P.J. Gelinas Junior High School hosted a series of events aimed at welcoming new and returning students to the 2015-16 school year.

To help familiarize them with their new surroundings, the school’s student government hosted a breakfast program for nearly 25 incoming students. The program offered the students — who came from as far as China, Korea and the Philippines and as locally as neighboring school districts — the chance to learn about the buildings’ clubs, classes and extracurricular offerings.

“We want our new peers to feel happy and welcomed in their new environment,” said ninth-grader Olivia Ross.

“We hope that today’s event shows them that they are not alone in their new school and reminds them that they have friends in student government,” added ninth-grader Will Sartain.

The student government also hosted a back-to-school recreation night for all students at the end of the first week of school, and the PTA organized a welcome-back breakfast for parents.

R.C. Murphy Junior High School hosted a similar new student breakfast program for the school’s incoming 25 students.