By Ian Hugo – Sports Editor

The new school year has arrived at Law and so has the Class of 2019.

Students and teachers are excited for both.

Freshmen are adjusting to waking up earlier, finding their classes, and figuring out how to open their lockers, and although there is a bit of apprehension surrounding these new-found challenges, everyone involved – the students, teachers, and even principal Mr. Thompson – holds optimistic attitudes.

“I’m looking forward to all of the freshmen becoming sophomores at the end of the school year and for them to be ready for the rigors that will follow them as they go through their high school years,” Thompson said. “I’m hoping we teach them not only to be good citizens and be not just high school ready but Lawman ready and [make sure] they are really academically proficient in note taking, in study skills, and all of the areas to succeed moving forward in their high school career.”

Although it’s only September, many freshmen say that they already feel at home at Law with the students and faculty helping them adjust to their new setting.

“The teachers are really nice and I just feel at home when I’m here,” freshman Lisa Hanania said.

Many freshmen have joined a sports team or club and have subsequently made new friends, not just in their own grade but upperclassmen as well.

“I joined the soccer team and made a lot of friends on the team,” freshman Will Contaxis said. “All of the people who I have met on the Law soccer team have been good friends and feel like family.”

A new environment is bound to bring new challenges and being a freshman students are plunged headfirst into their new routine with little background knowledge of how to handle high school. Many students say that finding their way around Law has been the most difficult thing about high school so far.

“I’d say maybe going to my new classes because some of them are really far away,” Contaxis said.

However, students are not navigating these challenges blindly, finding that teachers and upperclassmen are more than happy to help.

“My algebra teacher [helps me out], she helps me with directions to [my classes] and some of the students as well,” freshman Eric Acevedo said.

“[Teachers] give me advice and were always there when I had questions,” freshman Shaniyah Salmon said.

High school is a big change and freshman year is very important no matter what anyone else says, so to help ninth graders start out on the right foot several teachers shared some words of advice with their new students on how to stay on top of their academics and themselves for this upcoming year:

“My biggest advice would be to value your freshman year, know that it counts, know that it’s important,” Modern World History teacher Mr. Young said. “It’s a great way to get off to a good start in your high school career, don’t think it doesn’t matter or won’t impact you later so you build patterns of behavior that are going to benefit you throughout your four years here.”

Thompson offered some advice as well.

“Go to class, be on time, and get your homework done,” Thompson said. “There is an absolute direct correlation between doing your homework, staying current in reading and all that stuff, and succeeding in class.”

Freshman science teacher Mrs. Mercaldi stressed the importance of time management.

“I would say [it is important] to stay organized and make sure that you are taking time to take care of you,” freshman science teacher Mrs. Mercaldi said.

A student’s first year of high school may seem tough looking ahead but many ninth graders are already dealing with it well, whether they realize it or not. Freshmen are becoming a part of something special at Law, something Thompson describes as a “family.”

“If you’re reading this and you’re a senior or junior or sophomore it seems redundant but this is such a special place. Jonathan Law is an amazing, amazing family and it’s a privilege to be here,” Thompson said.

He continued, “Yeah, it’s school, and, yes, nobody likes getting up to be here for 7:20 and that’s just part of life but at the end of the day we’re a really special place that has gone through and gotten through a lot together because we’re so close and as a ninth grader coming in that’s a real privilege that I hope the freshman will get that experience because it means so much. It’s what keeps me coming in every day.”