Walking with your parents through the gates for the first time, anticipating how your high school years will be, seeing what extracurriculars interest you… most of us remember our first time visiting Sunnyslope as Eighth graders. 

It was our first sense of the Viking spirit and community that is so prevalent here. 

This year’s Future Freshman Night was definitely another memorable one.

Current students and staff from Sunnyslope got together and prepared to greet and welcome the incoming 2027 class. 

Unlike the previous years, the welcoming assembly took place on our new football field outside, where our Marching Band, Choir, Dance, and Cheer all performed. 

It was an important night to showcase our programs and best reflect our school to the largest incoming Freshmen class yet.

“Future Freshman Night is important to the Sunnyslope community because it allows all programs, clubs and sports to show families and community members what they are involved in at school,” said Assistant Principal Demetria Andrews.

Sunnyslope students were excited to perform and talk to the Eighth graders about their experiences here.

“It reminded me of what it was like during band season. Band is a tradition at our school, whether you’re in it or not, it’s part of our viking pride,” said Senior Lucas Hernandez, a band section leader.

Despite the same Viking pride, this year’s Future Freshman Night encountered some different aspects.

“This year’s night is different from others because we did not offer the campus tours this year due to construction. The event itself felt different as well. The families got to experience a one of a kind enthusiastic welcome as they entered the stadium. That was all student driven and was incredibly special,” Andrews said.

After the performances from our Arts programs, the future freshmen had various opportunities to engage with our student leaders from clubs, sports, and academic programs. 

“I thought our choir performance was pretty good. There is always room for improvement, but we loved the song “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and had a blast singing and dancing to it. I feel like there will always be kids interested in the arts and Sunnyslope is a wonderful place to explore those interests,” said Senior Hunter Cooley.

There is certainly something that each individual takes away from Future Freshman Night.

“My favorite part of Future Freshman Night is getting to see so many future students and families. I also love watching our students talk about what they love. They are so enthusiastic and passionate,” Andrews said.

This year’s seniors still remember the lasting impression that important night had on them.

“My best memory from attending Future Freshman Night 4 years ago was honestly waiting in the gym seeing all my future classmates walking in. I came from a really small middle school – my graduating class was 50 – so seeing the gym fill up with so many kids was an unforgettable experience for me,” Cooley said.

Whether you came from a small middle school or a large one, Sunnyslope has become a home for thousands of Freshman over the years.

Indeed, Future Freshman Night made a lasting impression on our community and we anticipate a large and diverse group of Freshmen next year.