On Wednesday, February 16th, Helena High hosted the annual 8th grade tour day. Helena High students led the tours and presented various extracurricular opportunities at the activity fair. Music students also visited Helena Middle School to introduce the 8th graders to the HHS music program. Although the day was somewhat chaotic as middle school students from Montana City School, Helena Middle School, and St. Andrews paraded through Helena High in the middle of the school day, overall, it went well. 

Senior Lizzie Johnson, who led a tour 1st through 4th periods, said the tour went well but the students weren’t very vocal when teachers asked questions. She said the best part of the tour was visiting Ms. Bartles and Mr. Sykes as they created a comforting, fun environment for students. Gavin, an 8th grader from HMS, said his favorite part of the tour was visiting the auto shops. Neathery, a student from St. Andrews, said she loved the smells coming from the culinary classroom, and Scarlett from HMS said she enjoyed seeing all the parts of the school. 

Over at the upper gym, the activities fair took place. The activities fair consists of the many sports and clubs of HHS pitching their group to the incoming freshmen and encouraging them to sign up for next year. The small gym was packed with noise, posters, and candy, and according to 8th graders Marcela and Adele from HMS, it was their favorite part of the day. Junior Riley Walsh and sophomore Clara Schuele, who ran the Lady Bengals soccer booth for two periods, said they collected a good number of signups for next year. They joked it could’ve been better, but it could have been a lot worse too.  

After the tour and activities fair concluded at lunch, upperclassmen from band, orchestra, and choir headed over to Helena Middle School. Meghan Rake, a senior percussionist, said they were supposed to have two buses to take them to the middle school, but only one showed up. The students had to split up and drive themselves while some rode the bus. Once they made it to HMS the 8th graders seemed very into the performances and participated loudly in the singing of the fight song, Rake said. Rake is very hopeful that many of the new students will join the different music programs next year.  

Overall, it was another successful 8th grade day for Helena High and the participating incoming freshmen. Let’s wish all the new freshmen good luck… and returning Helena High students, good luck with the Class of ‘26.