CRESTVIEW — Those who think Panthers are an endangered species may be pleased to know that 311 new ones descended on Davidson Middle School Thursday morning.
The occasion was Panther Camp, the school’s new-student orientation.
Energized by tattoos performed by Davidson’s Panther Band drum line, the new sixth-graders pumped their fists in the air, stomped their feet and called out “Go Panthers!” as they rapidly assimilated into their new school.
After energetic dances and routines by the school’s cheerleaders and dance team — a demonstration of some of the school’s clubs and co-curricular activities — parents were asked to leave their students for an introduction to life as middle schoolers.
“We promise to give them back soon — most of them,” P.E. teacher Daniel Richards joked.
Before splitting up for smaller group informational sessions, campus tours and introduction to the new routine of changing classrooms and — often most confounding — having a hall locker with an all-too-easily-forgotten combination, the new Panthers played an either-or game.
“If you had to make a choice, who would rather give up social media or who would rather give up video games,” Richards asked, directing social media fans to one side of the gym and video game buffs to the other.
The game served to mix and mingle students who spent the past five or six years together in the same elementary school, encouraging new acquaintanceships and, hopefully, new friendships.
When school starts Aug. 10, the new Panthers will have a sense of the fun — and responsibilities — that await.
“You are now Panthers and we’re glad to have you here,” Principal Jay Sanders told the newcomers.
Oh, and social media won out over video games.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Davidson sixth-graders learn about middle school life (PHOTOS)