If there's one word to describe Wareham High School, it's family.

That's what senior Brett McSherry told a group of eighth graders during the high school's open house on Wednesday night.

"We truly are a family, and I think that's what it comes down to," she said.

McSherry opened up the night with her own experience as an eighth grader looking at which high school to attend. Though she really wanted to go to a charter school, she said ending up at the high was the "best possible decision" she could've made.

Having already taken eight advanced placement courses and been accepted to three colleges, McSherry credited her success to the school's environment.

Over a dozen prospective students and their families toured the high school and met members of different school organizations.

Parents and students were able to ask the principals and department heads questions before the tour. One of those questions was, "How does the high school prepare students for the workforce compared to charter or technical schools?"

With only 518 students, the school offers 27 different clubs and activities and has 20 athletic teams, something Science, Fine and Applied Arts Department Chair Brent Ruter said was "incredible" for a school its size.

"You want to place yourself in a location with lots and lots of opportunities," he said.

In addition to the clubs, sports, and organizations offered in the high school, over $250,000 in scholarships were awarded to students in the past year just from local businesses and organizations.