Ward Melville Grads Return for Alumni Day

This time last year, Miles Lafitte was just beginning to make college-related decisions, a process made a little easier by Ward Melville High School's annual Alumni Day – the day each year when former students come back to share the lessons they've learned with the current junior and senior classes.

Now a freshman commercial aviation major at the University of North Dakota, Lafitte was among more than 80 graduates who returned to Ward Melville on Thursday to participate in panel discussions and classroom visits.

"I knew the rumors about college: parties every weekend, long nights spending endless hours finishing essays," Lafitte said. "But getting there, taking the classes I wanted to, having the freedom to do what I needed to do whenever I wanted to do it, really gave me a chance to enjoy college."

The topics of discussion ranged from dorm life and cafeteria food to extracurricular activities and school work. Some "colorful language" was used to describe roommate scenarios and class workloads in particular. The conversation took a more serious tone when time management came up in discussion.

Ilana Scandariatio, last year's salutatorian and current Yale freshman, gave Dr. George Baldo's InSTAR junior class some advice they could apply immediately. She called the college application process just the beginning – "not the end point" – and advised students to choose a college where they'd feel at home.

"Really think about a place where you'll be comfortable," she said, "besides the academics and the name."

Many of the panelists agreed it's OK to be undecided on a major or to change your major during your first year or two at school.

"Take as many classes as you can. You never know what you're going to like," said Kasey Heiser, Class of 2009, now a junior at SUNY Oneonta.

Following the panel discussions, some students said they were helpful.

"I thought it was pretty cool," said Jacob Lee, a WMHS junior. "It was really interesting to hear what college is like. They answered a lot of questions for me."

Guidance counselor Jennifer Sheppard, one of the coordinators of the event, said she reaches alumni via Facebook to set up their panel discussions. After each class period, she collected surveys from the current students who participated – which yielded overwhelmingly positive feedback.

"Every year it gets bigger and bigger," she said.