Dear Sponsor,
My name is Casius Orlet. I am from Buena Vista, Colorado. I have lived in the valley my entire life. I was brought up in a very strong Christian Science community. My first real introduction to Christian Science was at the Adventure Unlimited summer camp. I was born on property, and every person in the community was a very strong Christian Scientist who attacked any problem that arose with divine metaphysics. It was almost impossible not to join in and live life through God. When my family decided to move next door to The Link School, I really started to understand what Christian Science was all about. Eventually, with Christian Science being a prominent part of my life, and with high school around the corner, Link was the best option for me.
This year, I have been slowly trying to add qualities to myself that the people I look up to express. This is meaningful to me, because I know that it will benefit me throughout life, and it might motivate other people to apply those qualities to themselves. I have a job this summer as a
Counselor-In-Training, working at A/U, and I would love to be the best version of myself for my peers, my boss, and my campers.
Link is always pushing us to be as spiritual as possible in all aspects of life, and all that work pays off! All the students this year have either strengthened their relationship to God or they have discovered Christian Science for the first time and have really taken hold of it. To me, seeing people become closer to God is always a spiritual highlight. Without you, these people, including me, would have a harder time discovering their relationship to God and living life to the fullest.
Sincerely,
Casius Orlet
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Isaac Saucedo. I live here in Buena Vista, Colorado. This year is my happiest and second year here at Link. Before Link, I did nature sports, and I was really into them. As soon as I got invited to The Link School, I was so happy to have these programs as part of the school. Now, I still love these programs, and I would love to do them for life. Thanks to all the sponsors for putting me in this school, because without your help, I would not be so happy as I am now.
Our teachers impart very interesting knowledge in their courses. We connect with the teachers to learn new things. For example, I love kayaking, and I asked one of my teachers how to do a proper Tailee. Now, I can do Tailees this summer with friends and family – that way the activity is more fun. Even when I am not at school, I still plan to work out and prepare myself for next year.
This school is an infinitely joyful place for me. Something else that has been meaningful is my spiritual growth. Before Link, I only knew God was something. I liked Him, but I didn’t love Him as much as now. I wasn’t a Christian or in any religion, but as soon as I entered the school, it was a home to me. It’s as if God has found my new home and my new path that I should take. I love doing the activities at Link, and every time I get hurt, I try to pray to God. As soon as I learned that you can pray for anything, I prayed for many things. I have seen many of my desires come true. And I have felt even more connected to God by being grateful for him every step of the way.
Thanks for another incredible year – I am excited about next year!
Sincerely,
Isaac Saucedo
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Fisher Ledbetter. I live in Venice on the Gulf Coast of Florida. I have grown up in the Sunshine State all my life, but I have been coming to the Adventure Unlimited Ranches in Buena Vista, CO for 8 years now. I am a senior at the Link School and came here to be in an atmosphere like the Ranches all year round.
At Link this year, it’s been very meaningful to me to have access to outdoor activities and a busy schedule. Before I came, my schooling was much more separate from the other aspects of my life – sports, games, hobbies. Here it is connected in such a way that makes my life feel full and meaningful in every way. I really appreciated getting taught here for my final year of high school, as I feel this methodology/curriculum helped prepare me for a fuller, more balanced lifestyle.
I also felt more connected spiritually this year. Some ideas I have been working with are the difference between agape and philos, two Greek derivatives for love that have subtly different meanings, as well as the implications of this difference when the words appear in the Bible. And also, I thought about the serpent’s meaning as it appears in the story of Adam and Eve, and what its symbolism/meaning really tells us as students of Christian Science about what to avoid doing to ourselves and our ability to grow spiritually. I like dissecting words and their origins, philology and etymology, and I am glad I got a chance to employ this passion and love into my spiritual learning this year.
Overall, thank you for allowing Link to run so smoothly this year.
Thank you!
Fisher
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Calder Ledbetter, and I was a senior at The Link School this schoolyear. My home state is Florida, and I live just on the outskirts of a small city called Venice. This was my first year at Link, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to come and experience it for my last year of high school.
Recently, I experienced an important healing here at Link. Through the support of our practitioner of the month, I was able to hold onto numerous spiritual truths which helped cement myself in the knowledge of my true origin, God’s idea. It was such a basic but groundbreaking idea, and it proved instrumental to my expedited recovery and continued growth in spiritual thinking. This happened in a large part thanks to The Link School which has supported me in my growth in all things spiritually throughout this school year.
After attending The Link school for a year, I can say with certainty that it was my best decision of my schooling career. Thank you so much for your donation. It made my high school experience so much more, and I want to say that I am enormously grateful for it.
Thank you,
Calder Ledbetter
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Philine Kreysing. I am a junior and an exchange student from Germany. In Germany, I went to several Montessori-schools, and I was very interested into going to school in America. I had heard about some exchange programs that offered a high school experience for a year, but when I heard about the Link School, I was immediately very intrigued. The balance of the family-like environment spoke to me immediately, as well as the active learning and growth-oriented trips the school offers. As I heard about the sponsors and funds that would make this exceptional and special year possible for me, I immediately decided that I wanted to come here.
The encouraging, loving, and positive, challenging environment at the Link School was a great experience for me. I have enjoyed getting into several sports like skiing and climbing and, by doing that, learning more about mental strength and the fun in sports. I have also loved
getting to know every person at Link and have made a lot of very meaningful connections with them. The bonds with them are deep and I value having gotten to build them in this kind of environment.
At the Link School, I have experienced a lot of individual development and growth, which came from overcoming challenges, embracing beautiful nature on campus and on trips, and from countless interactions with people here. Whether the challenge was a difficult climb, many miles of biking, or academic, every single one has gotten me closer to the more mature, more loving and understanding, and mentally stronger person I am now. I am deeply grateful and privileged to have had this year full of learning at the Link School as well as so much fun!
Sincerely,
Philine Kreysing
Dear Sponsor,
Hey there! My name is Garrett Kelley, and I really wanted to thank you for being such a big part of why I get to experience The Link School! I am a graduating senior this year – in fact, I only have two days left of high school. Up until this year, I really did not like being at school, but this year completely transformed how I thought about being at school. The Link community is much like a family, and everyone is so close to each other, and so caring to each other, and that is super special to me. I am from Texas, but I am currently in the process of moving up to Buena Vista, because it is my favorite place on earth, and it has been for nearly ten years. I really love watching ice hockey, especially watching the Dallas Stars, who are the professional hockey team from where I lived in Texas. But my favorite things to do are kayaking, skiing, climbing and being outside, which is what Link is all about. I truly believe that this past year has been the best year of my life, getting to do all of my favorite things all of the time.
This past semester has been incredible. I’ve been on five trips to many different places like, Baja, Mexico, a little ski hut in the mountains over Salida for Avalanche training, Moab for canyoneering, Moab for climbing two times, and Utah for a seven-day river trip where I got to kayak almost the entire time. It has been incredible. I spent many weekends working on skiing, and I have progressed tremendously which has been a blast. I have also spent a lot of time on my academics, where I’ve been learning trigonometry and environmental sciences, such as weather patterns and agricultural sustainability. I read the Alchemist in Spanish for class, and I have read many books this semester including James, which is a rendition of Huckleberry Finn. I read Enrique’s Journey, about an immigrant from Honduras looking for his mom, a memoir by Beryl Markham who was a very distinguish aviator and horse trainer called West With the Night, and a classic called A Separate Peace. I also just finished up my Senior Project, where I made a video for Link showcasing how awesome it is to be here, with the end goal of it being used to attract students to The Link School. I have done a ton of things here at Link this semester, and I have learned so much about everything I want to know and do after high school. It has been so special to grow my knowledge of how to be in the wilderness, and doing all of my favorite outdoor activities safely, so I can continue to do them after I graduate. That’s not an option at most high schools. Being at Link this year has been super meaningful. I have learned so much more than just academics. I’ve learned how to ski, and I’ve learned how to read avalanches, how to look at sections of snow to determine the strength. I’ve learned how to carry out a rescue, and help with rescues in whitewater. And, most importantly, I’ve learned how to be a better human, and how to thrive in a community in close proximity to others. I’ve learned a ton about myself, and I’ve learned a lot about how to be a better friend, and how to be as supportive as I can to people who need it, and to people who don’t seem to need as much support. I couldn’t be any more grateful for the opportunity to learn these things around these amazing staff and students.
My Sophomore and Junior year of high school, I took very rigorous Bible Study classes which included trips to both Israel and Greece. I spent these two school years pouring everything I had into these classes and learned a tremendous amount about God and Christian Science, and a little bit about prayer. But this year, I had a very large healing, and learned so much more about Prayer, especially from James Orlet, and my Sunday school teacher, Kate Robinson.
Here is my testimony about my healing, which I submitted to the Christian Science Periodicals for publication:
This winter, I had a spill while skiing on Monarch Mountain. When I fell, I immediately went to prayer, by stating the truths about myself – that I was complete, and that I cannot be hurt for expressing God. I was grateful that two of the Link staff members were going up the ski lift right over me, so I was able to communicate my needs, and I was able to start my metaphysical work as they came back down to help me. I decided to go to the hospital, because I knew that Mary Baker Eddy wrote that you must do what is necessary in order to pray effectively, and I believed that going there was the right decision. Materially, I had broken my clavicle, but I knew I didn’t want to focus on that. The doctor had told me that most likely I would need surgery, because the bone wouldn’t be able to heal on its own. That scared me a little bit because I had never been to the hospital until now, and I wasn’t really sure how to handle the prospect of surgery.
The one thing I did know was that I wanted to handle this through Christian Science practice. On the way back to Link School, James and I talked about several healing experiences he had had throughout his life, and more stories from his Christian Science friend, Lona Ingwerson. Those examples were super helpful to help me begin my prayer, and I thought back to those quite a bit over the period of time I was working on this. James also shared a great idea with me – that if I had to explain what happened, I should say “the bone” not “my bone” to avoid giving power to error to work against me. That was a very handy idea I worked with throughout this opportunity to progress spiritually. My mom was also a big help, both by talking to me and helping that way, but also by sending me articles that were similar to what I was working on. But, I was still trying to handle the material fear of how long the healing would take, because I really wanted to keep skiing and participating in all the physical aspects of the Link School. The articles were very helpful, but quite a few healings had taken weeks to physically catch up with their mental space, and I was worried about missing out on upcoming trips. One of my first steps of prayer was listening to a great album that I had listened to all the time when I was young – it’s called “3 Steps and a Bounce” by the Solo Committee. That was very helpful to calm my mind and to start working on denouncing fear and stating the truth about myself. The first line of the main song is, “1st step, Don’t be afraid. 2nd step, No error. 3rd step, Yes, God. Last step, Jump for joy!” I repeated this line constantly all day long every day, and it surprised me how a simple line from a children’s song can be so helpful for metaphysical practice.
Late one night later in the week, a thought came to me while trying to go to sleep, to write a bunch of quotes on the big whiteboard that was in my room. I had gone to my practitioner, Bobby Lewis, for help with this, and he sent me a ton of incredible quotes every day, and so I started with writing every one of those quotes, and then I filled the rest of the space with my favorite quotes. This way I could see all of these true statements about myself every morning when I woke up, and each night when I went to sleep. These quotes really helped in changing my thought, but I was still really struggling with both my physical mobility and my carnal ego getting in the way of my spiritual progress. There was still a portion of me thinking I could physically rough my way through it to get to perfection, which was completely wrong, I just hadn’t noticed it yet.
On the Thursday morning of the first week, almost a week after my spill, I got the opportunity to have a one-on-one spiritual conversation with James, because other students hadn’t joined us for lesson study that morning, and the most important mental shift happened. James and I were talking about prayer, and I explained that I was still struggling with impatience and not being able to move very well, and he explained to me the importance of being peaceful for prayer to work. This whole week, I was trying to force a healing, and I was trying to do it myself, I hadn’t given God the space to do his job. One of Jesus’ most well-known stories is the stilling of the storm. His short phrase “Peace, Be Still” from Mark 4:39, had calmed an entire storm. My thinking was that same storm, I just needed to be peaceful, and know that God was working for me and loving me. This thought completely changed everything. My thought had finally stilled, giving God the space to help me see my complete perfection.
The next day however, I let my ego get the best of me, letting myself get angry about not being allowed to ski, even though I knew I wasn’t quite ready yet. I had a very helpful conversation with my mom, as she was trying to show me that my ego was in control. I was just so angry about “my stupid collarbone being broken”. Thankfully, later that day, I finally came to my senses and pushed that idea right out, knowing to stop it before it stops me. Throughout the following week, leading up to our trip into the mountains to learn about avalanches, I was working on being peaceful, and not trying to push my way through this challenge. And, I was noticing progress, so much progress that I was able to go on the trip, without any challenges. Of course I was still working on it through the weekend, but I knew the progress was still happening. I continued to listen to the Daily Lifts, and Sentinel Watches, and I continued to do my work of knowing the truth, and working towards seeing my perfection. I was able to climb again, which was a huge step and felt very accomplished, but I couldn’t stop there. I knew there was still work to be done, so I kept working, until the following Friday, or three weeks after the spill. I was back at Monarch, on my skis, having a blast expressing God’s perfect Love, and my complete perfection. I am so incredibly grateful for this perfect demonstration of God’s Love.
This healing really opened the door to prayer and healing for me. Especially learning about the importance of peace during prayer. I also can’t be grateful enough for the wonderful community I had while undergoing this healing. The constant love and support from everyone at Link really showed how awesome this community is.
Thank you so much for supporting me and my fellow students by gifting us this incredible opportunity to be a part of this amazing school. This year has been the best year ever, and the best possible way to send off my high school career.
Thank you so much! Have a good day! Garrett Kelley
Dear Sponsor,
Hello, my name is Jace. I am a sophomore, and I have only been a student at Link for the last three and a half months of the school year. Before I came here, I lived in Bainbridge Island, Washington, where it rains year-round and seasonal depression can take over. While I lived there, not a lot happened in my life. Because of certain events, I felt like I wasn’t myself and I was just a terrible person. I hated my school and I hated the people at my school. There wasn’t a whole lot I liked to do on the island.
Then, one day when my mom was really sad that I was who I was at the time, and she just said, “Do you want to go to a boarding school?” and that idea opened up a whole new part of my life. That was exactly what I was looking for, but I just didn’t know it. I spent a couple of days researching boarding schools and never came across The Link School, but I did come across Principia and C.R.M.S. (Colorado Rocky Mountain School). I visited both of these schools one weekend and couldn’t imagine myself living there. I came back home with plans to go to Principia, but my mom still wanted me to go to this church meeting of a camp that I went to earlier that year. That night, I was feeling how I always felt and didn’t want to do anything or go anywhere, but I was starving and they had pizza, so I went. That night there was one person who talked about the AU ranches and a little bit about The Link School. When I got home, I looked at the website, and thought to myself, “this does not seem like something I would want to do or go to”. But then, a couple of days later, my application to Principia was declined and I didn’t know what to do. So, I went back and looked at The Link School. Eventually, I thought I would just talk to James and Mackenzie about the possibility. So, we set up a time for the call at five o’clock one night, and it went well. After that, I slept on it. In the morning, I thought to myself, “life can’t get any worse,” so I decided to try. I came to Link two weeks after I found out about it, and I am proud and confident to say it was the best decision that I have ever made in my life.
While I have been here at Link, I have grown as a person in immeasurable amounts. Link has been the most meaningful place for me that I have ever been. I plan to come back here for the rest of my high school career, but if something else happens and I can’t come back, this place will have a place in my heart forever. It has truly changed my life. Words cannot express how truly grateful I am for your help. Here at Link, we do spiritual prep for the day every morning at 7:25 Mon-Fri and have gratitude meetings on Wednesday nights. While I’ve been here, I have rekindled my relationship with God which has been so nice. What makes The Link School special is the community and YOU. I am truly incredibly grateful for your support and generosity. You have changed my life, along with all the other students here and the staff. I am truly grateful for you and your donation(s).
Love,
Jace Hupperich
Dear Sponsor,
Hello, I’m Heath Orlet. I am a freshman here at The Link School. I’m from Buena Vista, Colorado. I love to go to school at Link. I love the different trips we are able to go on. We just came back from the Desolation Canyon trip, which is the last trip of the year. We boated through the nice canyon, across parts of Utah. On one side, there is a Native American reservation. The other side of the river is where we camped. One fun thing we saw was very cool petroglyphs from the ancient Pueblo Indians. Another fun thing was when we stopped at a Swedish farm where they have wild horses. I’m so grateful to go on these wonderful trips – they are so fulfilling.
I’ve learned so much this year at The Link School. Academically, I’ve learned how to write persuasive, structured, and narrative essays. I work hard, because I write my essays orally instead of typing. I have learned new topics in science. I’ve been learning a lot more in math. My reading class has been teaching me how to read better. I’ve learned how to belay somebody the proper way and use a grigri for rock climbing. I’ve learned how to ski better. I’ve learned how to boat and kayak better. I’ve also learned about canyoneering. I’ve learned how to speak Spanish in Baja, Mexico. I have made good friendships that I know will last at The Link School. We have lots of fun playing different games together and talking and just hanging out at Link. We find ways to have lots of fun together. All these things have made me a better student and person.
I’ve grown spiritually here at The Link School, because we do spiritual prep every single morning. We read the lesson on Monday and Tuesday mornings. On Wednesdays, we watch a Christian Science lecture. On Thursdays and Fridays, we have the option just to read something spiritual to ourselves or go into the yurt for discussion. And, on Fridays, we do a guided reflection. My favorite morning is Wednesday, when we watch the Christian Science lectures. I like to listen to the lectures, because I like to hear ideas from different people. Once a month, we go to testimony meetings in town. I’ve enjoyed hearing my classmates tell their testimonies of healings. I’ve grown spiritually this year, and I know next year I’ll grow even more.
My experiences at The Link School have helped me grow in many different ways. I feel more connected to the activities and the community. Next year, I am looking forward to meeting the new students and sharing experiences on the trips.
Thank you for all your donations to The Link School and for sending us on these amazing trips.
Heath Orlet
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Rosalee Heeter, and I am a freshman at the Link School. I am grateful beyond words to have had the opportunity to be at this school this year. When I came here, and for months afterwards, I was unsure whether I was on the right path. At home, I had many great friends, a loving family, and lots of opportunities. I questioned for so long what made me come here. Why did I leave the community I had? Was I meant to be here? These questions bounced back and forth in my head for a long time. I wish I could go back and tell my past self how amazing this path turned out to be. The Link School is magical because before you know it, before you could ever turn your head to look back, you will be on track to grow into the kindest, most colorful, and most incredible person you ever imagined you could be.
I am so grateful for every second I have gotten to spend outdoors at this school. On one of the first trips, I woke up to a sunrise that could make anyone believe the sky was on fire. I thought it was one of the most amazing things I had ever seen. Then a little while later, while boating through Utah, I saw the morning moon perched perfectly above a canyon wall. It didn’t feel real. A few months later, we were camping and woke up to a blanket of snow covering everything that was sunbathing the day before. It felt like we were in a storybook. At this school I have gotten to see things, and feel things, and experience things that I never knew existed. I never knew that seeing the contrast of green tree tops planted on red rolling hills could make you cry. Or that the glisten of the moon on the ocean could put a smile on your face that lasts until morning. Being at the Link School has shown me an indisputably beautiful world.
Arguably, the most important lesson Link has taught me is what Christian Science means. As Christian Scientists, we hear a lot about “God is Love.” That phrase is posted in many churches, used in many prayers, and is very important to the religion. I like the thought of it; God can do nothing but love everyone and everything. But Link taught me the reverse: Love is God. Another question that bounced around my head this year is “What is God?” I had a really hard time trying to answer that question, and got very frustrated with it. “Why am I believing in something I can’t even define?” I asked myself. Love is God. This reversed statement is what Link taught me. If God is nothing else, She is the universal, unstoppable, and unmeasurable force that radiates throughout the world. Every being on this planet has, at some point, felt Love. If you look around, follow a squirrel, notice the colors of a tree, or just take a minute to breathe, you will find that Love, and Love alone, is all Life is made of. And Love is all that God is.
Thank you forever for allowing me the wonderful experience of being at this school,
Rosalee Heeter
Dear Sponsor,
Something I have been thinking about as of late is the difference between my knowledge of God and my belief in God. My entire life, I have been taught to believe in God, and thus, this is what I would tell people whenever they would ask about my religious stance: yes, I believe in God. But it was not until this year, my year at Link, that I started to become more aware of this comfortable response, an easy answer I had never challenged. I wanted to know how I know God beyond belief? Is my understanding of God bigger than faith or belief?
My name is Serena Hidalgo, and I came to Link this year for my senior year, and without a doubt, it was one of the best decisions I have made. Looking back to August, when I first stepped on school property, it truly is so amazing and special to see how much I have grown as a person and all the ways the students and staff have come together to create the Link community, one that is full of Love, patience, support, and growth.
What we do here at The Link School is so incredibly unique and special. Oh my goodness, I have done so many things I never thought I would do in a lifetime. I have snorkeled in Baja Mexico, I have skied on one of the most well-known ski mountains in America, I have boated in rivers you see in documentaries, I have climbed heights far greater than any building I have stood beside, I have ridden miles on bike paths in the desert, I have learned how to speak a foreign language and put it into application, I have seen a beautiful sunset over a vast ocean, I have laughed until it hurt, and felt the warm sun on my face in the middle of a snowstorm.
But none of this means anything without two things: God and you, the donors.
So, when I say thank you, those two small words cannot fathom the amount of gratitude I feel and have experienced firsthand. We get to do what we do because of how much is freely given. We do the things we do, and go the places we go, because of you. Thank you, simply just doesn’t cut it. For me, you have made what on paper looks impossible, possible – the chance and opportunity to do things I truly never would have believed possible for myself. The people I have met while being here, and the friendships and connections, I know will last a lifetime. The memories I get to hold onto so tightly and closely for the rest of my life. So, when I say thank you, I mean thank you for making the seemingly impossible, possible for me.
Being here at Link this year, I have focused on answering those two questions: How do I know God beyond belief? And, is my understanding of God bigger than faith or belief? Well, I know I know God because I have felt Love, I have felt God here at Link. It has been such a blessing to be a witness to God’s unfolding of good and harmony this year. I know I know God because I know you. The donors and sponsors that support Link are a direct example of needs being met, selflessly and lovingly.
The Link experience is not complete without what you give, a testament to God’s law of harmony. I am beyond grateful for my time here at Link, and know I carry Link with me everywhere I go. Thank you endlessly.
So much love,
Serena Hidalgo
