Link Crew Welcomes Class of 2030

Every year, a new class of freshmen join the Amity community. While they are bubbling with excitement for the new school year, there are always some nerves about the change. For the past 23 years, Amity has had a program called Link Crew to support them.

 

“Link Crew is a national, year-long ninth grade transition program that helps ninth graders acclimate to the expectations, both academic and social,” explains Tasia Kimball, an Amity English teacher who helps run Link Crew. With the community of Link Leaders encouraging the ninth graders, a safer, less stressful environment is created. Kimball adds, “[Link Crew] helps create an environment where ninth graders aren’t automatically treated poorly by upperclass folks.”

 

The Link Crew program began at Amity when the ninth grade was integrated into the high school from the middle school. Since then, ninth graders were able to connect with each other, as well as upperclassmen. She emphasized that those who had many relationships and bonds with peers were often successful in the long run.

 

According to Amity’s Link Crew mission statement, “Link Crew builds connection, belonging, and community by providing a structured support system for ninth graders as they transition to high school. Our link leaders’ guidance, compassion, and leadership model of excellence promotes student involvement and creates a safe, positive environment where every student feels supported and empowered to succeed.”

 

Students have several common goals on why they joined as Link Crew leaders. Marina Serapiglia ‘28 recalled, “I wanted to join Link Crew because it’s an opportunity to make the introduction to high school easier for freshmen, but also because all the people in it want to contribute to that same goal: forming a strong community and student body.”

 

The first Link Crew event is freshmen orientation, and several other engaging activities follow. Freshman Carrie Chang mentioned that the most exciting part was seeing her friends again after the summer: “Link Crew leaders were very welcoming and supportive. [Link Crew] connected me with a lot of new people and were just so helpful overall.”

 

Serapiglia also provided details of how she and the many other Link Crew leaders prepared for the event welcoming the freshmen. Link Leaders meet a few times before the start of school to meet their partners and prepare for the orientation activities. Serapiglia’s main advice to freshmen is to get involved. She tells freshmen, “find a club or sport that you have real interest in and be a part of that community! Don’t be afraid to go to school events like tailgate, homecoming, and sporting events—show your school spirit and meet new people who you would have otherwise not met!”

 

With that in mind, a big thank you to the Link Crew members, peers, and teachers who helped welcome and empower the Class of 2030! Welcome to the Amity community, Class of 2030, we’re so excited to have you here!