Link Crew at MLHS bonds juniors, seniors with seventh graders
“I remember seventh grade was hard,” recalls Mountain Lake Public High School (MLHS) senior Liana Blomgren. “The transition from an elementary school classroom to high school was difficult. I wanted to do what I could so that the tough times I experienced did not happen to others.”
Echoing Blomgren’s thoughts, senior classmate Rebekah Klassen adds, “I got good grades. I did okay in the classroom. But that was on the ‘outside.’ What wasn’t seen were the insecurities and uncertainties that I was dealing with on the ‘inside.'”
Bringing their own experiences to the table, and yearning to make a difference for incoming seventh-grade students – the “newbie sevvies” making their way in an unfamiliar world through a crush of older students – the pair decided to design their own mentoring program.
Blomgren and Klassen enlisted the assistance of MLHS Ag Educator Lindsey Brown to monitor the leaders, and Mountain Lake Public School Social Worker Amy Hartzler to harness the seventh-graders. Over this past summer, the two sculpted the program under the guidance of Brown and MLHS Principal Michelle Larson.
The purpose of the buddy system – coined the “Link Crew” – is to pair up one upperclassman (a junior or senior) with two-to-three seventh-graders, leading to an end goal of helping the younger students make a smooth transition into junior high, hopefully preventing bullying and making available extra support, help and tutoring.
Continues Klassen in explanation, “There just is that initial gap between those coming into seventh grade – and the rest of the high school classes – that needs to be addressed. We stress being inclusive – because everyone needs someone.”
Seventeen upperclassmen, pulled from the junior and senior classes, answered the call to be Crew Leaders. In addition to the program’s originators, Klassen and Blomgren, other Link Leaders include seniors Ruben Fentanez, Sam Grev, Karen Soutthivong, Brook Sunderman, Katherine Hofmann, Kassandra Tellez, Kenna Gardiner, Tommy Kraemer, Kalley Rempel, Jaden Hoek, Meredith Suess and Andrew Fast, along with juniors, Jae Faber, Jenneel Rodney, Michael Watkins, Jordan Boldt, Maddie Schroeder, Danielle Duerksen and Marcus Boyd. Helping as needed are juniors Jeff Wright and Nick Curry.
All seventh grade students took part in Link Crew during the crucial first quarter of the school year. Each seventh-grader completed an interest form, from which they were grouped with the Crew Leader that was his or her best match.
Crew Leaders and Crew Members met twice a month during noon hour throughout the first quarter, sharing thoughts and advice over lunch, followed by a time of relaxed connection playing games in the auditorium. Tutoring was also available during noon hour or after school, if students were struggling with grades, making the Link Leaders a valuable resource for MLPS Counselor Jody Lepp.
As the calendar moved on to the second quarter, the majority of Crew Leaders and Crew Members have returned to continue with the program. A possible shift will find the Crew Leaders taking the initiative to maintain and expand relationships with their Crew through informal mentoring. Plans are to scale back to one scheduled noon hour meeting a month.
Brown explains what the mentoring of the Crew Leaders means to the underclassmen. “The seventh grade students see the Crew Leaders in the hallway, or at school events or during other opportunities outside the mentoring meeting, and they get a greeting or a high-five; they are noticed. It gives those younger students someone to look up to, someone who will guide them, someone who they can trust, ask questions of and learn from.”
Senior Ruben Fentanez agrees that relationships have grown over the course of the opening nine weeks of school. “One of my Crew Members – we’re known as the Brown Nerds Crew – asked me to come to his 7th/8th grade football game, and he also came to the my varsity game. Those instances, and many others, are examples of the foundation being laid down. As these bonds are built, my Crew Members know they will always have one person to go to for help – me.”
In turn, the seventh-graders, according to one of the participants, Chloe Anacker, “Gain confidence and are assured about what we are doing. The leaders give us the skills to go out and participate in things we might otherwise back away from, like sports or speech. They provide us with ways towards success.”
Another seventh-grade student taking part, Isabella Louangthilath, noted that, while initially she didn’t know many other students in the upper grades, “I now feel comfortable going up to people to talk to them in order to get to know them.”
Brown emphasized that there is a great deal of interest in taking the program forward following this initial year. “It is truly a plus/plus program; positive for the leaders – and their crew members.”
