Here at Independence High School, Link Crew is an organization dedicated to helping incoming freshmen to feel welcomed, informed, and connected. Link Crew hosts events to ease the transition into high school, and pulled off another successful first day.
On the morning of the first day, the gym was packed with energy. Teachers, Link Crew leaders, cheerleaders, and the football team lined up to cheer as freshmen walked in. Music and loud cheers filled the atmosphere and set a memorable start.
Once freshmen were seated, Mr. Graham, Honors English teacher, commenced the assembly and got the entire gym excited with chants. To get the freshman even more excited for a fun year, a balloon-popping game was introduced. Each Link leader teamed up with five freshmen. The objective was to pop as many balloons as possible,back-to-back. This brought laughs to everyone.
After the assembly, students proceeded to their designated group and met with their Link leaders. Angelina Arenas, Senior Link leader, says she and freshman “participated in icebreaker activities to help everyone learn each other’s names and feel more comfortable”. To wrap up the orientation, Arenas says she “showed freshmen their classrooms and key locations across campus”.
Freshman, Alice Amarillas appreciated the warm welcome and said the leaders were “cool, nice, and good people to be around with.” Amarillas enjoyed her first day of school with her group and felt comfortable and confident navigating the campus.
Adali Lopez, Freshman, shared that her first day felt “awkward because of nervousness”, but overall she enjoyed the games and appreciated how kind and fun the leaders were.
Behind the scenes, Link leaders like seniors Sofia Leyva Felix and Angelina Arenas were dedicated to making the day special for the freshmen.
“The reason I joined Link Crew was because when I was a freshman, my Link Leader didn’t really try to help or contact me. I didn’t want that for any other upcoming freshman,” said Leyva, who has made it a priority to stay connected with her assigned crew.
For Arenas, being a Link Leader was more than just helping others; it was about growth. “Being part of Link Crew taught me how to be a great leader,” said Arenas. A goal was to inspire freshmen “to do the best with their school work and push them to make new friends”, says Arenas.
Amanda Shepard, Link Crew Organizer shares that Link Crew is “a welcoming community for freshmen, who are new to the school”, and a way for upperclassmen to “mentor”.
Link crew is all about sharing experiences and being involved, “freshmen learn from by watching” says Mrs. Shepard. With dedicated leaders and enthusiastic support, Link Crew once again proved its value in shaping a strong, inclusive community at Independence High School. For many freshmen, this first impression won’t be forgotten.
