by Nels Nelsen

St. John Bosco High School’s Student Ambassador Program draws in prospective students and represents the whole student body.

”I would just say [they] are the leaders of our school and the community,” said Mrs. Becky Ellison, the Dean of Enrollment.

The Student Ambassadors go out to different middle schools, mainly in the Los Angeles area, to reach out to the junior high students that will become the next generation of Braves.

“The goal of the ambassadors program is [that] it’s a group of students who will represent our school outside of our campus,” said Coach Matt Dunn, who is an Admissions Community Partner that helps coordinate the Student Ambassador Program.

Students go out into the community and give presentations at local middle schools. They also help with Open House and are instrumental in the Brave for a Day “shadow” visits.

“Shadow” days are when seventh and eighth grade students spend a day on the campus shadowing a current Bosco Brave. They are even matched with a student with the same interests as them, for example a shadow who would want to do theater would be matched with a student who does theater.

The “shadows” spend the day with their assigned student and sit in class with them, go on a tour of the school and are fed lunch. The shadow students arrive at the beginning of the school day and leave between 1:00-1:30 pm.

The impact shadow days serve at Bosco is that they are the best way to recruit new students. This is because it shows prospective students the active and engaging campus experience firsthand, as they get to see what an all-boys school is really like. The Student Ambassadors have a great impact because the junior high students have someone they can relate to.

Mrs. Patty Lozcano is the Admissions Coordinator here at Bosco, and she thinks the Student Ambassadors are an important factor when it comes to the admissions process.

”We use [them] when we do high school fairs and presentations at night to a bunch of different middle schools,” said Mrs. Lozcano. “And we also take [them] to actual middle schools when we do a class presentation during the day.”

Because the Student Ambassadors go out to speak to large groups of people, it actually improves professional skills like public speaking.

”It’s a great opportunity for students to learn to communicate with adults and parents at different situations,” Mrs. Lozcano said.

The Student Ambassadors speak about their personal experiences and time at Bosco to encourage middle schoolers to become St. John Bosco Braves.

Some common questions the Student Ambassadors receive from shadows are things like: How is it being at an all-boys school? Are there any interactions with an all-girls school? What are the teachers like? What clubs and activities are there?

Many students deciding whether or not they want to go Bosco also like asking about the different Pathway Programs.

“For me, I’ve gotten a lot of kids who are interested in the Computer Science Pathway,” said senior Student Ambassador Connor Gallagher.

Being part of the Student Ambassador Program is more optimal for students who have been at Bosco for some time because they have more experiences they can share.

The Student Ambassadors also help with “Youth Night” at Panish Family Stadium, which is where fifty seventh and eight grade students get on the football field and meet the coaches, get a meal and enjoy what it is like to be a Bosco Brave at a football game.