Each year, Hoosick Falls Jr. / Sr. High School invites alumni who graduated the previous school year to come back and speak to the current senior class. [private]The students share what they have learned as first-year college students, and give advice on making the transition from high school to college smoother.
The alumni spoke for about an hour to the entire senior class and took questions. The alumni covered a range of topics and situations such as registering for classes or dealing with roommates and dormitory life.
Jen Sargood was part of the group, and she said, “It was helpful for me to hear real life experiences about college when I was a senior, especially from people that I knew.” She added, “It is nice to come back to HFCS and share my experiences.”
Kellan Skott agreed and said, “It is great to come back and see everyone and to share advice with my younger friends. Hearing what they are thinking about college and answering their questions was great.”
Wyatt Cushman brought a different experience to share – he stayed at home and attended Hudson Valley Community College. He was able to talk about the commute and how HVCC is different from the experience of a four-year school. “It’s nice to give a perspective of someone who did not go away and does not live on campus.”
After the assembly, the group had lunch with some of the seniors and then spent time with underclassman. Jen, Kellan, and Wyatt also visited Mr. Laurin’s fourth-grade class to talk about college with his students.
College and Career Center counselor Ms. Dobert, who works with juniors and seniors, organized the event. She said, “Alumni can be a powerful tool in connecting current students to college and careers. We are thankful that our graduates are always willing to come back and help current students think about their futures.”
The alumni who returned for the panel were: Jennifer Sargood, Alex Betit, Jake Kinney, Jeremey St. Onge, Wyatt Cushman, Kellan Skott, and Alex Mendez. [/private]