On Monday, March 11, 8th Grade Night at Ayala High School was open to the incoming class of 2028 where students participated in various activities to get acclimated to the high school environment.  

8th Grade Night is an annual event that has been held for as long as the school has been open. To get incoming students familiar with the potential opportunities Ayala has to offer, this night is filled with booths of the many clubs, sports, and visual arts programs available on campus. 

The schedule for 8th Grade Night started off with a little preview to what clubs and activities are available to the students when they arrive next school year. While students were being introduced to clubs, there were also various dance performances, giving the future freshmen insight on the visual arts programs. Following this, students went to the gym for a mock rally to experience the school spirit and to choose their class color. Meanwhile, parents went to the multipurpose room for information on their students’ pathways for the next four years. 

“[The future freshmen] get their own club rush about the clubs that have a good standing at the school, and they’re able to see [different] performances,” United Student Body (USB) advisor Mrs. Lenee Ives said. “It’s like a little summary of what’s going on.” 

After the mock rally, students toured the campus to get used to what would be their new school for the next four years. The tour aimed to make the transition from middle school to high school less stressful. 

“I think it can be scary at first coming from eighth grade to a brand new high school. I feel like [8th Grade Night] kind of bridges that unfamiliarity, where it’s like, ‘hey, I know you’re unfamiliar with high school, let me guide you through,’” USB member Daniel Choi (12) said. “It really allows [incoming freshmen] to take in the high school environment.” 

8th Grade Night can also be quite beneficial for the USB students as it can give them an idea of how the student body can help improve the school for the next generation of students. 

“I feel like we were really able to interact with the younger generation because it could definitely alter how different clubs perform,” UCC Chairperson Alina Lopez (10) said. “Let’s say Psychology Club; psychology now is way different than it was 30 years ago, so it’s better for them to see diversity [and] to see different age groups.” 

The event was overall a great experience for students to get a feel of what their future will look like. As 8th Grade Night came to a close, it was obvious that it was a success. 

“Participating in 8th Grade Night is more fun for me because I like meeting the new eighth graders and seeing what it will be like next year,” Senior Class President and USB member Amy Youk (12) said. “It was definitely an interesting experience and it was really fun getting to know them.”