Panthers United, a welcome and mentor group for newly enrolled students, was the brainchild of a student who came here from the Philippines last year.

Senior Sandrine Iradukunda told Assistant Principal Gracie Helm last year that it was difficult for her to realize the scope of activities and events and routines at the school from the single tour at the beginning of the year.

“We started this to hook Panthers up with other Panthers for the year,” said Helm, noting how difficult it is for new students to meet people in a school of more than 2,000. “It will be more than just the tour we give to new students.” Iradukunda is now the president of Panthers United with support and help from the ASB as well.

Former students who volunteered to participate are paired up with the new students. Any new student at Wenatchee high school can be enrolled in Panthers United, but whether or not they attend the meetings, though it is highly encouraged, is their choice.

The first meeting, in the form of an ice cream social, for Panthers United was Nov. 8 and nearly 60 students out of the 100 enrolled in Panthers United came. The students received an introduction about the program, talked with each other, and placed icebreaker games.

The next event Helm is coordinating is a career fair-like activity. Each club at WHS will set up a booth and give more information to these new students about their club in hopes of gaining participation in school-related activities. The career fair will be used to introduce the new students to the different clubs and activities they might be interested in getting involved in.

Helm would like to follow up that activity by possibly attending a basketball as a group to once again get the student involved with WHS culture.

Freshman Bryce Harden, who attended the first meeting as a new student, found it was helpful because he was randomly matched up with someone he already knew from football, freshman Joseph Reyna. Harden believes having someone to go to for help throughout the year will be beneficial.