While most of the high school slept in on their last day of summer vacation, the class of 2027 and a small group of juniors and seniors woke up early to prepare for the freshmen first day of school, also known as Link Crew Day.
A rite of passage for every Fayetteville-Manlius freshman, Link Crew Day is the culmination of hours of preparation by the high school’s select upperclassmen to welcome the incoming class.
The gym bubbled with excitement as Link Leaders donning matching purple shirts anxiously glanced at the door as they anticipated the ensuing stream of new students. When the first student entered, the room erupted in cheers and applause in celebration of the start of a new journey. Within thirty minutes, the class of 2027’s eager participation in Dr. Kilmer’s infamous Simon Says game, balloon popping competition, and the not-so-silent lining up by height activity exemplified great enthusiasm for the coming year.
After breaking up into small groups, freshmen followed their Link Leaders to their respective classrooms. For those who attended the high school as freshmen, the class of 2027 participated in activities like Name Tag, 64 Squares, and Life Story. Maya Dardis, an incoming freshman, said, “My Link Leaders Haley and Connor were so welcoming and kind!” (thanks Maya!) Following a morning of breaking the ice, students gathered for lunch where they could see the different themes of each group: Barbie, USA, Halloween, and M&Ms to name a few. Link Leaders then took their groups on a tour of the school which unfortunately did not include the pool on the third floor; however, students like Hudson Brown commented, “The tour made the school less intimidating and easier to navigate.”
The freshmen were able to walk through their schedules and meet their teachers before the first day of school. The students regrouped in the gym for a final word from Dr. Kilmer. The gasp that students always release as Dr. Kilmer rips a dollar bill in front of them never gets old and neither does its message: don’t waste your potential.
