A sobering fact for those who graduated high school before the turn of this century: The class of 2012 is about to enter the building.

And to welcome freshmen, Panther Creek High School in west Cary has been working for months to put together a new orientation program being used in over 225 schools nationwide, the Kick-Off Program.

On Friday, July 25, about 100 Panther Creek upperclassmen who had applied and been referred by teachers got up early, took the day off work and volunteering, and spent time in the school cafeteria learning to be freshmen mentors. Each upperclassman will oversee five or six freshmen not only on the day of orientation but throughout the first semester.

While the national transition, orientation and mentoring program aims to acclimate freshmen to their new schools and lower the high school dropout rates, Panther Creek Assistant Principal Debbie Ray said, “Our reason for doing this is that it’s a big transition from middle school to high school. We want the students to be more successful academically and feel some form of ownership in their school.”

Kick-Off trainer Francine Muth, a counselor at a high school in Virginia during the school year, said the program had been very successful since its inception at her school two years ago. On the morning of orientation, “freshmen come in like deer in headlights. As they leave, they’re smiling and happy. They feel better.”

Muth said surveys sent to teachers of freshmen have found they can start teaching the curriculum more quickly because students immediately feel more at ease.

Karen Oviatt, English department leader and freshman orientation coordinator, said last year’s orientation was a three-day program which segmented the freshmen. This year, Kick-Off begins with a one-day orientation for approximately 600 freshmen on Aug. 11, using both teacher and upperclassman leaders to impart information.

“It gives freshmen multiple contacts and makes them positive members of our community,” said Oviatt. Freshmen can ask advice of their mentors and check in with them long after the newness of the first day has worn off.

On the July mentor training day, juniors and seniors were asked to design personalized name tags, spend two minutes breaking the ice with someone they didn’t know and get funky in a special freshman dance led by Muth.

Part of the Kick-Off Program involves being OK with feeling uncomfortable, whether searching for something to say to someone new or freestyling “the robot” in the freshman dance.

“The program is advantageous for upperclassmen, too,” said Oviatt. “It gives a sense of belonging to the school.”

Amy Marie Knox, a rising senior at Panther Creek, became a mentor because she had reaped the benefits a few years ago at another high school. “When I was a freshman, I had a mentor, and it really helped,” she said. “I plan to take them to games, involve them [in school activities] and give advice.”

Lifeguard and swim-team coach Denver Davis, also a rising senior, saw the value in getting to know the newest members of the school. “I never heard about anything like this before,” he said. “My little brother will be a freshman this year and it seems like a good idea. Even being a senior, I’m looking forward to meeting more people I’ll be seeing around school.”