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Student Assistance

New student Welcome Wagon organized

By Megan Palenskv Reiser also said that "evaluation forms
How would you like to be a stranger in are filled out by both the volunteers and
a new building with close to 1000 people the new students." Catina Zinn, junior,
all around you? Sound like a nightmare? who transferred to RHS from St. Louis
Wei I,that's what it's like for new students at said that her volunteer was "nice and
Ralston. friendly". She said that havingthe volun­
To help combat this scary situation, teer take her around at least gave her "a
some teachers came up with a plan to make general idea" of where everything was so
students feel more at ease their first couple that she wasn't "totally lost."
of weeks. The Student Assistance Team
which includes teachers Kathy Thomas,
Jody Hoy, and Wallace Sommers, plus Rita
Reiser, started the new student action plan.
This program helps students that are new to
RHS have a friend and a peer to turn to for
help immediately. The way the program is
set up, is that any student can volunteer to
help any incoming students. Reiser said,
"All grades are represented and students
must nave a one-day training session." A
couple things that the volunteers do are,
take the students around to their classes so
the new student gets a feel for the building.
They introduce them to teachers, helpthem
at their lockers, and they also exchange
phone numbers in case they need someone
to talk to. Gradually the volunteers see less
and less oftheirstuaent so they can learn to
do things on their own. Tne students,
however, are encouraged to keep in touch.

This year Ralston held a post winter pep
rally to honor the winter sports athletes,
junior,Kim Wendt and Senior Claus
Rasmussen, a foreign exchange student
from Denmark, are recognized for
swimming.