LA PINE, OR -- The class of 2018 is home from college for winter break, but many are headed back to high school, this week. Danielle Patrick, with La Pine High School, says 17 alumni will visit their younger classmates on Thursday. "Every year, when the college kids are off Christmas Break before we are, we invite our alumni to come back and they talk with each of our grade levels about their experiences with their first term in college."

She tells KBND News, "It's really great at all grade levels, but our Juniors and Seniors, are getting ready to make those choices, and I think having returning alumni that they know very well share their experiences, is a lot of times eye-opening." The information provided by recent graduates can help current high schoolers recognize the value of the college prep they're getting now. "We talk to them about college starting their freshman year, prepare them and go through activities with them. But to see somebody who's there right now really has a big impact," says Patrick, "When they say, 'I'm so glad that I took this class,' or, 'I wish I would've listened to you when you told me to take Math my Senior Year,' it's nice to hear."

This is the third year Patrick has been involved in the La Pine alumni event, "We break the students into grade levels, because your seniors, who are embarking on this next year, their questions are probably going to be different than a freshman's." Other Bend-La Pine schools will host alumni this week, as well, before high schools let out for winter break: Bend Senior High grads visit their old school Tuesday and Thursday, Mountain View alum visit Wednesday and Summit has alumni activities scheduled through the week. Returning students are from Universities like Stanford, Wellesley, and Colorado mesa ... as well as Community colleges.