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Eighth-graders ready for next adventure
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .A group of Glenwood eighth-grade girls passed the time during their cookout with an informal game of beach volleyball.
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Eighth-grade english teacher Molly Piper (left) took her place in the dunk tank, but looked a little cold and not too excited about her next dip in the pool of water.
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Mike Despetorich (center) put all his weight behind his throw toward the target at the dunk tank station, as his classmates looked on.
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The largest groups at the cookout were gathered around the dunk tank. A group of eighth-graders and Glenwood principal Anthony Alvino (right) winced in pain as teacher Molly Piper took another fall into the tank.
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Eighth-graders Hannah Grimes (left), Tyler Poulakos, Stephanie DeMain, Brittany Chamberlain, and Reagan O'Hara are headed to Boardman High School next year together.
By SARAH FOOR
For the eighth-graders at Glenwood Middle School, their journey to Boardman High School next year doesn’t seem too scary. After all, the students can see their future school through the playing fields separating the two facilities.
On May 27, the eighth-graders celebrated their years at Glenwood with a school cookout on their lawn, with a view of next year’s academic home in sight.
The school’s PTA has celebrated the eighth-graders with an outdoor barbecue for the last 20 years. It’s tradition for the school’s principal and vice principal to tend to the grill and for a few brave teachers to climb into the ever-popular dunking booth.
Otherwise, the PTA provides food and drinks and the eighth-graders are free to enjoy games of beach volleyball, to try out ring toss and other carnival games and dance to tunes provided by a local DJ.
PTA event chair Cathy Jamis said the day is all about giving the kids a day of relaxation.
“At this point, the kids still have some finals that they need to finish, so today is definitely an escape. I hope the kids stop worrying and use this as a stress release.”
As much as the day was fun and games, the eighth-graders were thinking a lot about their journey to the high school.
“When we came to Glenwood from elementary school, this seemed like a big and scary place. There are nerves of course, but I think eventually, it will feel like home just the way that Glenwood did,” shared eighth-grader Kristen Howell.
T’Amor Bowman had only excitement for a new adventure.
“I’m really pumped to start next year. I can be a new person in high school,” she shared.