MATTAPOISETT — Rising seventh grader Owen Travers, 12, feels “pretty good” about the upcoming school year and “meeting some new homies” on his first day at Old Rochester Regional Junior High School.

Travers and many other middle and high school students said goodbye to the summer and hello to the school year at the Old Rochester Regional School District’s Back to School Bash on Sunday, Aug. 27.

Groups of middle and high school students played yard games on the field at Old Rochester Regional High School, went down an inflatable water slide and enjoyed free ice cream from Oxford Creamery.

The goal of the Back to School Bash was “to get all the kids excited about coming back to school,” said Old Rochester Regional School District Director of Guidance Lauren Millette. “I am really looking forward to our students coming in and just feeling connected with each other and with the teachers.”

While some students like Travers could look forward to six more years of learning in Old Rochester schools, others like Old Rochester Regional High School senior Jackson Veugen are already looking ahead to college.

“I have a couple of colleges planned out,” said Veugen. “I’m looking at the engineering route, either mechanical or chemical, I haven’t figured it out yet … this year is like a demo for me, I’m taking [Advanced Placement] chemistry and all those classes.”

But even with college in his sights, Veugen is looking forward to hanging out with his friends outside of school.

“Senior year is a year when you get to be free — at least that’s my plan — and let loose, you have a car and can travel,” “More friends and more opportunities … it kind of sounds fake of me, but everything’s about networking … I’m just trying to make my life as lively as possible.”

Old Rochester Regional High School junior and Class of 2025 President Emerson Gonet, 17, is excited for “the social aspect” of returning to school but not for the school work.

“As school starts I’ll be more in the mindset to be ready for the school work,” she said.

Students weren’t the only ones looking forward to the start of the school year. Old Rochester Regional High School resource officer Adalberto Cardoso is “looking forward to it,” although he joked that he “didn’t have the summer off like the kids did — I had to go back to a patrol detail.”

“You can see all the smiles as you look around here,” said Old Rochester Regional School District Superintendent Mike Nelson. “I think building community is one of the most important things you can do at the beginning of a school year, and this is a great way to do it.”