In recent weeks, Link Crew leaders have been trying to re-establish connections with the freshmen they are helping guide through their first year in high school.

In the first event, leaders worked with freshmen to help decorate cookies on Dec. 15.

In addition to the cookie decorating event, LINK Crew will stage the annual Coffee & Cram in the cafeteria on Jan. 12. LINK members will work alongside freshmen to help them prepare for their first high school finals. Various snacks will also be served while the upperclassmen will tutor the freshmen and give them a little background on the finals process.

The purpose of the cookie decorating was for the freshmen to get a chance to check in with their LINK leaders and discuss the upcoming finals week.

“We decorated cookies because it was so close to the holiday break and it gave everyone something fun to do while they caught up with each other,” guidance counselor and Link Crew adviser Eileen Allen said.

Around 80 freshmen attended the event and quickly filled up the small room where the cookie decorating took place. Freshmen sat around tables and passed gumdrops and sprinkles to one another.

“[It was a] good turnout. Lots of people showed up and at one point, it was so crowded that it was hard to move around,” junior LINK leader Megan Yen said.

The cookies and hot chocolate lured many students to go to the event. Although not everyone’s LINK kids went, the event was still a success.

“We were very excited because there were tons of freshmen that showed up to see their LINK Leaders,” said Allen. “We even caught some sophomores sneaking in to eat cookies.”

Yen got the opportunity to bond with a few of her LINK kids but quite a few of them didn’t show up. Still, she saw how far her freshmen had grown since the beginning of the year.

“[They] seemed to be really comfortable in high school. They didn’t need help anymore,” said Yen.