Imagine going to high school with 3,210 other kids. Do you think you'd be able to find your way around in seven minutes with that many people in the hallways? Could you make friends?

North Central High School freshmen share many such concerns. Panther Quest, an optional summer program, is designed to help students become familiar with the school and each other before the school year begins. To find out more about this program, Y-Press interviewed several students who have been Panther Quest facilitators.

Seniors Alex Moore, Ryan Clayton and Drew Connor, all 18, were part of last summer's leadership team because, they said, they had been helped by Panther Quest and wanted to give back to the school.

"I thought it'd be really neat to do something helping the underclassmen. I had a good experience when I came to Panther Quest as a freshman," Alex explained.

Drew said he had some reservations, and Panther Quest cheered him up. "Some of my fears were definitely getting lost in the school, and I was really worried about not being able to find my classes," he said.

The facilitators "really, really put me at ease going in about what to expect and how everything was going to go," he continued. "I met a lot of nice people and formed friendships with them that have lasted throughout my high school career."

Ryan credits Panther Quest with encouraging him to pursue his many interests. "The one thing that really hit me was, 'Get involved.' That's what I did -- I got involved in everything I could."

"It was fun to get to meet new people," Alex added, "and it was really exciting being able to learn about the school, where to go. On the first day I knew where everything was."

Panther Quest has been around since the mid-1990s. About 500 students yearly attend the program, which was started by counselor Joan Grinkmeyer. Each summer there are three or four sessions, each lasting a day.

Freshmen first get to know their classmates and learn school chants. Next, topics including academic requirements, extracurricular activities and school rules are addressed. The day ends with a scavenger hunt.

"The scavenger hunt allows you to go through the school and to find where every office is -- counselor's office, assistant principal's . . . every place that you would wonder about or have a question about," Alex explained.

For this summer, 36 facilitators were chosen from more than 100 applicants. Facilitators also go through leadership training before the first session.

The teens said communication and leadership skills are needed to be a successful facilitator.

"Having the younger students being able to look up to (us) as the leaders of North Central, I think, benefits us in the program," Alex said, "and I know outgoing personalities are probably the best thing for Panther Quest."

Drew also said vivacity is necessary. "You have to be energetic to get everybody involved and make everybody want to do what they're supposed to do," he said.

Helping freshmen to move out of their comfort zones is crucial to the success of Panther Quest.

"The hardest thing is if you have a freshman in your group that is kind of rowdy or maybe doesn't really get along with the other kids. You have to help them, and at the same time help the rest of your group," said Drew.

Although it could be arduous, they agreed that facilitating definitely had some positive points.

"When I was a freshman, I highly respected the facilitators. So that was my favorite part -- being able to put myself back in that position and be the people that I looked up to," said Alex.

Ryan appreciated the spirit and energy at Panther Quest.

"There's a lot of energy going around the whole program, and I really loved it," he said. "I've learned how to deal with others, with different types of people, and I think that's really helped me throughout my years in high school."

These facilitators all had different views of what freshmen should get out of Panther Quest. Alex felt that, more than anything, she wants them to feel a part of North Central.

"Our motto this year was do (or) pick one thing that you'd like to be involved with so you feel a part of North Central's family, whether it's arts or music, academics, Spell Bowl. There's clubs like card club and swimming and even ice cream club and step club. And then if there's not something, any student can start a club with a sponsor."

A sense of comfort is what Drew wants new freshmen to receive from Panther Quest.

"We try to ease everyone's fears and hopefully make their first day and first week and first year at North Central an enjoyable one," he said.

Ryan hopes that Panther Quest helps to unify the diverse group of students who are coming together for the first time. "One of the things that we stress is basically fitting in. As a freshman you're coming in with so many different schools, whether you're coming from a private school to a public school, or from a township school, it could be a big change," he said.

NEXT SUNDAY : Freshmen discuss their adjustments to high school.

ASSISTANT EDITOR : Megan Brown, 15.

REPORTERS : Austin Golden, 10; Adrienne McLean, 14; Lindsay Smith, 13; Averie Timm, 13.