Link Crew is a program created by the boomerang project, that deals with students’ transition into high school and starting out as a Freshman. The Link Crew leaders help the new students feel welcome to high school and make them feel comfortable when meeting new people and seeing a whole new side of education. 

In these past few years, Highland Park has had many students apply and participate in the Link Crew program, and many students say they have had a great time getting to know the new Freshman class each year as Link leaders, and making all kinds of friendships inside and outside of school.

Link Crew creates multiple events throughout the year to show the Freshman more new and exciting things about high school, help them get to know one another including more about their Link Crew leader, and most importantly– having fun with other students.

The Link Crew leaders consist of Juniors and Seniors that have the many qualities that define what being a leader really means such as: kindness, respect, and motivation. This is especially important in helping students who are a bit scared about what to expect when moving into something new like high school, and needing another person who can make them feel good, and also be a friend.

I sat down and talked to a student of Highland involved in Link Crew

Tahji Brown: A 17-year-old Senior, and also a member of the Senior Class council.

He says “My experience as a Link Crew leader has been fun! I wanted to join Link Crew because I want to make a difference in how Freshman look at high school. Link Crew has a lot of different stuff we do, and I have met a lot of different people inside and out of my group, and I must say, All the Freshman this year are so cute!”  

To have more of a better prospective of what the program means, I also talked to one of the coaches of Link Crew:

Matthew McKinney [Mr. McKinney]: He has been at Highland for 6 years now teaching a few different science classes to the students at Highland.

He is the co-coordinator for Link Crew and he says: “Link Crew has so many great students every year. We help make the Link Crew leaders into good examples for the new students making that transition into high school. One quality that stands out in our leaders is kindness, and that is practiced through socializing with other leaders and communicating to work together. We do all sorts of fun events throughout the year to help the freshman grow in being team oriented, contacting their leader, and building their social skills with others.”

Link Crew has helped many Freshman grow and feel confident about their journey through high school, all the way to their Senior year. The application process for new Link Crew leaders is near the end of the school year in May, and students who will be Juniors and Seniors next school year can apply. High school is a whole different experience, and Link Crew wants to help new students be successful in their education while learning about the other students and exciting opportunities that freshman can get involved with in high school.

To learn more about Link Crew at Highland and hear about their events, check out this link to their webpage on the school website: Link Crew (Highland Park Senior High)

Newspaper will be a class run by Ms. Lingofelt during the next school year. Newspaper is a class where students get to write articles to put on the Highland Park Senior High The Plaid Line website. For those students who love to write, this class would be a good class to take.

Students are responsible for writing an original article every other week. The first week is pitch week: pitch week is when students come up with article ideas to write about. The second week is article week: final articles need to be submitted by the end of article week. Newspaper is a pretty chill class where students just write. Articles can be about school, world issues or just anything.

Students here are nice and open, they are very funny people. If students choose to write an article where they can interview someone in the school, they will be given a pass to go interview the person only if that person is free during the hour.

Newspaper would love to have more students, hopefully, in the next school year there will be more students. Hopefully, in the next school year, there will be many different articles published.

What does being a Link Leader mean? To answer this question I interviewed one of my Link Leaders, Lucia Calatayud this year, since I’m a freshman. Being a link leader at Highland means an upperclassmen – juniors or seniors – mentor freshmen on their first year of high school, and getting around.

I asked Lucia what does being a Link Leader mean to her? She answered with, “I really like the people in it and and the really positive environment and everyone seeks a common goal. We are encouraging, happy, silly and most groups aren’t like that. Being a junior or senior means you don’t get a lot of classes with freshman or interact or be one on one with them or know them.”

Next, I asked her what made her what to become a Link Leader? She answered with, “Other Link Leaders encourage me. The tryouts were good. You could tell it was going to be a good year and a good group.”

Then, I asked her how has being a Link Leader impacted her in her life? She answered with, “It made me more outgoing in a way willing to put myself out there. Normally I’m shy, now I’m more outgoing and know more people now.”

Last, I asked what’s her favorite thing about being in Link Crew? She answered with, “The people. The activities because they’re childish and fun and relate to real life situations in a way. It opens up your eyes more. The environment and you always have a good time there.”

My opinion is Link Leaders are such a big help during freshman year. Because you’re new and you’re still trying to find a way to get around and see new faces everywhere you go. My Link Leaders were such a big help. They have encouraged me to be a Link Leader in my junior year, which I’m truly looking forward to. I think everyone should try it at least once during their high school experience. It’s a great way to know new people and help incoming freshmen to show them around just like your Link Leaders helped you.

What’s rent a senior day?

Rent a senior day is when any underclass student such as juniors, sophomores, or freshman rent a senior for the whole day.

What happens during this day is the senior may do anything you ask, but it has to be reasonable and they have to be okay with it. Like, for example, carrying your backpack, or bringing you food before school, or even dressing up with a silly costume.

The reason we do this is because we get to spend a whole day with a friend or a sister or brother who’s a senior and is almost leaving school and heading to college.

I think it’s a great thing because you get to talk to someone maybe you haven’t talked to in a long time, or you’re going to miss them, and they get to see what you do during the day. Also, it’s a great way to get to know people, like maybe your link leaders and all.

That’s what renting a senior is all about.