Friday, Aug. 01, 2008

Students pick up books, schedules at Tiger Prowl

Los Baños High School event signals the start of the 2008-2009 school year

Tiger Prowl brought out students and their families this week, signaling the end of summer and beginning of a new school year.

Today Los Baños High School will conclude the three-day event in which students were able to register for classes, turn in information, sign up for one of the various clubs and activities on campus and buy the much-coveted class T-shirts.

"This year we are asking students to be even more proud of their school," Assistant Principal Duke Marshall said, hinting at an accreditation visit.

More than 2,300 students are expected to attend the first day of school on Aug. 8. Tiger Prowl is the time, Marshall said, for students to get all the materials they need to make that first day of school successful.

Students attended Tiger Prowl according to class standing and the letter of their last name. The final day is handed over to the freshman.

Marshall said his favorite day of the event is the Friday when the freshman attend because their parents usually accompany them to this "milestone."

Besides class T-shirts, students were also able to purchase parking permits, Associated Student Body cards and yearbooks.

Students were also able to turn in athletic packets and gather information on the various school organizations while at Tiger Prowl.

Clubs on campus include the FFA, Future Business Leaders of America and drama club, all of whom were eager to recruit new members.

There were a few new additions to this year's Tiger Prowl.

Joining the club tabling were the Los Baños High School cheerleaders encouraging students for the rooter bus, which will transport football fans to the team's away games.

The $10 one-time price helps pay for the bus and the cheerleaders' transportation.

"This is the first year we are going to be funded," cheerleader Gabriela Andrada, 17, said of the transportation.

Another new Tiger Prowl feature was, as Marshall put it, a perk of being an upperclassmen.

This year juniors were able to pick up their textbooks rather than wait until the first day.

"Usuallythe seniors only get them," Marshall said. "We thought it would be nice for the juniors to (get their books early too, kind of a privilege."

The first day of school is Aug. 8. It will be a regular school day, with first period beginning promptly at 8:10 a.m., and sixth period ending at 3:21 p.m.

Enterprise reporter Minerva Perez can be reached by phone at (209)388-6565 or by e-mail at mperez@losbanosenterprise.com