While sitting in an engaged classroom, all heads turn towards the door. A Williston student giving a prospective student tour opens the door and introduces the student and maybe his or her family to the teacher. The teacher pauses the lesson and explains to the family what the students are studying.

Perhaps you, a member of the Williston community, have experienced a situation similar to this and wondered what it would be like to be a student on a tour.

Each year, students volunteer to become tour guides. Many decide to volunteer for the program for similar reasons.  “I decided to give tours because of my experience when I was looking at boarding schools,” says Maisy Glick, a member of the junior class.

Similarly, junior Emily Grussing says, “From touring eight different prep schools, I realized that it seemed like something I’d be interested in doing.” Additionally, sophomore Izzy Tegtmeyer says, “I felt as if I could give the prospective student a good idea of what life at Williston is like.” She adds, “I really like meeting new people and talking to them.”

Students who are scheduled to give tours are given notice from the admissions office before the tour. “I get an email and text from admissions a week in advance,” says Emily Grussing. “That is definitely enough warning for me to either accept or decline and to plan my day around the tour,” she says.

Many students have found that being a tour guide has proven to be a beneficial experience. “Now that I am a tour guide, I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to take a step back from my busy Williston life and see this place from outside eyes looking in,” says Emily Grussing. “Putting myself in the shoes of my tours really helps me realize why I chose Williston in the first place, and I love being reminded of that,” she adds.

“The tour guide’s enthusiasm for the school was a big factor in how I viewed the schools I was touring,” says Maisy Glick. She continues, “Seeing how much of an impact the tour guide made on me, I wanted to be able to participate in that experience for prospective students at Williston.”

Some students who have given tours reflect on their most positive experiences. “When I was a freshman, a girl I toured was really nice and asked a lot of questions,” says sophomore Caroline Borden. “I felt really helpful,” she adds.

Emily Grussing says, “The best experience I had on a tour was this year. The girl and her dad just really seemed to love everything about Williston.” She then goes on to say, “They were sweet, thoughtful, and asked a lot of questions. They complimented our school and seemed genuinely interested in everything I had to say.”

Maisy Glick says that a good tour occurs when “the family is very talkative and takes an interest in me as well as the school.” Izzy Tegtmeyer says that she last toured a mutual friend from hockey and that it was by far her most enjoyable tour.

Although giving tours can be a fun and beneficial experience, many tour guides have had some challenging experiences while touring. “Sometimes tours can seem long when the family is quiet or doesn’t have a lot of questions,” says Maisy Glick. She also shared her worst experience giving a prospective student tour, which just happened to be her first one. “A family came with two daughters and I was going to shadow another tour guide. We expected to tour the girls separately, but they wanted to go together, so there ended up being four tour guides for two girls and their parents,” she says. “The number of people was comical and walking by classrooms in such a large group looked a little ridiculous,” she says.

Izzy Tegtmeyer says that her worst experience was when “the admissions office accidentally gave me a faulty key so I couldn’t get into John Wright to show my tour a room.”

Caroline Borden says that she once toured a family who “already knew a lot about Williston.” She says, “They wanted to rush through it.” She adds, “In the beginning, they said that they did not really need a tour.”

“My worst experience on a tour was last winter,” says Emily Grussing. “It was right before [winter storm] Nemo and the mom had on high heels and almost fell multiple times walking up the hill from the gym to Reed. I felt really badly,” she adds. “Both the mom and daughter kept comparing Williston to other schools. They didn’t even say thank you after.”

While giving a tour, the tour guide has no particular required dress, however he or she must definitely be in dress code. “We aren’t asked to wear anything specific on tour day,” says Maisy Glick. “I always seem to be very aware if I am in dress code on the days I give tours.”

According to those students who were questioned, a prospective student tour is a beneficial experience as well as great opportunity to help the community. Meeting new people, answering questions, showing buildings and classrooms, and sharing knowledge about the school are the responsibilities and privileges of being a tour guide.