For Nathan Prevost, today was his first time in high school.
The Grade 8 student at O’Gorman Intermediate Catholic School and his classmates spent part of the day at O’Gorman High School getting a taste of what to expect next year at the Take Our Kids to High School event.
“It’s pretty cool, it’s really big,” Prevost said, adding he’s looking forward to the trying out for the basketball team.
Guidance counsellor Kelly Ann Marks said having the students into the school is all about support.
“The kids that come to our school aren’t terrified because they’ve been here so often,” she explained.
The soon-to-be high school students were given tours of the school — making stops in the library, construction shop, and more — by the Link Crew, a program that is unique to O’Gorman.
Wearing bright pink tees, the Link Leaders were easy to spot at the orientation. The Grade 11 and 12 students’ role is to make the incoming classes feel welcome and at the start of the school year the leaders are paired up with Grade 9 students.
“I joined (Link Crew) because I really wanted to help Grade 8s transfer comfortably into high school,” said Link Leader Kalleah Bryce, a Grade 12 student.
Throughout the year she explained there are different activities for the Link Leaders and the students they are paired with.
“It’s to see how everyone is doing, catch up and teach things about high school,” she said.
Marks said the Link Crew program has been in place for about 10 years and has helped reduce bullying at the school.
“It’s just a really supportive environment and it’s changed the culture of our school,” she said.
