Link Crew is new WSHS ‘orientation’ crew
by Cynthya Porter
Winona Post
Sometimes teaching students involves reaching them first, but sometimes the voice doing the talking has to sound like their own to be heard.
That philosophy has given rise to Link Crew, a student transition program that will be piloted at Winona Senior High School this fall thanks to a team of teachers laying the groundwork.
Link Crew, a national movement replacing more traditional freshmen orientation days, matches upperclassmen with incoming freshmen to give them a familiar face and a lifeline in an environment that can seem overwhelming.
Link Crew is an arm of the Boomerang Project, designed to enhance educational settings with the expertise of speakers and programs with proven track records of success.
Ninth grade is often viewed as a pivotal time for students, especially when they are transitioning into a new environment. Studies show that if students have a positive experience their first year of high school, their chances of success increase exponentially.
High school teacher Julie Corcoran, one of the local Link Crew facilitators, explained that the process here started when leaders obtained 134 references from high school staff naming students who might make good mentors. The students were not necessarily honor students, but were individuals that teachers felt had good leadership potential.
Next fall, Link Crew will be represented by 70 of those students who will put themselves out there for incoming freshmen in a way Winona has never experienced.
As part of the program, each Link Leader will be assigned 10 freshmen whom they will write to, call, bond with and support in the coming months.
That contact will start over the summer and continue into freshmen orientation activities, but it is a yearlong endeavor, said Corcoran. Link Crew leaders will stay in touch with their freshmen matches throughout the year, touching base on things like academics, social matters and navigating the system at the high school.
For freshmen, organizers hope the program will help increase attendance, decrease discipline referrals and improve academic performance, all hallmarks that Link Crew has demonstrated at other schools.
The cornerstone of the philosophy is connecting upperclassmen with newcomers in a way that is meaningful, providing them with information, encouragement and a sense of belonging during what for many is a difficult time.
At an organizational day in early May, the upperclassmen learned more about their upcoming duties with freshmen including how to go about building that bridge, which will start before students ever get to the first day of school.
Enthusiasm for the program is palpable, Corcoran said, and Link Crew leaders are looking forward to making a difference. “I can tell you from May Day, they were very, very excited,” she said.