Love for Link Crew

Every year, we ask graduating seniors for some feedback on how Link Crew has affected their lives, and this is a sampling of the responses we have received:

"Although I joined Link Crew to help freshmen, the program gave back to me. Throughout my time in Link Crew I have developed invaluable skills: communication, leadership, and most importantly, awareness of my surroundings." - Isabel Gala, 2018

"[Link Crew] has made our school a better place in many small ways. As a group, we were part of the class that stopped a lot of freshman intimidation, including the 'Go Home Freshmen' chant. The Link Crew program grew and improved over these [three] years, as I trust it will continue to. I learned how important it can be just to have someone say hi to you in the hallways, and was able to be that person to many of my freshmen as they found their feet in high school." - Grace Ducker, 2018

"Link Crew has done more for me than I ever thought it would do back when I first started in April of 2016. Link Crew is truly an amazing program... that as every year goes by keeps getting better. And for all that I have been given from Link Crew and its coordinators, I have tried to match through collaboration with others... I believe that Link Crew has helped me more than I can wholeheartedly write and describe. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity you have given me with this program, and I hope that this lovely program continues to grow and flourish." - Calvin Reder, 2018

"My time in Link Crew has by far been the best experience I have had in high school... I have learned so much from Link Crew, and I don’t even know where to start. Coming in a scared freshmen only knowing the people who have gone to Hamilton, I didn’t know where I belonged or how to find that out. Sadly, NHS really didn't have a Link Crew program or anything even close to it when I was coming in, so my experience involved a lot of trial and error and sticking with all the football players or people I already knew. Being super shy and introverted, I thought Link Crew was the last place I should be. Lucky for me, I signed up and gave it a shot and can’t imagine what I would have been like without it. I’m not scared to answer questions in class anymore, I was able to become a team captain in football and track, I have no problem talking to somebody I don’t already know, and the biggest change is that I don’t care about what people think about me anymore, I’m not scared to be myself anymore." - Kyle Nygren, 2017

"One of my favorite qualities about being part of Link Crew is meeting and working with the other leaders and teachers of the program. I admire the strength it takes to remain positive and energized almost all of the time, which is definitely worth it because it plays a huge part in how the audience responds and mirrors you... Crossing paths with wonderful leaders like Ms. Sanner and Ms. Kinnee have provided me with role models to follow in example when I need the reminder that our community needs more excitement and love." - Silvia Kacic, 2018

"Starting out here at Novato as a freshman, the divide was very clear; upperclassmen would chant 'Go Home Freshmen' at rallies and act like we did not exist in the halls. Now being a senior, there are no more 'Go Home Freshmen' chants at rallies and freshmen DO exist in the halls. Every Link Leader has made Novato High a better community with less negativity. Link Crew has taught me so many things and I hope that many more people get to learn and experience Link Crew the way I was fortunate enough to." - Vanessa Torres, 2018

"Being part of Link Crew, I saw the importance of being a friend. Being a friend when introduced to a new environment certainly makes the transition from middle school to high school a lot easier. Being a friend gives me a sense of joy, because I know that I did something positive that has impacted someone else." Sergio Melendez, 2017

"Leadership is about putting events together for the student body but is also about making everyone feel like they have a place where they belong in school, and Link Crew helped me go the extra mile to include others, hear their ideas, and help make them feel like they can call Novato High their school." - Katie Butler, 2018

"The overall impact Link Crew had on me was tremendous. The program taught me how to become a better person and accept everyone's differences. It has also taught me how to become a better person, and therefore has allowed me to make some sort of impact on this school. I believe I have left a legacy of working to find the positive in everything." - Mason Koonce, 2018

"I was able to get to know the freshmen personally, and help them navigate through their first year of high school with as little catastrophe as possible. My efforts paid off greatly at the end of the year when one of the more quiet freshmen came up to me and told me how thankful she was that she was a part of my group. She was able to go into high school without the fear of not having a friend and know that she had me to look out for her. I was touched that she relied so greatly on me, and that she was able to grow as a person through the experience. I saw her grow as a person and can say I helped her get through one of the more awkward periods of life." - Veronica Arata, 2017