With 670 new freshmen entering San Juan Hills School this fall, Link Crew leaders and advisers Kim Stanga and Katie Klingbeil have been busy.

“We have a great group of Link Crew kids this year and we are so excited to welcome our new 9th graders!” said Kingbeil.

The program, which involves tours of the campus and break-out sessions where junior and senior Link Crew leaders to break off into small groups with their freshmen, aims to orient the new freshmen to campus life at SJHHS.

Jaegar Cohen (12) has been apart of Link Crew for two years. “Link Crew is a wonderful opportunity to help those incoming freshmen who are like little fish who get lost in the sea and we’re here to guide them to safety. With that you feel rewarded for doing something good by helping those in your school”

Claire Taylor (12) noticed that when the Freshman first walked in they were attached to their best friends from middle school. However, Taylor says, “after making them participate in activities out of their comfort zones they seemed to be a lot more at ease with each other and us.”

This year a new companion event, for incoming transfer students, was added. Transfer students — defined as sophomores, juniors, and seniors new to our school this year — have always come to orientation, but they always felt a little odd since leaders kept calling them freshmen, according to Klingbeil.

This year a Transfer Student Breakfast was held Thursday, August 20 from 10:30 – 11:30 am at the lower lunch tables. Topic of Transfer Breakfast included anything students could get confused about, like how the library works or summer homework or dress code. Any teachers on campus were invited to join in. Not all Link Crew members were at this event, just the few who volunteered.

Brandon Pho (12) transferred to SJHHS his sophomore year. He says, “I wish there was something like this for me when I transfered. The new transfer kids are really lucky that they are all getting to meet each other and get acquainted with the school before the actual school year starts”

Taylor says, “It feels great to give back to the school and help all the Freshman, I can’t wait for the upcoming events we will do with Link Crew.”