Incoming freshmen to West Seattle High School are going to get a major helping hand in making the transition to high school as result of a national program being introduced at the school this year called Link Crew.

Link Crew is a leadership program created by the Boomerang Project (an organization that works on high school transition issues) that is offered to high schools in the United States and Canada. It allows the school to choose upper-classmen to be linked with freshmen throughout the year making them Link Leaders. Their mission is to help the freshman get involved in the school, to get engaged in school activities and become part of the social web.

The program involves two days of intense training in activities and exercises that are meant to guide freshmen but more than that to help break down barriers and give them critical thinking skills to see how they might improve their own high school experience.

Leading the effort on Friday, Sept. 2 was Laura McCarthy, WSHS Spanish Teacher and Link Crew Coordinator. She explained that Assistant Principal Jennifer Kniseley "got our wheels turning on this last year then once that happened the national organization offers a three day training for Link Crew Coordinators. Seven of us, including our entire administration went to that training last spring. It was really intense and it was really well done."

McCarthy explained that the program is designed to train juniors and seniors to act as mentors for incoming freshmen. "The real focus of Link Crew is to support 9th graders in their transition to high school," she said.

"Statistics have shown that if students finish their ninth grade year behind in credits the likelihood that they will graduate on time drastically drops," she said.
With the budget cuts in place there is no summer school or night school so the ways in which students could make up credits have been eliminated. This makes a program like Link Crew more vital because it helps those who might otherwise fall behind, stay engaged, involved and motivated to succeed.

"There's been so much research done showing the importance of students feeling connected to school," McCarthy continued, "whether it's friends, an adult or an activity."

Each freshman student is assigned to a group of 9 to 11 other freshmen and one or two Link Leaders. Link Leaders have activities during their freshman orientation to make the freshmen feel at home. Link Leaders continue to support their student Crew by meeting with them weekly, inviting them to school functions, and assisting them academically.

"The ninth graders first four hours at West Seattle High School are going to be the LInk Crew orientation," McCarthy said, They will meet in the gym and go through a lot of activities including one called 64 Squares in which a grid of sheets of paper is laid out and a story guides the students in a path across the grid. The exercise is meant to build teamwork and community so they feel connected. Once they've made it through the grid, the Link Leaders (after this training) "help them reflect on how they managed it. What was their process to work as a group to help them succeed.?"

Then they help them translate those learned skills to school itself.

A tour of the school is provided and the Link Leaders help their new friends find their way around during their early days there.

Throughout the year, the Link Leaders are encouraged to continue to connect with the freshmen. They may teach time management, conflict resolution or character education lessons, instruct on how to use school resources, or attend free social events.

Those in the training on Friday applied last year. Out of a group of 80 applicants for 50 spots. "They really represent a wide range of the student body in all ways possible," said McCarthy.

Senior Ryan Gluckman said, "I actually had a really really great freshman year mainly because I was involved in sports (...) When I was a freshman I was sort of uncomfortable around the seniors because they seemed so much older and bigger and knew all the ins and outs of high school. If I would have known them or been able to greet them as people that would have made it more comfortable for me." Gluckman hopes to gain leadership experience from the program.

Kendall Walker and Devin Jackson both offered their thoughts on LInk Crew.
The two seniors are best friends and transferred to West Seattle in their junior year.

"I think it will give the students an opportunity to see what the school is all about," said Walker, and not be intimidated."

Jackson said, "Coming in as a freshman is really nerve wracking because you don't know your way around (...) when I got here I thought I was going to walk into the wrong class so just helping the freshmen getting to know the whole school and the upper classmen should really help a lot." Jackson hopes to gain better communication skills through the program. Walker said, "I really want to be a role model to younger people and I want them to look up to me. If they have any problems I want them to know they can come to me and ask me anything."

This experiential learning goes on throughout the year with monthly events. All the Link Leaders personally invite the freshmen they met the first day to these events. "It sounds small," concluded McCarthy, " but once they start participating at whatever level their comfortable with, it helps students feel more positive about school."