“It’s very important for the incoming ninth graders cause it’s very important for us to develop those connections and those relationships. Because we know if students are feeling comfortable socially, emotionally, that they will succeed academically. So this is really to ease any anxiety that the incoming freshmen would have and develop those relationships both with their teachers and with the upperclassmen,” said Centennial Principal Tom Bruening.
To become a peer leader, students are nominated by teachers, counselors, advisers, or coaches. About 250 sophomore, junior and senior peer leaders helped with freshmen and new students during the first day of school.
“I want to make sure that I’m a good role model and that you know that they’re excited to go through Centennial and that they want to grow up here and make new friends,” said Peer Leader Mia Troska.
Principal Tom Bruening encourages a family-like atmosphere at Centennial.
“Our school culture is like a family. We try to make a big metropolitan high school feel small, have that small town feel, where people, they like being here, they like being with their teachers, they like learning,” said Bruening.
He also hopes that this upcoming year is filled with freshmen participation.
“I hope that they will get involved academically, activity-wise and they truly become a part of our school culture,” said Bruening.
Click here for more information about Peer Leadership at Centennial.
