The initiative event “Freshman for a Day” annually gathers pre-Caiman eighth graders at Classical Academy High School, where ASB greets the assembly with an array of games and presentations.

The event began at 9:00 a.m., but early attenders huddled in small groups, eyeing what buildings and high school students they could see. “I’m excited,” Brett Weber said. “[I’m joining CAHS] because my brother’s going to it and I want to. And it’s awesome.”

Freshman for a Day started in Caiman Hall. ASB members administered speeches and dance teams performed, and several games accompanied the assembly.

In one game, students were divided into teams of two, one blindfolded and sitting in a chair and the other acting as the blindfoldee’s “arms.” The arm-using teammate worked to shovel food into their teammate’s mouth and smear shaving cream and makeup onto their teammate’s face. Food sticking to the facial applicants was not uncommon.

Bella Vansant said she enjoyed “watching [her friend] hand-feed one of the other future freshmen.”

When the monologues, shows, games and tours finished, “Freshman for a Day” left attendees feeling satisfied. “It was pretty cool,” Jaden Bennett said. “I know I’m coming here next year and I think I’m gonna try out for football … [and] maybe ASB.”

“I think it’s a great experience … I remember doing it [as an eighth grader],” freshman Peter Bachelor said, speaking from his position on ASB. “[My favorite part was] when we got into our [groups] … they laid a bunch of paper on the floor and we had to try to walk across it to get to the end and it was just trial and error trying to find out which one was the right one.”

The game Bachelor talked about  is called “64 Squares,” and involves a predetermined but unspecified pathway hidden in a square layout of paper. The players must map the correct path through lengthy trials and errors, generating camaraderie and teamwork ability.

But outside the show and inside the structure of the event, some confusion preyed.

“It could’ve gone better,” Bachelor continued. “It was kinda disorganized. I never got an email about it and I didn’t know when to show up; I had to call a friend to find out when to be there … [But] I think, since they were the eighth graders, and they assumed that we got it covered, I think it went pretty well.”

The annual pleasure of introducing Classical’s future students did not wither. The eighth graders’ enjoyment (and shaving-cream-induced laughter) coincided with a near seamless execution, forming another successful and memorable initiation.