Roxborough High College Week wraps up with college fair and pep rally

Roxborough High School wrapped up its annual College Week last week with a pair of events for the whole school. Students from grades 9 through 12 had the chance to speak with nearly 50 different representatives of a variety of post-high school institutions at the school’s College Fair, followed by a performance from Lincoln University’s Orange Crush marching band.

Roxborough senior Brion Star Ninyard, 18, was one of many students grateful for the opportunity.

“When you research schools [on your own] you don’t really get the vibe of it but when you get to speak to someone that actually works there and that went there, it gives you a more personal insight on it. You get more information than you would on a website.”

The more than 500 Roxborough High students spent nearly an hour in the gymnasium with the various college admissions representatives on hand. With a range of universities and university-types, including 2-year colleges, trade schools, and branches of the military, Principal Stephen Brandt was happy to offer the students a wide variety of options. 

“We have all four of our grades participate, 9th through 12th grade, just because we want the kids starting to focus on college, and university, and applications early,” he explained. “It’s a great way for us to market our kids and get them involved in our vision of a college-ready, college-going culture.”

Danielle Branch, from the University of Pennsylvania’s admissions office, appreciated the high school’s efforts.

“Not all students have the opportunity to go out and visit schools. Even if they have the opportunity to go visit schools, very few students have the opportunity to visit about 50 schools.”

Daphne Simprevil, a 17-year-old senior, was sorting through her packet full of information on Drexel University’s nursing program. “I actually got to look around at all the booths, all the colleges’ tables and got their information, got their business cards, so I could keep in contact with them.”

Another senior, Julie McDaniel, 18, also valued the variety of universities that came to her school, rather than her having to seek them out.

“We’re always so stuck in here that we don’t know what’s on the outside… I think you put yourself so much in high school that it’s scary thinking about college,” she said. 

At the end of the day, students crowded the bleachers on Roxborough’s football field, eagerly anticipating the second annual visit from Lincoln University’s Orange Crush marching band. 

The band’s performance had been delayed from Monday to Thursday due to Hurricane Sandy, but the post-storm cold spell couldn’t stop the Roxborough students from piling into the stands for the honor roll announcements, spirit cheers from the cheerleaders, and the grand finale, a medley of covers by the Lincoln University band.