Arlyn Sorto, a ninth grader, said hearing the seniors and guidance counselors speak to her class showed her that keeping her grades up and getting involved in clubs and sports is important. She already plays junior varsity soccer and is a member of grade council, but said she plans on getting more involved next year at Central.

“It helps you understand what you’re going to go through in the next few years,” Sorto said of College Day. “It gives you a heads up so when you do go through it, you’re not shocked.”

Senior Tori Smith said it’s crucial for students to take electives, rather than study halls or off periods, so college administrators see that they’re hard workers. Brandon Wilder added that joining sports teams and clubs starting as early as ninth grade is vital to make a student stand out.

“It’s very difficult to build up from a low GPA at Memorial to a high GPA in Central because the workload increases, the difficulty level increases,” said Aijaz Wasay, a senior, “so you want to take advantage of the easy classes at Memorial.”

Memorial Principal Anthony Mignella said College Day helps bridge the gap between the two schools and better prepares ninth graders. “I’ve seen this evolve into much more than just kids coming and chatting, but as a pure lesson for the kids,” he said. “When the kids here go across the street, they’re better prepared for the academic rigors.”