S.W.A.T. (student welcome and transitioning) has been a part of the Lake Highland community for nearly 15 years, and with every year, the student-led team becomes more and more a part of the school’s culture. S.W.A.T. is an opportunity offered exclusively to the Juniors and Seniors at Lake Highland. The program came about after the school’s head counselors realized the impact upperclassmen could potentially have on Freshmen and new students. With that in mind, any person who joins S.W.A.T. automatically becomes an ambassador for new students. Ms. Amanda Flader, one of the lead organizers of S.W.A.T. and orientation for incoming Freshmen and new students, explained that, “Student ambassadors share their personal cell phone numbers with the new students, so that the new student has a point person for any questions they may have, and also has a person to sit with at lunch and introduce them to other students.”
S.W.A.T.’s main focus is making new students and excited Freshmen feel comfortable and confident when it’s time for the first day of school. The team adds that extra level of comfort for students that the administration can’t. This year especially, S.W.A.T. has taken on a complete rebrand. Ms. Flader explained that in the past, “The format previously had more of a fun, group-bonding feel, but the 9th-grade class continues to grow each year, making that more difficult to arrange.” Looking back at the feedback they received from students and parents, Ms. Flader, as well as the other counselors, concluded that, “Helping to get information to the students and also helping them feel comfortable with the new campuses are two of the most important goals, which is where the design of a conference-style tour came about.”
The students are the most influential source for the design of the conference and the role that S.W.A.T. plays, but S.W.A.T. also has an important role outside of the conference. On the very first day of school, S.W.A.T. members wear a shirt specifically made for the group. Ms. Flader explained, “The purpose of the unique S.W.A.T. shirts is to make the members recognizable on the first day of school so that the Freshmen and new students can easily identify students who are willing to answer any questions they may have or to help them find their way around campus.” This, by extension, helps to differentiate the members of S.W.A.T. who were selected to help all new students around campus.
The selection for S.W.A.T. comes near the end of each year, and Ms. Flader explained that in their selection process a, “S.W.A.T. membership does not require a student to be the ‘best’ academically or to be the best athlete. It simply requires a student to have an interest in helping and leading. It is a leadership opportunity on campus that is suitable for all students.” Ms. Flader continued to add that students may be unaware of a lot of the benefits that come from being a part of S.W.A.T., and that “They may also be unaware that we reward volunteer hours for helping, and that being a S.W.A.T. membership is a great thing to add to a college resume because it shows involvement in a leadership role.” In S.W.A.T.’s history, the group has never had to turn down any applications, as the counselors expect to receive anywhere from 70 to 90 students interested in applying each year. With nearly 700 students and parents on campus on orientation day, the counselors will take all the help they can get, and the students are then happy to help.
Many students are often ready to do more outside of orientation, and it’s the same for the counselors. Ms. Flander stated, “As the school continues to grow, with more and more students each year, the S.W.A.T. team has become more and more valuable to the school counselors, who oversee the massive Orientation undertaking.” Though Lake Highland’s Dean of Leadership and Character Development, Mr. Garth Parke along with the counselors, wish for S.W.A.T. to grow into more. As a whole, Ms. Flader reported, “We have a few more new events being planned for this year and upcoming years that we hope to request S.W.A.T. members help with.” S.W.A.T. is in an exciting stage of its existence at Lake Highland and is breaking boundaries.
S.W.A.T. is undefinable because it still has so much potential for growth. With every year comes new students, and with students, more student leaders have endless potential to keep S.W.A.T. alive and growing. This year’s group will pave the way for the next S.W.A.T. members. Ms. Flader explained that this year is opening a new chapter as she exclaimed, “We would love S.W.A.T. to be a well-known fixture of our campus that we can call upon for just about anything, and we are taking steps to get there.” The counselors continue to work to meet the goals for the year, but Ms. Flader added that overall, “Our goal this year is to get S.W.A.T. members more involved in other events than ever before.” S.W.A.T. is undoubtedly rebranded, but in no way have its core values changed. Instead, they have intensified as the group continues to seek new opportunities to help its community.
