For the past three years, the incoming freshman class to Benilde-St. Margaret’s has been enthusiastically welcomed into the community by a group of juniors and seniors known as Link Crew. The group will still be around next year, but the leaders are hoping to make some big changes.
Link Crew has seen much success this year; their small group activities and class-bonding events throughout the year have eased the transition to high school for many of the freshmen. “We had a really good year, but there is always room for improvement,” said Link Crew adviser Ms. Nicole Rasmussen.
Most of the freshmen agree with Rasmussen and stress the importance of this program. “I came from Minnetonka Middle School so I didn’t know anyone,” said freshman Paul Graupner, “It was great because I actually knew most of my grade by the first day of school and it helped me get involved in the community.”
This organization is not just an extra curricular to add to students’ resumes, but the leaders really enjoy what they are doing, and the freshmen seem to be benefiting from it. “Link Crew introduced me to people I might not have otherwise ever met, and I play soccer so it was nice having some upperclassman leaders who play soccer because it makes me feel more connected,” said Graupner.
Not only do the freshmen get something out of it, but the leaders feel they benefit from it too. “It was a really fun experience and it was nice because we could all relate to what they were going to so we could give them good advice and help them have an easier transition because I think it really helps build the community together,” said junior Link Crew leader Annabelle Javellana.
And they want to find ways to do an even better job at this to continue growing the community as strong as possible. “This year has been very successful, but there is always room for improvement, so that is our goal just to keep making it the best it can be,” said Rasmussen.
In particular they will be making a few specific changes for next year. First of all the group interviews are a new addition so the advisers can get a better idea of the candidates and their personalities, to aid the process of choosing good leaders. “We got the interview idea from other schools’ programs, and it will help us put names and faces together. Plus it demonstrates a candidate’s ability to think on their feet, which is essentially what they have to be able to do with the freshman groups they would work with,” said Rasmussen.
Additionally, next year they hope to have more student-run activities outside of school for the freshmen in hopes to make it more fun and give the kids more of a personal connection with each other.
