As hundreds of freshman are starting their first year in high schools throughout the diocese, upperclassmen remember their duty to welcome the stranger.

Upperclassmen at St. Edmund Prep, Sheepshead Bay, volunteered to go into school early to welcome freshmen in the morning and help them throughout the day. At the end of the day students were treated to a free lunch where they made new friends and started to relax as they shared stories about how they tried to find their classes, had difficulty opening their lockers, and how it is impossible to remember all the information they received.

Bishop Kearney H.S., Bensonhurst, started its 50th anniversary celebration with a rousing welcome to the new freshman class. Sophomores, juniors and seniors gathered in the gym and greeted the class of 2015 singing, “All are welcome in this place.”

The sophomores prayed that the freshmen will have much joy and courage as they strive for excellence and offered them a piece of candy, to keep them sweet and energized every day. The juniors encouraged the freshmen to become involved in Kearney and presented them with their Bishop Kearney pin, because they will make a difference in the world by their brightness and love. The seniors’ hope for the freshmen was that they would be successful in all their endeavors by making wise choices and decisions. They presented the freshmen with a balloon, as a symbol of reaching for great heights.

After the assembly, Kearney’s student council hosted a pizza party for the newest members of the Kearney community.