On May 27, Bellows Free Academy held this year’s Move-Up Day for the incoming freshman. 

According to BFA guidance counselor, Stephanie Hodgeman, who helped coordinate the event and shared a schedule of the day with faculty and staff, Move-Up Day began at 11:10 a.m. with an opening ceremony, which took place in the gym. 

BFA English teacher, Larissa Hebert, who helped greet incoming freshmen in the gym as they arrived, said that William Austin (’23) played music on BFA’s grand piano to welcome the crowd. 

According to Hodgeman, the incoming ninth-grade students were then divided into three groups based on their advisors and, following the opening ceremony, advisors took their new students to their classrooms to begin the rest of the activities. 

The activities planned for the incoming freshmen included lunch, an elective tour and a co-curricular display in the gym.

The Mercury even had a table in the gym that showed off what they offer as a Journalism Club. 

According to Brayden Baker (’22), during the business department elective tour, the National Business Department presented the courses the business department offers, whether that be accounting all the way to business entrepreneurship. 

“I think [Move-] Up Day was really successful and informative to the new freshmen so they feel prepared and welcomed to BFA,” Baker (‘22) said. 

Hodgeman said that to close out the day, BFA’s Athletic Director, Dan Marlow, presented a speech to the new students before they were dismissed.