Pioneer Valley High School extended an early welcome to about 800 incoming freshmen Friday morning during its 12th annual “Link Crew” orientation.
The Link Crew is a group of about 180 junior and senior student leaders at Pioneer Valley who mentor and provide support for new freshmen at the school and help ease the transition from junior high to high school, especially as students return to in-person learning after over a year of distance learning due to COVID-19.
The freshman orientation is one of the main events for the Link Crew, but members continue to provide activities for freshmen throughout the school year.
“The orientation is a chance for freshmen to ease the stress of entering high school, meet upperclassmen, and get to know their campus,” said Marcie Guerra, Pioneer Valley teacher and Link Crew coordinator. “As we all transition back to in-person school, our students can use the extra support from their peers and gain an immediate connection to campus.”
During Friday’s freshman orientation, students were assigned to one of 51 groups to participate in activities to help get to know each other, as well as a campus tour.
Each group was led by two to three Link Crew members who facilitated games and gave freshmen advice and information about the school.
In addition to leading their groups through activities and a campus tour, Link Crew leaders provided freshmen with costumes and props to match different themes.
Some costumes included customized shirts and headbands for a “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” theme, Mardi Gras beads and masks, In-N-Out paper hats, and even tin foil hats.
Following campus tours, the groups reconvened in the gym to take group photos and sign a “pledge to graduate” poster.
Principal Shanda Herrera said they wanted to provide an opportunity for freshmen to experience the campus with only freshmen and the Link Crew before approximately 3,000 students return to campus for the first full day on Aug. 12. She emphasized how the Link Crew orientation is a big highlight for the incoming freshmen.
While the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District began reopening last spring with limited in-person learning and hybrid in-person and distance learning, Pioneer Valley staff are happy to welcome all students back to in-person learning this fall.
Herrera said that the school will be following recommended guidelines and requiring masks to be worn indoors. Outdoors, students are free to decide whether they will wear their masks.
“I can see even the joy on the Link Crew members,” Herrera said about how students and staff feel about the return to in-person learning.
Many Link Crew members expressed excitement in returning to campus.
“During my freshman year, my Link group was really nice, and I wanted to do the same for these freshmen,” said Link Crew leader Jacqueline Guerrero, who is currently a junior at Pioneer Valley. “It feels good because once I was in their shoes and I felt lost, so I just want to help them.”
Guerrero said she’s only getting two full years at Pioneer Valley due to COVID-19 since she “barely had a freshman year” and was not on campus at all during her sophomore year.
The class of 2025 was introduced to Pioneer Valley’s principal and assistant principals, as well as the school’s guidance counselors and athletic director, and Superintendent Antonio Garcia.
One of the final activities of the orientation before students were released to pick up their class schedules was a performance by Pioneer Valley’s marching band as Link Crew members taught freshmen the school’s fight song and chant.
“No matter which junior high you came from, you are now a Panther,” teacher Jessica Zambrano, who emceed the orientation, told incoming freshmen. “We’re super pumped to have you guys in person.”
— Serena Guentz is a local freelance writer. Contact her at news@noozhawk.com.