To bond freshmen with their link leaders, Spanish teacher Rachel English has come up with a school-year-long competition to help keep freshmen and their link groups bonded all year long.

“I feel that’s a good way to just help the crews connect because it gives them a reason to find each other throughout the week,” English said.

Freshmen aren’t usually too involved in homecoming, but English is on a mission to change that.

“During homecoming week, all of the link crews are challenged to take as many pictures together as they can,” said English. “It can be like multiple pictures, and throughout the week they can get pictures. If they run into a link crew member and take a picture with them, then that’s two points.”

But the freshman class has mixed opinions on the competition.

“It’s alright,” freshman Abigail Krzysik said.

Meanwhile, other freshmen, like Solana Samek, find the Link Crew competition beneficial.

“I think it’s good for students that need help bonding and to have extra friends,” Samek says.

You would be able to see why there is a difference of opinion on the topic, but it’s not a competition unless there is a prize!

“At the end of the week, whoever has the most points, that crew will get some Chelsea swag,” English says.

Chelsea Swag, aka Scheese Bucks, are $5 coupons for the school store, donated by CHS teacher Mark Scheese.

Link leader Norah Brooks (‘25) thinks that the link crew homecoming competition is a bit difficult. “It’s hard to find a time when everyone is available to take a photo at once,” Brooks said.

As the school year progresses, Link Crew will host different types of competitions to keep freshmen and link groups bonded with each other.

“Who doesn’t love a challenge?” English said.