Class of 2025 gets Bulldawg Welcome

By BRITTANY FHOLER

Cove Leader-Press

More than 600 new Copperas Cove Bulldawgs received a nice hearty and warm welcome to the Dawghouse at the annual Bulldawg Welcome held Tuesday. 

Starting at 9 a.m., hundreds of incoming freshmen and their parents and other students new to the Copperas Cove Independent School District attended the Bulldawg Welcome at the Lea Ledger Auditorium, where school administrators went over the school’s procedures and policies and expectations. 

Bulldawg Welcome serves as the district’s Freshmen/Transfer student orientation and allows incoming students to get familiar with the campus and with their fellow classmates before school starts. 

This year, there are 630 students in the incoming Class of 2025. 

“This was really an opportunity for the incoming students, both the freshmen as well as sophomores, juniors and seniors,” said Meg Paul, a biology teacher and the Freshmen Class Sponsor at CCHS. “We actually had a lot of other classmen show up for this, to really come and get a taste of what our school is. We have a lot of clubs and organizations here that wanted to create that buzz of ‘Come join us.’ They got a run down from Mr. Adams about expectations, and it’s really their opportunity to get ahead and show the first day of school is not as frightening. You know, they know where they’re going. They’ve met our ambassadors and some of our staff who are someone that can lean on in case they’re lost or confused because high school can be overwhelming, and I think this is just an opportunity for them to take advantage of and get ahead.”

Sophomore Samantha Parker, 15, was one of the student ambassadors leading incoming freshmen on a tour on Tuesday. 

“I’m helping them to learn their way around school and learn what we have to offer here at CCHS because a lot of freshmen don’t realize the opportunities that we have here like the clubs and organizations and the lots of fun things we have,” Parker said. 

Parker was in their shoes just last year, so she knows how daunting it can be to be a freshman in high school. 

“Since I know how they felt. I know what they need to know and what they really need help learning, because I know that it’s scary going into high school because you don’t know what you’re getting into, but I really like being able to help them and help them feel a little more at ease,” Parker said.

Parker and her fellow student ambassadors led their groups of incoming students on a tour around the campus after an information session in the Lea Ledger Auditorium with both parents and students. The groups made their way to the cafeteria where the incoming students received a Bulldawg t-shirt, their student ID card, their bus pass, signed the Class of 2025 banner and then visited the different booths for the student clubs and organizations. 

While not all of the clubs that are established at CCHS were present, the ones that set up tables included FCCLA, HOSA, DECA, Excel Club, AquaDawgs Swim Team, the Bowling Club, the Black Student Union, Choir, the Criminal Justice Club, the Digital Media Club, Dungeons & Dragons, FFA, JROTC, the Step Team, Student Council (with applications for class officers), UIL Academics, UIL Tennis and the Montague Youth Center and Student 2 Student. 

Parker said that even once school starts, the ambassadors will be there to help the incoming freshman and be their friend and answer any questions. 

Parker is the daughter of a military servicemember and missed her opportunity to attend the Bulldawg Welcome last year. 

“Looking back as when I was a freshman because I didn’t get to tour around the school, so I was completely lost my first day, so when I got invited to come help here, I was really excited that I would be able to help students so they wouldn’t have to feel the same way that I did on my first day,” Parker said. 

Emily Kimball, 14, is one of this year’s incoming freshmen. 

“I’m excited and nervous and happy to be starting an experience in a new school with all my friends, but I’m also really nervous because I’m the lowest on the totem pole and I don’t really know that many people, so It’s like a little bittersweet feeling,” Kimball said. 

Kimball said it was exciting getting to tour the high school and see the different hallways and classrooms. 

“I was really excited to see all the new people and everything but the main thing I’m really surprised about is how big the school is,” Kimball said. “I did not expect it. I’ve been here before, but I’ve never really been inside. I did not expect it to be this big.”

Kimball said she will be taking classes like Intro to Law, Cheer and Child Development, which she says will help prepare her for deciding which career path she will pursue after high school. She is also in choir this year. 

The first day of class is August 18.