Back to School with Link Crew

Last week marked the end of my summer vacation. Though I spent a good 20 hours at school last week preparing for the new year, it was still considered summer because it was on my time schedule. I got up late, went to school around 11 am and worked until 5 or so. Aside from not eating lunch every day last week because I was so intent on my work that I totally forgot about it, it was a good schedule.

This week, however, is a different story. Not only do I begin my offical days back at school on Thursday and Friday, I am also one of the coordinators of the freshmen transition program (a fancy way of saying freshmen orientation). We do a cool program at called Link Crew, where we train upperclassmen to run small group sessions with freshmen to help them get to know other freshmen, upperclassmen, and of course, the whole high school. It is a high energy program, which I really enjoy, except for the fact that it saps me of all my energy.

The gauntlet: Link Leaders make a tunnel for freshmen through which freshmen enter for orientation!

The most stressful part of the entire program is where I act as facilitator of a whole group assembly (in front of 500 freshmen and 100 link leaders) for almost TWO HOURS. Among other things during this time, we play a giant game of simon says, I hold a balloon popping competition, give several "message moment" speeches (in one I compare time to money and rip up a dollar bill to emphasize the importance of spending your time wisely; then I threaten to rip a $20 bill), and worst of all, I have to sing "Quadiliacha," a silly camp song. I don't mind getting up in front of people, I do it every day as a teacher. But this is beyond even my comfort zone. Not that I have any right to complain. I did volunteer for the job.

600 plus students for TWO hours (and a microphone that echoes)!

This will be my third year doing the assembly, and while I am getting more comfortable with it, comfort can be a double-edged sword. The first year I did it, I practiced like crazy. I said my lines over and over and over, and read my notes, and even made Casey and Trekker be my audience and do all the silly activities with me. Last year, I practiced, but not as much, partially because I took over more responsibility in the training and preparation for orientation, so I didn't have as much time.

Partner lines after moving to the gym floor

This year, I have yet to look at my notes, the assembly is at 8 am tomorrow (but I have to be at the gym at 5:30 am for set-up), and here I am blogging my way into the evening. I may just have to wing it tomorrow--for two hours straight!

On the plus side, doing freshmen orientation in the weeks leading up to the beginning of the school year makes the first day of school seem like a piece of cake.