Nailah Blake
On Nov. 2, Aragon hosted the first in-person expo since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The expo is an event organized by the administration and Leadership for families of prospective students to visit and see a showcase of the school, clubs and student activities.
“The virtual format [of the expo was good at] giving information, but it didn’t give [one] the feel of a place,” said assistant principal Andrew Hartig. “It also doesn’t allow one to have the experience of walking onto the campus and seeing what the campus is like. Imagine trying to choose a college to go to and never having visited that place.”
Echoing the sentiment, Associated Student Body president Benjamin Wen emphasized the value of physically setting foot on the campus and feeling the sense of community there.
“[Parents are] able to see how our walls are decorated and how we treat our campus”
“I think that an in-person [event] is particularly meaningful [because] people [are able to] gain insights into the community that aren’t normally gained online,” Wen said. “[They’re] able to see how our walls are decorated and how we treat our campus.”
The event began with a presentation in the theater to give families an overview of the school. The theater quickly filled to capacity, so some families were unable to see the presentation and proceeded to Center Court. Teacher department representatives, parent groups and many clubs had stations set up along the perimeter for families to visit and learn more about the opportunities offered at Aragon following the presentation.
“The goal of the expo is to give student organizations and teaching departments an opportunity to connect [with incoming] students,” Wen said. “We want to highlight the incredible diversity we have within the Aragon community [and to] give students a glimpse into the incredible [teaching] departments we have.”
Over 20 clubs specializing in a wide range of interests were available for parents and students to view. The overarching goal of the night was to convey Aragon’s core values in addition to highlighting individual groups.
“The focus of the evening [was] Aragon CARES,” Hartig said. “That is the primary structure around which everything else [was] driven … Aragon has a long tradition of high academic standards and Advanced Placement classes, but we’re more than just that.”
“I knew a lot [about the] academic side, but I was really interested in a [more] balanced experience”
Each family came with their own perspectives and experiences, looking to get answers to their questions and concerns about Aragon.
“I wanted to get a feel for the campus and get an idea of what the activity was like,” said parent Scott Lore. “I knew a lot [about the] academic side, but I was really interested in a [more] balanced experience. The booths really [addressed] my main concerns.”
Some parents were critical of the organization at the expo, wishing they could have seen more student involvement throughout the evening.
“I would loved to see … more students putting themselves out there and talking about their experiences”
“I think the presentation was informative, but it could have been a little bit more engaging,” said parent David Lin. “I would have loved to see better organization of the different clubs or teachers to interact with [as well as] more students putting themselves out there and talking about their experiences.”
Aragon’s first in-person expo night in two years gave dozens of prospective students their first glimpse of the school’s campus, and provided them with an opportunity to see if Aragon is the right school for them.
