing Pop Warner football for six years and now is playing on the high school's freshman team.

"It's pretty rough, but I like it. I like it a lot," he said. "You get noticed more."

Banko was interrupted when a friend approached to ask, "Did you get your schedule yet?"

Throughout the hallways, anxious freshmen compared lists of the days and times of their classes.

"She just wants to tag up, make sure there's somebody she knows in each of her classes," said Linda Marcin, waiting on her 14-year-old daughter, Heather.