Last week we had the honor of sitting at a table where three Link Leaders met with Tom Torlakson, CA State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The Leaders both humbled and awed Mr. Torlakson, as well as the other public officials who were in the meeting, with their stories of being freshmen at their respective schools as well as now being Link Crew Leaders.
We were reminded that Link Crew and WEB are so much about the stories, both the challenges and the successes, that the students have to tell. Each of their stories was different, of course, but all had a common thread that ran through them: a picture of struggle, compassion and conquering. Follow this link to read Jay-R’s, Abraham’s and Anne’s stories as well as find out how you can share your students’ stories on our website.
Jay-R, currently a senior Link Crew Leader at Everett Alvarez High School in Salinas, CA, did not have an easy start to high school. Jay-R was attending his freshman year at a high school that did not have a Link Crew program. He was teased and harassed so much that he resorted to eating his lunch in a bathroom stall and eventually was skipping days of school. After that miserable year, Jay-R transferred to Everett Alvarez for a new start. Although he was a sophomore, he was welcomed in by Link Crew Leaders and immediately felt a part of the school. As a result, Jay-R got involved with clubs, improved his academic performance and then his junior year became a Link Crew Leader to give back to the program that had turned his life around. Now, as a senior, Jay-R has a 4.2 GPA and is looking forward to college next year.
Abraham, also currently a senior Link Crew Leader at Everett Alvarez High School, like Jay-R, attended his freshman year at a school that did not have Link Crew (Yuma, AZ). His freshman year was “OK” primarily because he had an older brother who showed him the ropes. But at the end of his freshman year he reluctantly moved with his mom to Salinas, CA. He said he was scared to move to Salinas because of the gang violence but the moment he stepped on to EAHS campus, he felt safe and comfortable as Link Crew Leaders reached out to him to help with his transition. Abraham has been a Link Crew Leader for two years now in order to ensure that all students feel as sense of security and connection to the school. After graduation, he is beginning a culinary career.
Anne, a senior Link Crew Leader at Santa Cruz High School in Santa Cruz, CA, didn’t struggle her freshman year. Santa Cruz High did not have Link Crew her freshman year, but she had a group of older friends who mentored her through the year as well as an English teacher who made sure that she felt connected to her new school. However, while Anne had a “personal Link Crew”, most of her peers did not and she watched as many of her friends left SCHS because of their lack of connection to the school. Students who were doing just fine academically didn’t feel a part of the school and felt socially disenfranchised. Anne recognizes her luck in having older students to support her but also felt a sense of sadness as her friends struggled and left. Anne, now a senior Link Crew Leader, knew that she didn’t want others to feel left out so she became a Link Crew Leader to be part of a formal structure to ensure freshman success.
Mr. Torlakson sat and intently listened to these students’ stories, asking some questions and taking notes. But it was the compassion in his eyes that showed he understood the power of Link Crew and the role that it plays in the lives of high school students.
Link Crew and WEB are about intentionally and structurally connecting students to each other and their schools. For school and other public officials it is often about academic, attendance and disciplinary improvements. But, after sitting at the table, we are reminded it is about the heart of the students…their lives, their stories.
Because we know there are more stories out there, we want to invite you and/or your Leaders to be guest bloggers. Let us know if you have great stories like these or aha moments that you want to share with the Link Crew and WEB communities in order to remind us all why we are doing what we are doing.
If you are interested in submitting a story, contact us at info@boomerangproject.com
