On November 6, Townsend Harris High School welcomed prospective Class of 2028 students and families into the building for an Open House. The evening was an opportunity for THHS to display its wide range of clubs, sports, academic teams, and city-wide awards, as well as a chance for potential students to get a sense of what being a Harrisite is like.
Coordinator of Student Activities Jaime Baranoff said, “I look forward to welcoming a super great freshmen class next year.” She continued, “[Townsend Harris] has something for everyone. Its clubs and activities speak for itself.” In addition to the teachers posted around the school to answer any departmental questions, current Harrisites, who were mainly upperclassmen, guided students and their families around the building, answering any questions they had.
English teacher Katherine Gelbman, who helped welcome families into the building, believes that witnessing the student-run nature of THHS is what makes the Open Houses as successful as they are. “The tone of the building, and the culture of the student body [at THHS] is truly remarkable, and being able to experience that firsthand, is what makes it so special every year,” said Mrs. Gelbman.
Physics teacher Joshua Raghunath, along with other science department teachers, spoke to parents as they were brought up to the sixth floor by tour guides. He said,“I was happy at the turnout that we had for [the] open house. However, I was a little disappointed that most of the families had no questions for us. I would have expected them to have more questions for the faculty and students here rather than just look at the building.”
Junior Adrita Dey, one of the tour guides, said that her “experience was amazing. The parents seemed very intrigued, and I loved answering their questions. I was even able to help translate [information] to Bangla for a certain family. Being able to represent the THHS community made me proud.”
“Student Guides are especially important because not only do they show prospective students and families around the school, they also share their own personal experiences with THHS,” said Ms. Baranoff.
Sophomore Emani Imam, who also served as a tour guide, talked about her own experience at the THHS Fall Open House as an eighth grader. “I remember being scared and nervous during the Fall Open House, so this year I tried my best to make it a comfortable [and] enjoyable experience for [potential students],” said Emani.
