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On December 10th, Palmetto welcomed eighth grade students from Palmetto Middle School,  Vineland, and various other schools to “Panther for a Day” as a way to encourage enrollment for the 2015-2016 school year. Different clubs offered performances and a pep rally to entertain the prospective students.

“The purpose of Panther for a Day is to recruit middle schoolers to come to this fantastic school of ours,” sophomore Daniel Ajabshir said.

The middle school students arrived to a greeting from the cheerleaders, band, chatonettes and pep squad. Student leaders then brought the children into the auditorium where sophomores Charles Noguera and Becca Lapin introduced #futurepanther.  The activities department, @mpshactivities, prompted students to use it when tweeting selfies throughout the day.The use of social media aimed to excite the students about the day and their possible futures at Palmetto.

Performances by the orchestra, band, Thespians, Omega and Variations started the day. Throughout the performances, students shared what they loved most about Palmetto all including a recurring theme: opportunity. Offering over 25 AP courses, 60 clubs and more than 100 electives, students receive the chance to involve themselves in a multitude of classes, clubs and teams, unlike many other magnet or charter schools.

To illustrate this concept a video entitled “Hall of Fame,” created by senior Rebecca Landsea, debuted. The video focused on the achievements made by Palmetto alumni, showing the middle school students the level of excellence attained.

In the gymnasium, the cheerleaders, band, Student Council, Chatonettes, Variations dancers and the mascots, Pawblo and Penelope, prepared a pep rally for the class of 2019. Student Council hosted the event and created a game for the most spirited eighth graders to compete in; a relay where teams of students competed to see who could carry an egg, pop balloons, and carry a partner like a wheelbarrow across the court the fastest.

The athletic teams also made an appearance during the pep rally, parading across the gym with signs to showcase their sports.

Fascinated with the athletics, technology, orchestra and drama programs, the students expressed excitement regarding their decision on whether or not to attend Palmetto.

“I thought it was a success,” junior Nick Chevallier said. “The performance I was in, 20 Million People, went well and I was told that the students enjoyed it.”