On Aug. 27, more than 50 fresh faces gathered in the quad to participate in the annual New Student Barbeque, which was held in order help students new to the school feel more comfortable before diving into the school year. The event was organized by the New Student Commission.

Upon arriving, students were greeted by upperclassmen and given name tags. After getting acquainted with their fellow new students, members of the ASB and the administration introduced themselves and welcomed everyone to SHS.

“The idea of planning the event was so that new students didn’t come to school on the first day completely in the dark,” said senior Emily Hsia, one of the heads of the New Student Commission. “It was a chance to introduce them to the school, so they could come to school and see a few familiar faces.”

New students who attended the gathering, which lasted from 5-7 p.m., enjoyed a barbeque dinner of burgers and salad and played games with returning upperclassmen to help break the ice.

“Everybody was really nice and welcoming,” said new student sophomore Mia Hammond. “It’s cool, because when we’re walking around [the hallways] or in our classes, we can kind of know each other’s names.” Hammond recently moved from here Santa Cruz.

Students were given a tour of the school, and their classrooms were pointed out. New Student Commissioners also gave out advice about teachers, lockers and specific parts of campus.

“I think the students benefited from going,” said Hsia. “From what I could tell, they definitely felt more comfortable at the end of the night because they made new friends and got a sense of our school’s environment.”