freshmEn to run through on their very first day at
Lincoln High to help them feel welcomed.
Photo by Greg Keller
By Thommassen Honnor
August 13th was the first day of school – for freshmen anyway. Spanish Teacher and Link Crew sponsor Amy Stetson said that before Link Crew (LC) was a part of Lincoln High, the first day of school was pretty scary for freshmen.
“Before Link Crew, freshmen were subjected to going through their schedule for the whole day. They went from class to class, all day long, listening to rules and regulations of Lincoln High,” Stetson explained. When LC finally came along, freshmen started enjoying the first day. Social Studies teacher and Link Crew sponsor Nancy Grant-Colson said, “I think it makes more sense for our freshmen to be welcomed into this community, in addition to staff, by upperclassmen. It’s more fun to be welcomed by upper class kids.”
Link Crew member junior Caelum Hubl said, “I remember the turtle activity, because our group really worked to get it done, and it was pretty fun.”
The main point of having Link Crew is to make Lincoln High a more safe, comfortable learning environment, for students and teachers alike.
FCS Teacher Shelley Swartz said, “The purpose of Link Crew is to engage freshmen, and to get them to be excited to be in high school.” That means a lot of activities to come, and help them connect with other students. LC members help new students adjust to the new environment. Freshman Maddie Ring said, “They helped me get where I needed to go in this giant school and made me feel comfortable in the new environment.”
their first day of school. Photo by Greg Keller
The LC group for 2013- 2014 first met as a group on May 23 of last school year, after the last set of finals was dismissed, and again the next day. These were quick training days, about 3 hours total each day, for the group. Everyone played a few games, and learned each other’s name, and the general idea of what it means to be a part of Link Crew.
Towards the end of the summer, everything big began. On August 2, there was a Hype-Up-Picnic at Pioneers Park. The group of students, and the teachers in charge of LC got together to eat, talk, and play some games. August 9th, and 12th were the major training days, when the LC members learned exactly what they were going to do. They learned the games, and how to work well with the freshman.
Junior Caelum Hubl said, “The worst part was getting up at 7 a.m.”
During Festivus this year, LC gave out candy at a fundraising booth, using the money to fund next year’s group, as well as activities which are also fundraisers coming this school year, such as selling water at Homecoming, Coco Cram, March Movie Night, and Valentine’s Day Flowers.
Coco Cram will be going on in December, the week before finals. Grant-Colson described it as “a place where you can be with your pals, you can study for finals, you can ask questions [like] ‘What does this look like?’ and just kinda hang out and have a safe, welcoming, supportive place to prepare for finals, and see their Link Crew leaders.” But it’s not all always hard studying. She continues to tell a story about a previous year when, towards the end of Coco Cram, a group of freshmen were there, but were just done with studying. “Our Link Crew Leaders played a game of charades with them,” Grant-Colson continues. “They like, just, spontaneously broke out into a game of charades. I joinedand it was really fun.”
Giving Valentine’s Day Flowers is a special thing you can do for friends, someone you have a crush on, or someone you’re with right now. Link Crew will have set up a table at lunch, where you can go and purchase a flower for your special someone. You can have flowers delivered to them with a special note from you on Valentine’s Day. Or, if you’re looking for a pick-me-up during the day, you can have one sent to yourself, and make all your friend’s jealous of that “Special Someone” that you are to yourself.
March Movie Night is, as the title suggests, a night in March where freshmen can stay after school for a while and watch a movie with the LC members. It’s more of a chance for the freshmen, and leaders to keep in touch, and stay connected with one another.
One of the most educational activities for LC and freshmen this year will be the new Academic Crew. This will be a group of Link Crew Leaders who want to stay in touch with freshmen, and help them by going to their Advisories and teaching a class. A different Advisory group each day. Stetson said “The Academic Crew will go into freshmen Advisories and work with them doing Link Crew activities that are similar to what happens on the first day of school.” LC Leaders who wish to do this will train September 26th, and 30th from 3:30-4:30 p.m., and will teach October 1st, and 8th in Advisory. The first Academic Crew will celebrate and reflect on October 9th, at 3:30-4:00 p.m. The second round will train December 2nd from 3:30-4:00 p.m. They will teach December 3rd, and 10th in Advisories. The Celebrate and Reflect time will be December 11th, at 3:30-4:00 p.m.
There may be other activities that Link Crew has planned, but none are for sure at the moment.
Lots of students will be joining LC next year.
Hubl said, “If you choose to do Link Crew, you’ve made a great choice. When you get to your group of freshmen, make them feel at home. It’ll loosen them up a bunch.”
He said he will definitely be doing this next year.
