By hosting a mixer at the high school for the current eighth graders on April 19, Link Crew hopes to socialize eighth graders in preparation for their freshman year at Souderton.
“It’s a great way to network before even starting your first day,” Link Crew advisor Kelli Nonemacher said.
According to Link Crew advisor Breanne Dickerson, the mixer is primarily to familiarize the eighth graders from both Indian Valley and Indian Crest Middle School with each other.
“You can come with friends that you already have and make new friends you don’t know yet,” Nonemacher said. “You’re coming in with friends from school and meeting new friends that you will probably make next year or the years following.”
The positive effects of attending the mixer have been seen within the following school year by many Link Crew members.
According to Nonemacher, freshmen regularly recognize each other from school events such as the mixer.
For Link Crew commissioner Sam Kennedy, the mixer is mainly to make the eighth graders feel like they’re part of the high school environment.
Kennedy believes that the mixer is the first big step for a lot of eighth graders in terms of feeling more at ease in high school.
For Link Crew advisor Dan Glatts, the mixer can ease the eighth graders into high school.
“I just want the eighth graders coming in wondering what’s going on and then leaving saying that was pretty cool,” Glatts said.
Another big goal of the mixer is to change negative expectations that the eighth graders have, solidifying good thoughts about what the high school is.
“It gives them a good sense of just stepping through the door,” Nonemacher said.