Dressed in Hawaiian leis, Burger King crowns, and Marvel accessories corresponding to their groups’ theme, Link Leaders guided students from the Class of 2025 throughout the campus for the annual Freshman Welcome Day on Aug. 11. 

Link Crew is a group of junior and senior “ambassadors” that welcome freshmen and new students to the school and support them throughout the school year and at rallies.

To prepare themselves for the freshmen activities, Link Leaders completed two full days of training before Welcome Day, rehearsing the games each group would play to build teamwork and connect.  

President of Link Crew and Daniela Garcia, senior, said, “[Link Crew] is a great way to get involved in high school while meeting new people.” Garcia remarked that she was glad that she could give advice to the incoming class that she would have wanted as a freshman. 

Unlike last year’s Virtual Freshman Welcome Day, which was conducted via Zoom, this year’s orientation was held in-person, allowing more collaborative activities like “Count Off” (a contest involving collaborative counting); “Team Juggling” (a ball-toss game that requires communication between team members); and “64 Squares” (in which students walk across a grid board with a hidden pattern).

Link Crew leaders and freshmen gathered at the quad where students were divided into their designated groups. Two leaders in each group guided incoming freshmen throughout the campus, explained school rules, and led bonding activities. Each group also dressed in unique themes.

With over 400 freshmen and 92 link leaders that attended the orientation, “Welcome Day was a great success,” Kara Dietz, Link Crew Advisor, said. Dietz oversaw the Link Leaders guiding their groups of freshmen on campus and was pleased with the great turnout.

Freshman Elizabeth Han, a participant in the orientation, said that she received a “warm welcome [that made her] feel more comfortable and less scared for the coming school year.” Han also encourages future freshmen to attend the Link Crew orientation because students can enjoy “playing games and get to know the Link leaders as well as fellow incoming freshmen.”

Niko Yamamoto, freshman, said that the orientation was “very helpful” because the leaders showed him around campus and helped him understand a little better what life at the high school would be like. 

Dahlia Chavez, senior, and Vice President of Link Crew cabinet, joined the Link Crew class to share the impact the orientation had on Chavez before the start of her freshman year. “My favorite part about being a leader is knowing my influence is going to have an effect on [freshman] and that people can look up to me,” Chavez said.

To help freshmen feel more comfortable on the first day of school, Link Crew members — easily identifiable in bright blue t-shirts — were available to help the freshman class navigate the campus and answer questions about their schedules.