Soon-To-Be Patriots Get To Learn ‘All About Park’
Joselyn King Trending
Some eighth grade students in Ohio County might want to try their hand at cooking. Maybe it's a stringed instrument they want to learn to play, or maybe they just want to play golf.
Painting, music, industrial arts ... the eighth grade students learned Wheeling Park High School has all this and more as they attended the "All About Park" open house Thursday night.
Staff and student mentors assisted the students in learning about academic and extracurricular offerings at the school - and they helped navigate the uninitiated through the halls of WPHS.
"It just gives the kids the opportunity to come see what we have," explained Chris Daugherty, WPHS athletic director and football coach. "People think they know, but there is just so much here that they don't know. They feel it's a big place.
"I think when they come and visit and they walk through the school they start to feel comfortable about it and think, this isn't as big as I thought."
His advice to incoming freshmen is "get involved."
"Get involved in everything, because that is what makes our school small," he explained. "You start to become friends with a group of kids, and you start to feel at home.
"For the kids who come up and don't get involved, it can't be a good place. When you get entwined with a group of 10, 20 or even 50, it makes it a much better experience."
Unique Murphy, Communities In School social worker, noted All About Park was a time for students to learn about all the clubs, organizations and classes at the school.
She added that it can be really hard to take it in at one time when you start as a freshman.
That is why the school has two events each year -- at the start of each school year and again at Christmas break, she explained.
Teacher and theater director Katie Redd just returned after taking theater students on a weekend trip to New York City and Broadway shows last week.
"As a member of the performing arts department, and the fine arts department at Wheeling Park High School, I know we have a lot of opportunities for students who are interested in acting, dancing, singing, creating art and doing speech and debate," she said. "We really love to work together to give them the best experience they can have right here."
There is something for everyone at WPHS, added art teacher Russ Schultz.
"I always tell the kids fall in love with something, not someone, because we offer everything," Schultz said. "If we don't offer it, we'll make it happen."