Hundreds of unfamiliar faces gathered in the cafeteria and walked through the yard last Saturday. They were among the approximately 1,000 people who attended High School Day, the annual recruiting event that brings high-schoolers to the Grambling State campus. The day was filled with bus tours of the campus and an assembly in the Fred C. Hobdy Arena in the Assembly Center.
There were high schools in attendance from Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas and, of course, Louisiana. Some of the schools that attended from Louisiana came from as near as Arcadia High School, 15 miles away and as far away as Woodlawn High School from Baton Rouge, 230 miles away.
The morning started with bus tours that showcased key areas of the campus. The tourists were able to get off the bus for a moment to walk the hallways of the dorms. At the end of the tour they were dropped off at the Assembly Center for the High School Day program.
The program included speakers such as Anitra McGowan for the opening, Minister Reginald Alford for the prayer and Miss Grambling State University Ahvery Thomas for the greetings and occasion.
The guest speaker for the day was Dr. Robert M. Dixon. Athletic Director J. Lin Dawson empowered students with a speech about college preparing one for a good life as well as achieving more than a bachelor’s degree.
The GSU cheerleaders, Orchesis Dance Company, the World Famed Tiger Marching Band, the Gamma Gamma chapter of Omega Psi Phi and Black Dynasty Modeling Troupe entertained.
Information about campus departments, organizations and services was on display. The School of Nursing and the Mass Communication Department were two of the more visited booths.
Despite the rain, both Greek and non-Greek organizations, as well as an abundance of active students, helped to make the whole day productive.