This years’ Link Crew coordinator, Heidi McKeen’s ultimate goal was to make sure “that freshmen are valued, that freshmen are a part of the culture on our campus that we care about.”
The Boomerang Project, the organization that runs Link Crew, states that “Link Crew is a year-long transition program with four components that contribute to its success.”
One key factor is social follow ups which McKeen strives to focus on this year.
“There were years where groups of Link leaders took their links to…(go) thrifting to find outfits for the decades dance…but COVID really put a halt on all of our different activities,” McKeen said.
Since last year’s events were called off due to a dangerous combination of COVID-19 and wildfires, McKeen hopes this year pans out differently.
She plans to bring back the main purpose of Link Crew through activities like CoCoa and Cram and freshman tailgate.
“The goal isn’t to make Link crew different than it’s ever been before but to bring back some of those additional opportunities that we used to have,” McKeen said.
Additionally, a new Link Crew club will start this year centered around leadership and mentorship for freshman and transfer students.
“We have so many clubs… but we don’t have a group whose job it is to look around and say, ‘Hey, we need to make sure that everybody feels like they have a place here’,” McKeen said.
Junior Kathryn Gray is a Link Crew leader who will be joining the new club.
“I think the club would focus on…making connections with the older grades and the younger grades…and kind of a social club to just keep up with people,” Gray said.
Sophomore Madisyn Cary is a transfer student coming from high school. Transfer students were all put in one group in order to meet kids in the same situation as them.
“I met everyone in that group. And my good friend now was in that group,” Cary said.
Seeing as the promotion for Link Crew has increased so much with additional activities and a new club on the way, Gray hopes their efforts pay off.
“It’s very ‘cliquey’ at Granite Bay. Some people can just be excluded from something so making connections that you wouldn’t normally make outside of classes (is valuable),” Gray said.
