Archer Hauck & Franny Weber, both ’14 | Page Editor & Staff Writer

Coming to South for the first time used to be intimidating and overwhelming. But freshmen will transition in an entirely new way this fall thanks to the mentoring program Link Crew.

Link Crew is a program that consists of upperclassmen who will work with freshmen throughout the entire school year. Their goal is to help them get oriented at South and make the transition smoother, Emily Richner ’14 said.

“The program is a rock for freshmen during their first year,” said Dennis Pascoe, Link Crew adviser. “Adjusting to a new school can be a stressful experience and Link Crew is striving to make it easier.”

Pascoe first encountered Link Crew while teaching at De La Salle High School, he said.

“The program is international and I thought it was time to bring it to South,” said Pascoe. “A lot of other schools in the area have already had it for a while.”

According to boomerangproject.com, 41 states have schools with Link Crew, and 1 million students are impacted across North America each year. It has been running for 19 years, and is in both the United States and Canada.

Another function of Link Crew is to break the barrier regarding different classes, Pascoe said.

“We are taking the intimidation factor out of dealing with upperclassmen,” said Pascoe.

Seniors and juniors make up the majority of Link Crew, but a few sophomores are also involved, Pascoe said. There are almost 100 students in Link Crew, responsible for mentoring almost 400 freshmen.

“I hope to pass along some knowledge to the freshmen,” said Max Roeske ’13. “With my sister coming to south next year I want to be sure every incoming freshman knows a tip or two before getting to the big leagues.”

The students involved present a complete cross section of the school, Pascoe said.

“We tried to find a wide variety of kids; not just students in NHS (National Honor Society), not just athletes, but students from all different social circles and activities,” said Pascoe.

Many students have gotten involved in link crew to help freshmen with things they struggled with in previous years, Olivia Monette ’13 said.

“My old English teacher Mr. Pascoe told me he was thinking about starting this club,” said Monette. “Once it got started, I was really excited to apply and join to help the freshmen because I know what it felt to be nervous for high school.”

There will be 10 freshmen for every two leaders, said Jack Bracci ’14. The leader’s job will be to mentor and show them around the school so they feel more comfortable during the school day.

Throughout the year, Link Crew will invite them to events and be there if they need any help or advice with anything, Pascoe said.

“Rather than a scheduled program, it will be more like the freshmen having an instant friend, someone to say hi to in the hallway or take them out to lunch every once in a while,” said Pascoe.

Link Crew leaders will also help freshmen study for their first midterms, he said. Study sessions will be held at leader’s houses to try and teach the freshmen how to handle the week long tests.

Overall, the new club will try and make the freshmen’s move from middle school to high school as smooth as possible, Monette said.

“We want them to have a fun first year and not be anxious about pointless worries,” said Monette.

Looking out for freshmen is the job of every upperclassman, not just those in Link Crew, Pascoe said.

“Each class leaves behind their own legacy, it is up to them to decide whether it’s a positive or a negative one,” said Pascoe. “I think Link Crew will help it be a positive one.”