On January 26th, Selma High hosted an event in the dining hall for the eighth graders who will be incoming freshmen for the 2026-2027 school year. This event was called Becoming a Bear, which featured different kinds of booths and vendors such as manufacturing, AVID, leadership, art animation, medical assistance, Bear Prints, ROTC, FFA, and many more. Señor Beef, a local taco vendor, was also in attendance at this event, which many eighth graders and club members were able to enjoy.
Many of the eighth graders were able to go from booth to booth, learning about what kind of career pathways, clubs, classes, or extracurricular activities they would like to be a part of their freshman year and throughout high school. One of the classes at this event was AVID, which is a college preparatory course that helps develop the skills that students will most likely need in college. This class requires a lot of note-taking, but it has helped many students in other classes, not just in AVID. Students are able to go on trips to learn more about colleges.This class overall offers students the opportunity to help with scholarships, FAFSA, and to build a great bond with those around you who are also looking for a way to prepare for college.
“I would highly recommend this class; this is my first year, but I wish I had joined my freshman year,” senior Irving Vejar-Sosa mentioned.
This event also helps to transition students and parents as they come into the high school. It’s an introduction to what Selma High has to offer such as their CTE programs, their extracurricular activities, and clubs. In comparison to ALMS, Selma High offers more pathways than the middle school because here to spark their interest and motivate them to keep pushing forward in high school and be successful at the high school.
“At the end of the day, we want every student to at least graduate with a pathway completed,” Selma High’s Counselor, Mr. Ly said. “Whether in criminology or the medical field, we have a wide range of programs here.”, included.
The event also featured the manufacturing and engineering class pathway. This pathway gives students a chance to explore different power tools and build projects to understand how they work. Students who are interested in this pathway get introduced to 3D printing. They can get as creative as they can to make the product they want. As students enter their junior and senior year, they have the option to get more into construction. They are able to start doing blueprints to create a tiny home of their own. Students get to design them, build them, and then sell them. This pathway is a great class for students who want to be in construction or an engineer.
Having this event for incoming freshmen was a way to help them gain an understanding of the many programs that Selma High School has to offer. It helps them plan a future they want and get more familiar with the paths they want to go through as they go though highschool and higher education.
