'There's A Future Out There For Them': Tulsa Public Schools 'Match Day' Connects 8th Graders With High Schools

Starting high school can be a scary thing. For Paris Cooper, the nerves aren't too bad.

“If I make some new friends, if I try to keep to myself a little bit, I think I’ll be okay,” she said.

But Tulsa Public Schools setting her and other 8th graders up for success at the district’s first-ever “Match Day.”

“It can be nerve-wracking; we want to really just show there's nothing to be nervous about. There's so many opportunities, and that's the amazing thing about high school, is you can dip your toes into so many different things,” said Hudson Harder.

At the University of Tulsa, rising TPS high school students learned about the options and programs available to them across the district. Webster High School is one of 11 high schools who pitched what they have to offer the students.

“We have the media, we have all the sports, we have jazz band, regular band,” said Everett Davis. 

Davis and Harder say the event also previews a life beyond the classroom.

“There’s so many opportunities not just in school, but past school, we want to show kids that there’s a future out there for them,” said Harder.

Paris says, through the presentations, her mind has been opened.

“I’ve gotten to hear so much about different schools that I’ve never had a perspective on before and that I’ve never even heard of,” she said.

She believes the “Match Day” will help her make a school choice that aligns with her love of art, history, and drama.

“There’s so much I can do, and there’s so many things that I didn’t even know I wanted to do that I saw and I was like ‘that sounds kind of cool,’” said Paris.

And she's feeling confident the road ahead will be full of excitement.

The TPS application for students to enroll in high school is on the district's website and opens on Jan. 11.

Students can also enroll in person at the TPS Enrollment Center Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or at the TPS Enrollment Expo at TU on Jan. 11.