Nervous about starting high school? This summer, incoming freshmen enrolled in High School 101 and got the chance to meet Link Crew leaders who serve as mentors and help freshmen find their place on campus. These leaders support freshmen by getting to know them and becoming people they can turn to for help. Each High School 101 class had its own set of Link Crew leaders for one session, and the leaders got to choose in advance which class they wanted to help in.
During the first week of High School 101, Link Crew leaders focused on helping freshmen get comfortable on campus. On the first day, they gave tours around the school, showing the locker rooms, bathrooms, cafeteria, small gym, and other important spots. In the last hour of that day, all the High School 101 classes went to the large gym, where everyone played games and got to know each other a little more. The next day, Link Crew leaders helped freshmen pick up their Chromebooks and chargers from the media center, then led icebreaker and “get to know you” games in class to help students feel more at home on the big campus. On the third day, they took their classes on another tour to explore the electives Cal High has to offer, and both the Link Crew leaders and the incoming freshmen received Cal High shirts from the Link Crew advisers. On the final day of the first week, all the High School 101 classes headed to the blacktops in the morning to play volleyball and basketball. It was a fun and welcoming first week.
In the second week of High School 101, Link Crew leaders introduced freshmen to more of Cal High’s opportunities and support systems. They took their classes on a tour of the campus clubs, including groups like the German Club and Model United Nations. Students also met Cal High’s school social worker, Mrs. Cervantes, as well as a school counselor from Pioneer High School, who talked about the support available to them.
During the third and final week that Link Crew leaders were helping with High School 101, the focus shifted to looking ahead at high school life. Freshmen learned about the different academies Cal High offers and spent time playing more games with Link Crew leaders in the small quad. On the last day of the first session of High School 101, Link Crew hosted a water day for all the incoming freshmen, where students got to relax, have fun, and throw water balloons at each other.
Overall, High School 101 with Link Crew was a fun and helpful experience for the class of 2030, and there are still many more exciting events that Link Crew will have for them during the school year.