Link Crew has just recently started its season this year. Link Crew is a club where juniors and seniors (upperclassmen) mentor freshman students, helping them with the transition from middle school to high school. They meet on the first Monday of every month with their freshman mentees. One of the main activities Link Crew has developed this year is “Care to the Core” Day. “Care to the Core” is a day when students across the district spend their day spreading kindness and peer support to the students at their school.

The teachers who raised the most money were Ms. Aiosa, Ms. Ausan, and Ms. Ghaleb, who raised $600 for Karmanos Cancer Institute during their 6th hour. The classes that raised the most money won an ice cream social party and extra time outside.

Here at Edsel Ford, there is a hallway dedicated just to the incoming freshman students in A-Hall, but it can still be a little confusing for some kids. That’s where the Link Crew comes in. The club is dedicated to making sure the freshman students have a smooth transition to high school. If you want a chance to help others at the school, then come join Link Crew. I guarantee that you will really enjoy it; it is a very valuable experience.

I decided to interview two people connected to Link Crew: Mrs. Mroue, the Link Crew advisor, and Molly Chinery, a senior mentee.

Interview with Mrs. Mroue – Link Crew Advisor:

C: How many years have you been sponsoring Link Crew?

Ms. Mroue: “I have been the Link Crew coordinator for 3 years. Before becoming the coordinator, I used to help out when I was a classroom teacher.”

C: What has been your favorite part of Link Crew so far?

Ms. Mroue: “My favorite part of Link Crew is seeing our Link leaders make connections with our 9th graders.”

C: If you could describe Link Crew in one word, what would it be and why?

Ms. Mroue: “One word I would use to describe Link Crew would be ‘mentor’ because 9th graders can see Link Crew as a big sister or brother encouraging them to do their best.”

C: Would you ever consider dropping Link Crew or would you like to sponsor it more later in your life?

Ms. Mroue: “No, I do not consider dropping Link Crew, and yes, I plan on continuing to sponsor Link Crew.”

C: Why did you choose to sponsor/start up Link Crew?

Ms. Mroue: “I chose to sponsor Link Crew in order to help our 9th graders have someone to lean on during their transition into high school. Also, it’s important for our upperclassmen to gain leadership skills during their time as Link Crew leaders.”

Interview with Molly Chinery – Senior Mentee:

C: How many years have you been a part of Link Crew?

Molly: “This is my second year being a part of Link Crew at Edsel Ford High School.”

C: What made you decide to join Link Crew?

Molly: “I enjoy helping others, and it’s a great way to get service hours. It also looks great on college applications because it’s a leadership role.”

C: If you could describe Link Crew in one word, what would it be and why?

Molly: “I would say ‘helpful’ because the main purpose of Link Crew is to help the freshmen acclimate to high school.”

C: Would you ever want to continue peer mentor clubs/programs as you get older?

Molly: “Definitely.”

I have loved Link Crew ever since I became a part of it 2 years ago. I’ve enjoyed working with freshman students. One thing I want to do when I get older is become a teacher, and being a part of Link Crew has given me an opportunity to experience what teaching is like with younger students. In my elementary school, they had a similar program called Peer to Peer, and then in middle school, they called it S.N.A.P., which stands for Students Need Accepting Peers. S.N.A.P. was a place where I made nice friends. Looking back on my own life, I knew my own mentor was someone I could talk to about anything. I have loved being a part of Link Crew-type clubs throughout my life.

For some kids, all they really need is a friend, and being a part of Link Crew-based clubs is an amazing experience, especially for the kids because not only do they have fun, but they also get to be in a place where they know whatever is said here stays here, basically being a safe space for the kids to share whatever they want. I think middle school was the time I realized that being a mentor to younger students was something I wanted to do throughout my life, and I have been doing it for 9 years. I have loved it every step of the way.