The STEP program runs every summer for three days, helping not only incoming freshmen but all high schoolers learn skills such as teamwork, communication, and confidence. This year marks the 29th STEP program, one year away from its 30th anniversary in 2027.
Mr.Luther has been working at this school for three decades now and has been a part of every single STEP program. “So this is my 30th year at the Morgan School. We started STEP in my second year with the previous assistant principal. So I’ve been helping with the STEP program for 29 years, something like that,” Mr.Luther stated. STEP is still running strong. STEP’s mission is to make incoming freshmen feel at home.
Since Mr.Luther has been here, STEP has changed a lot, but for the better. Before, when STEP was still new, there weren’t as many interactive games or fun things to do, but as Mr.Luther’s years at Morgan increased, so did the fun at STEP. “When we started a long time ago, the students would probably think it was a little bit boring. Since Mrs. Hagness started, the focus has really been on activities. There are things like handprints that you might have remembered doing, again, student panels, it’s really interactive. There’s the pep rally. Some years we have dancing, and
there are scavenger hunts. So there are all kinds of things that we do to make it really interactive,” Mr.Luther explained.
STEP isn’t just about students feeling welcomed; it’s also about having fun and learning more life skills, like confidence. During STEP, students and staff not only learn about the school itself, but also about the community. “We’re doing everything from team building to a session on mindfulness and meditation,” said Ms. Hagness, Morgan School principal.
This year, over 137 of the Morgan students signed up to be buddies and trainers to help incoming freshmen feel welcomed. They might not all get picked, but the students who do will know how incoming freshmen feel because they have been freshmen before.
If you do STEP, you could earn .25 credits every time you do it. If you complete STEP all four years, you can earn one full credit, which represents a full year’s class worth of work.
Mr.Luther believes that when parents ask students how STEP went, most of the time they will say it went amazingly. “So getting feedback from them is how we know it’s successful, but I think that oftentimes when we ask students, what do they like about Morgan, and they’re talking to parents just on their own? They’ll say the STEP program really helped them, and that comes up a lot.” Mr Luther explained.
Mrs. Davis is a math teacher here at The Morgan School who runs the STEP program. Mrs.Davis has been running the STEP program for two years now, and this year will be her third year, where she, Mrs.Hagness, and other faculty members plan activities and help each other to structure everything for the program.
Mr.Luther is a big part of the Morgan School community, not just because he is the assistant principal, but also because he is involved and helps kids not only during STEP but throughout the entire year. “ I see the value, and that makes me really happy, especially when the students are doing all these activities and the smiles on their faces.” Mr.Luther said.
Mr. Luther also knows it can help not only freshmen but also upperclassmen. “ I think that it teaches students that everybody can be a leader. You don’t have to be the class president or the captain of a sport. You can be a leader just by showing positive actions and helping somebody.” Mr.Luther stated.
