Link Crew lights up Air Academy with energy and enthusiasm through a revamped program all year long! Now leaders will not only help their freshman on the first day of school, but they will also stay connected and talk with them on the first Friday of every month. This new format for the already awesome Link Crew will hopefully increase the impact of the program, allowing AAHS to reach towards a higher degree of positive cultural growth.

By showing “Total Support,” which Ms. Cassano (Teacher Organizer) quotes from the Link Handbook as “[a method in which] Link Leaders are challenged to totally support all aspects of the campus,” students will be able to get closer to this goal. On Linked Up Fridays, Link Crew members will find their freshman, give them treats, and chat with them, asking how their year is going, if they are liking their classes, and what they have been involved in. Hopefully, they will fulfill “their role to support 9^th graders at orientation and throughout the year, but also to support the staff, the school, other students on campus and themselves” (Link Handbook). Cassano asserts, “I’m excited to hear about more ‘Total Support’ moments from leaders, and I really hope that I hear some from staff and other students as well.”

This extension of Link Crew has already had great success. On Friday, September 4^th, the first Friday of last month, leaders gave otter pops to students, let them know about the first football game, and encouraged them to go check out the student store with DECA “coupons.” Additionally, those Link Leaders who were in band took care of freshman students in band, finding them at academy rather than lunch. This care taken to reach everyone is exactly what Link Crew values, and has been the result of ample positive “feedback… from both staff and students,” according to Cassano.

Fun and flavorful, the popsicles served as a great treat, and while it was a bit difficult for leaders to find everyone during lunch, most of the freshman were reached. For future months, Ms. Cassano resolved that “finding a [definite] place to meet will be helpful” so that one location can be determined as the mass meeting area for leaders and students. This new location will,in fact, be in the courtyard, and the next Linked Up Friday is October 2nd! Leaders will “continue to go out and meet with their crews whenever they can” throughout the school year (Ms. Cassano).

Flashing back to the first day of school, freshmen had a lot of fun playing games and wearing their costumes. Cassano emphasizes the point that leaders did well and it “set us off on a great start to the year.” During the tour of the school, it was great to see all the creativity leaders put into their themed outfits, but also all the enjoyment the freshman got while wearing them. Funny and a bit silly, the day was its usual success; lengthy, but lighthearted, it was a time full of questions, laughter, and sometimes, candy.

The week prior to the first day of school, the Freshman Team Coordinators– Ms. Cassano and Mr. Olson– and the Transfer Student Coordinators– Ms. Lee and Mrs. Powell– did a wonderful job training leaders how to be just that, leaders, but also how to talk to all students in a way that is kind, effective, and conscious of their timid nature. Additionally, Ms. Cassano has done a great job organizing the Fridays; she was there to help with the popsicles, offer useful advice, tell us how exactly to get things done, and set us up for future events.

As the year has progressed, the leaders have been doing well, but there are still some things they can do to continue to improve. Cassano explains, “leaders need to be [even more] comfortable approaching people they might not interact with often, be able to engage in meaningful conversation (even if brief), and leave the conversation feeling successful”. Thus, the program has more potential than previously realized, and truly may grow from “good to great”.

Consequently, “the more we can see wonderful traits modeled at any given moment in school, the more power Link Leaders have to grow a positive culture here at AAHS” according to Cassano. As each month approaches, the program will most assuredly continue to do well, allowing student leaders to keep those bonds with their freshmen, and continue to help, answer questions, and give “total support” along the way.

Gallery • 5 Photos

One of the many themed costumes created for the first day of school. Photo with permission from Joann Cassano.