Fifty-two transfers are enrolled for this year; the biggest group since the reopening. Many of the transfers are international and have a spectrum of ages, cultures and languages. Most are athletes juggling a new school, a new culture, a new language and a new team.

Transfer Leader, Naija Omari keeps them in check and on track. He oversees all the upper division beginners, basically giving the transfers a watered-down version of the Benedict’s freshman year.

“The only difference between a transfer leader and freshman counselor is that we work in a larger scale and deal with older people,” Naija said.

Naija holds 10 to 20 minute occasional meetings after school with them, sort of a transfer Pre-Convo. He takes attendance, and uses the meeting to talk about issues like grades, to give advice, to warn and to even just chile with them.

He said, he wanted to see the transfer succeed and not be disrespected. To do that they have to learn the Benedict’s ways including behavior. “[Their being disrespectful] makes me look bad, makes us look bad,” Naija said.

Other than seeing the transfers finish the trail, their beginner year and get their black hoods, Naija has one last long term goal:

“I want to come back and watch the transfers graduate like counselors do for their freshmen,” Naija said.

Science teacher Jon Marlow aids in the program with Naija as a faculty moderator for the transfers.

“Anything that Naija or the transfers need I will back them up,” Mr. Marlow said.

Mr. Marlow was asked to be the moderator for the transfers when he first came to Benedicts. Growing up he went through three different high schools in three different states and has transferred to a new school nearly every year since his seventh grade.

“I know what it feels like to be the new kid,” Mr. Marlow said

Mr. Marlow said, the transfer programs runs like a group; Naija is the group leader and him the moderator, except there are less meetings.

Along with helping the transfers Mr. Marlow will continue to help the transfers as their field commander for the Appalachian trail.