By Tiffany Merlo Phelps
mail@floridanewsline.com
As a member of the Ponte Vedra High Link Crew, rising junior Megan Yuskis is looking forward to welcoming new students and being helpful to freshmen who might be nervous about coming onto a new campus on Aug. 12. After all, she remembers exactly what that felt like.
“As a freshman, I was nervous coming here, and I did not know many students on campus,” said Yuskis, 16.
She was also inspired by her sister, a Ponte Vedra High graduate now attending the University of Central Florida. Yuskis’ sister was in the Link Crew.
“It made her feel like a leader, and I know that she liked that,” said Yuskis. “I remember that the Link Crew included everyone, especially kids who are maybe not as outgoing.”
Link Crew, founded by The Boomerang Project, is a national high school transition program that is designed to increase freshman success. Members of the junior and senior class are trained to be yearlong Link Leaders who act as positive role models, motivators and mentors during the pivotal transition to high school. The idea is to make connections between students that extend well beyond the first day of school.
Such was the case for 16-year-old Bailee Busch, a rising junior now a Link Crew member, who felt that the Link Crew helped her to find her friend group. Busch is enrolled in the Education Academy and joined the Florida Future Educators of America (FFEA) shortly after starting high school. Now she is looking forward to welcoming the 2028 freshmen class to the campus, especially her little sister, who will be in the Marketing Academy.
Rising Junior Reagan Kearney, 16, said she wants to be a friendly face for freshmen.
“I signed up for Link Crew not only because of my friends, but because I know how it felt to be a freshman and to be lost,” said Kearney, adding that peer to peer interaction is very helpful when sharing important school information.
Both Yuskis and Kearney are in the Drama Department together now. On a recent July morning, Yuskis, Kearney, and Busch manned the front desk at Ponte Vedra High School as part of the Link Crew’s summer duties. They answered phones, made copies, sorted books, gave school tours and fielded any walk-in inquiries.
Lyn Gabrielsen, Link Crew co-advisor alongside social studies teacher Mark Casper, said that there are about 60 Link Crew members who help man the front office during the summer, give scheduled summer tours and help with the group’s biggest event — Freshmen Fest on Aug. 1. Link Crew members, dressed in purple shirts, lead incoming freshmen through an orientation session on this day, helping them review their tentative class schedule, tour the campus, receive a locker and connect with their peers. There will also be an orientation on the same day for new 10th– 12th graders, a separate event.
Gabrielsen would also like to add some Link Crew social events during the school year to extend that connection with freshmen. The Link Crew
includes all different personality types to better serve incoming freshmen, she said. A survey is conducted with each Link Crew member to accurately match them with the right duty and with similar students. Members are also trained to better equip students with the tools to help others.
Gabrielsen, who has had two children graduate from Ponte Vedra High School and was the Ponte Vedra High School Parent Teacher Organization (PVH PTO) president for three years, said her focus is on inclusion and strengthening the happiness and wellness of the student body.
Gabrielsen is now a part-time staff member who works on the Link Crew, Sources of Strength (a mental health initiative), tours and assists with testing. She added that the Link Crew and Sources of Strength both have the same goal and receive the full backing and support of Principal Fredrik Oberkehr who is a big advocate of students being in leadership roles.
“The goal is to direct kids to resources. Happiness and wellness and maintaining a positive school culture is what we remain committed to at Ponte Vedra High,” said Gabrielsen.
CUTLINE
A. Photo courtesy Tiffany Merlo Phelps
Link Crew members Bailee Busch, Reagan Kearney and Megan Yuskis volunteering in the front office over the summer.
B. Photo courtesy Ponte Vedra High School
Link Crew members meeting with freshmen at Freshman Fest last year.
Welcome: Link Crew creates a smooth transition for high school freshmen
By Tiffany Merlo Phelps
mail@floridanewsline.com
As a member of the Ponte Vedra High Link Crew, rising junior Megan Yuskis is looking forward to welcoming new students and being helpful to freshmen who might be nervous about coming onto a new campus on Aug. 12. After all, she remembers exactly what that felt like.
“As a freshman, I was nervous coming here, and I did not know many students on campus,” said Yuskis, 16.
She was also inspired by her sister, a Ponte Vedra High graduate now attending the University of Central Florida. Yuskis’ sister was in the Link Crew.
“It made her feel like a leader, and I know that she liked that,” said Yuskis. “I remember that the Link Crew included everyone, especially kids who are maybe not as outgoing.”
Link Crew, founded by The Boomerang Project, is a national high school transition program that is designed to increase freshman success. Members of the junior and senior class are trained to be yearlong Link Leaders who act as positive role models, motivators and mentors during the pivotal transition to high school. The idea is to make connections between students that extend well beyond the first day of school.
Such was the case for 16-year-old Bailee Busch, a rising junior now a Link Crew member, who felt that the Link Crew helped her to find her friend group. Busch is enrolled in the Education Academy and joined the Florida Future Educators of America (FFEA) shortly after starting high school. Now she is looking forward to welcoming the 2028 freshmen class to the campus, especially her little sister, who will be in the Marketing Academy.
Rising Junior Reagan Kearney, 16, said she wants to be a friendly face for freshmen.
“I signed up for Link Crew not only because of my friends, but because I know how it felt to be a freshman and to be lost,” said Kearney, adding that peer to peer interaction is very helpful when sharing important school information.
Both Yuskis and Kearney are in the Drama Department together now. On a recent July morning, Yuskis, Kearney, and Busch manned the front desk at Ponte Vedra High School as part of the Link Crew’s summer duties. They answered phones, made copies, sorted books, gave school tours and fielded any walk-in inquiries.
Lyn Gabrielsen, Link Crew co-advisor alongside social studies teacher Mark Casper, said that there are about 60 Link Crew members who help man the front office during the summer, give scheduled summer tours and help with the group’s biggest event — Freshmen Fest on Aug. 1. Link Crew members, dressed in purple shirts, lead incoming freshmen through an orientation session on this day, helping them review their tentative class schedule, tour the campus, receive a locker and connect with their peers. There will also be an orientation on the same day for new 10th– 12th graders, a separate event.
Gabrielsen would also like to add some Link Crew social events during the school year to extend that connection with freshmen. The Link Crew
includes all different personality types to better serve incoming freshmen, she said. A survey is conducted with each Link Crew member to accurately match them with the right duty and with similar students. Members are also trained to better equip students with the tools to help others.
Gabrielsen, who has had two children graduate from Ponte Vedra High School and was the Ponte Vedra High School Parent Teacher Organization (PVH PTO) president for three years, said her focus is on inclusion and strengthening the happiness and wellness of the student body.
Gabrielsen is now a part-time staff member who works on the Link Crew, Sources of Strength (a mental health initiative), tours and assists with testing. She added that the Link Crew and Sources of Strength both have the same goal and receive the full backing and support of Principal Fredrik Oberkehr who is a big advocate of students being in leadership roles.
“The goal is to direct kids to resources. Happiness and wellness and maintaining a positive school culture is what we remain committed to at Ponte Vedra High,” said Gabrielsen.
Photo courtesy Tiffany Merlo Phelps
Link Crew members Bailee Busch, Reagan Kearney and Megan Yuskis volunteering in the front office over the summer.
