Link crew: Fostering connections and fun through fun activities 

by Keke Bennett

"Link Crew" is a program at Comp Sci High School designed to build relationships with the underclass and help them feel at ease in their new environment. 

Mark D'Alesandro, Valarie Lishnak, and Jamie Roderick manage the Link Crew program. Link Crew helps new students feel at ease and helps them establish connections with other upperclassmen, which is why it's such a valuable program. 

Nikkia Campbell and Shyan Irving are both upperclass members of Link Crew. They mentioned Link Crew offers seasonal activities based on the holidays, such as building a gingerbread house, pin-a-hat on the leprechaun, taco building, etc. There are also weekly meetings to inform the children of the upcoming events. 

Campbell and Irving said that part of the success of Link Crew is, “Creating bonds and looking up to the upperclassmen and also making [students] feel comfortable.” 

Campbell and Irving stated that after graduating what they will miss most about Link Crew is“bonding with the younger class and having them feel like they can talk to us if something was wrong.” They believed that Link Crew is a place where kids can communicate and learn. Link Crew can help kids acquire critical skills while having a great time and making learning interesting and exciting.