Dear Sponsor Letters- December 2024
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Fisher Ledbetter. I live in Venice on the Gulf Coast of Florida. I grew 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 experience an atmosphere like Adventure Unlimited all year round.
I value spiritual growth, a sense of belonging, and an atmosphere of love the most. That’s one of the reasons why I return to camp each year, along with my desire to enhance my physical capabilities in an environment quite unlike my home. I realize that throughout high school, one needs a place to grow not only physically but also mentally. That’s why I came to Link.
Throughout my experience here, I have been developing backcountry skills with staff trained in outdoor environments. We just finished playing a game of boot hockey, a favorite afterschool activity. I gain so much from the spiritual insights every morning during lesson study: we talk about the lesson together, listen to talks, and read the Journal and Sentinel all week. I am also currently practicing bouldering on V2 climbs, the hardest routes I’ve completed so far. I feel a sense of accomplishment every day when I’m here, which I can say without a doubt is the most meaningful part of my Link experience.
Thank you for supporting the Link School and I can’t express how much it means to everybody involved here. – Fisher
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Maya Welch, and I am a senior here at Link. I am from the wonderfully small town of Buena Vista, Colorado, and have lived here my whole life. BV is known for the immense amount of outdoor activities that are available to all outdoor enthusiasts, including: rafting, climbing, hiking, skiing, and more. Being raised in BV, I learned to love and admire the outdoors at a very young age. My family constantly took us outside to enjoy ourselves. I consider myself a very academic person, but the thought of spending five days a week inside a classroom for six to eight hours was always a terrible thought. When I found out about Link and that I had an opportunity to go there for my freshman year, I immediately said yes to it, knowing it was the right decision for me. Ever since I have not regretted my decision.
Something that I value here at Link is resilience. While I’ve been here, I’ve gotten to take the resilience class that James offers – twice. In it we talked about what it means to be resilient, and we looked at different stories on resilience. In each class, we always came to the same conclusion. There is nothing that we can’t endure. No matter how hard things get, we can always find a way to overcome the obstacle and be better in the end because of it. I have seen that expressed by everyone here. In this community, no matter how hard things have gotten for the group or an individual, they always persevere and overcome their obstacles. Link has shown me the importance of being resilient.
When I first came to Link all those years ago, I wasn’t very athletic despite my love for the outdoors. I didn’t have much endurance. I was more the type who loved to sit outside and read rather than go peak a mountain. Link changed that for me. Throughout my years here, I’ve met many different students and staff who have all pushed me in different ways. They’ve encouraged me to “try this new thing”, to “try that one move on the climb just one more time”, and to “keep at it, you’re almost there.” Though they may seem like small phrases or words in the moment, they pushed me out of my comfort zone to keep working at it. Slowly but surely, I became more fit and more active. I still am not the most fit person, there’s still room for improvement, but I am able to keep pushing through and get to where I need to. I have more endurance and am now the one who can help others who may be struggling and push them to try to go just a little bit further.
I want to thank you for donating to this school, for giving me and the rest of the students this once in a lifetime experience. If it weren’t for your generosity, I would be sitting in a classroom right now doing schoolwork, instead of sitting here typing this letter to show my infinite gratitude to someone who changed my life without truly knowing it. So, thank you for your donations so that this school can continue to teach, create, and inspire more students to come.
Much gratitude,
Maya Welch
Dear Sponsor,
I am Isaac Saucedo, and this is my second year at The Link school. I am very grateful that I am here because I am an outdoorsy guy that loves to learn. Link is the place for me because my dad and mom are also outdoorsy people, and they want the best education possible for me.
Thanks to Link, I have realized how much I enjoy and excel at math (a special thanks to my math teacher, Julie Kerr). I am also a 17-year-old teen that loves going on trips. I love all the activities we get to experience at Link: rock-climbing, skiing, kayaking, mountain biking, and more. My favorite is skiing. Every Friday, we go skiing (of course, there has to be snow, and an open ski resort) and those afternoons are the most fun and enjoyable hours of my life. Fridays are extra special because we have shortened classes and then get to go ski with our friends. Another thing that I really value that I have learned at Link, is kayaking.
I am gaining a lot of knowledge and happiness here at Link. I was not even part of a religion before coming to The Link School, but now I am happier than ever thanks to God, my dad and Link. I am more connected to God because of Link. Link is teaching me how wonderful God is. I have been so much more peaceful thanks to God. Before Link, I was a nice guy but now Link has pushed me to be even kinder and more loving. For me, my heart grows at The Link School. Thank you for making it a possibility for me.
Thank you so much,
Isaac Saucedo
Dear sponsor,
My name is Heath Orlet and I am a freshman at The Link School. I am 15 years old. I really like to work on things at The Link School woodshop and I also like going on The Link School trips, especially the rafting trips. For me, the rafting trips are the most fun. I also enjoy individual project time to work on different things. I started the year learning how to tie-dye and now I’m working on building a ski bike. A few of my favorite classes are math, history and science. Those are my three favorite classes here. I also really like when we go to the rock gym and rock climb on Mondays. I feel like I have a lot of friends here at school. My dad is James Orlet, he is the principle.
I really like how The Link School makes me feel valued. The students and staff and so nice. I also value the trips a lot too. Everything feels like it’s so loving and kind and really pulls you in once you are a part of it.
I am getting confidence about being able to do things that I was not so sure about before, like reading. I feel like I’m getting a lot better at reading and math. I’m also getting experience in different outdoors activities that I didn’t know much about before. I am learning how to do them correctly. I didn’t know how to do them correctly before. I have also had some healings at Link that really do show me the right way how to think about Christian Science. Thank you for helping to send me to this wonderful school! This school does so much for us kids we have so much fun here. We are so thankful for your donations.
Thank you- Heath Orlet
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Casius Orlet. I was born and raised in Buena Vista. My parents moved here from Homer Alaska for work. Once here, my dad became the Facilities Director at Adventure Unlimited and my mom became a camp counselor for the horsemanship program. I was born shortly afterwards on camp property and my brother camp shortly after that. I attended programs at the ranches my entire life and am still attending, pushing my 18th year. This summer, I will be hopefully working as a Counselor In Training (CIT). My family lived at the Ranches for 8 years and then we moved just 5 minutes away to the beautiful Link School, the place that would change my life from amazing to spectacular.
The things I value most here at Link are equality among everyone. My least favorite thing in the world is seeing someone being picked on or bullied. That’s why I make it my job to never let that happen here at Link. Thankfully, everyone here is usually very respectful of each other and it’s a very beautiful thing to be part of. The best part of it is watching people push to make the community a safe and fun place to be. It’s been such a good year this year.
I will forever be grateful to Link for all its unwavering support. Each and every teacher takes such good care of every single student and really takes the time to genuinely connect with every student. It has taught me to try to treat everyone with the same love and compassion that the teachers have shown me. The Link School has helped me make so many good friends and connections around the world and has taught me how to have good interaction with everyone I come across.
Thank you for helping me to come to a place of such beauty and strong understanding of Christian Science. It is such an honor to have your support.
Sincerely, Casius Orlet.
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Calder Ledbetter and I’m a senior at The Link School. My home state is Florida, and I live just on the outskirts of a small city called Venice. Throughout most of my childhood I attended Christian Science summer camps, growing a lot spiritually and developing my love for the outdoors and all it has to offer. I went to Owatona/Newfound for my first real CS camp experience, and it was there, in Family Camp that in really began to love growing in a Christian science community. For the next couple of years, I attended Adventured Unlimited as a mountain program camper, peaking 14ers (14,000ft mountains) and eventually I made my way on staff this past summer as a CIT and Photography Intern. For the majority of my high school career, freshman through junior, I attended a college preparatory school in the next city over and was subjected to intense academics, which I love, but experienced a lack of the outdoors, something that became so crucial to my wellbeing and enjoyment of life through attending A/U. Then, my dad heard about The Link School through his connections and social media, I realized that this was message letting me know to come to Link. This is 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.
I value the outdoors as I already stated, and I appreciate the limitless possibility and challenge that it has to offer. I love growing spiritually and each moment I try my best to express Christian Science as I find it makes my life meaningful and when I emulate it, I find my interactions with others are very harmonious and beneficial. I value a whole man approach to life, meaning a moderation of all things. Blending academics with physical growth is so appealing to me and is probably one of the reasons The Link School stood out. I value love and kindness, and the impact small things have on others. I think attentiveness and respect are so significant and are easily missed by other people as unimportant. I try my best to think about how others want to be treated, and I think this thoughtfulness can have a big impact on others and myself.
After attending The Link school for a semester, I can say with certainty that I was my best decision of my schooling career. I honestly wish I would have attended Link for all four years, but alas, it was not to be. I am however using my limited time here in any way I can. Our Year 17 theme this year is “Here I am” and I am really trying to take that to heart. So, when we play boot hockey, a new favorite of mine, or go on out trips, I am naturally trying to squeeze as much as I can out of it. I am gaining so much from attending Link. My confidence in outdoor activities have skyrocketed, my time management and practical life skills have multiplied tenfold, and my commitment to Christian Science is becoming more solidified and is a very helpful link in my life. Thank you so much for your donation. It made my high school experience that much more and I want to say that I am enormously grateful for it.
Thank you, Calder Ledbetter
Dear Link School Sponsor,
Thank you so much for all of your support, I am so grateful to be able to be able to attend The Link School. My name is Garrett Kelley, and I am a senior. This is my first year at Link, but I have loved Buena Vista since I first came here for summer camp ten years ago. I am originally from Ohio, but I moved to Texas when I was three and have been there ever since. I recently moved to Buena Vista permanently at the end of the summer.
I love the outdoors. Two of my favorite things ever are mountain biking, especially the bigger downhill trails in Salida, and kayaking. I absolutely love kayaking! One thing from kayaking that I love compared to mountain biking is how much of a different level of focus it requires, it’s easier to lose focus while mountain biking, and a little less dangerous, but in kayaking, you can never zone out, and I love that about it. The feeling of the cold water and breaching through waves is so amazing. I am incredibly grateful that I get to do all my favorite things here at Link. Previously, I attended The Principia, from eighth grade to eleventh grade but I was missing my favorite things, all of which are in BV and at Link. So, I decided to transfer to Link for my final year of high school, which has been the greatest idea I’ve probably ever had. Another thing I love is hockey, specifically ice hockey, I started playing in fourth grade, and played up until my freshman year, when I couldn’t keep playing because of going to school out of state. Which was really sad, but I learned to enjoy watching it and picturing myself in that position for fun. I still play a little bit whenever I am at home, but I really miss playing real hockey.
Values are very important to me. My most important one that I try to focus on is spiritual understanding and loving the Christian Science community. The Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy are very important to me, and I try to study them as much as possible and I want to be able to understand them to the best of my abilities. At Principia, their Bible program was one of the most important things to me. I focused almost all of my time to that class, and I believe it put me in a great spot to carry on as an adult. I started the program my sophomore year, as an intro to Bible Study student, and I loved it, so I continued. The second semester of that year, I got the opportunity to travel to Israel with my class to study abroad for two weeks, learning about the Bible, exactly where it happened. That trip opened up my eyes and brought me to love Christian Science. My junior year, I entered the much more difficult class and studied the New Testament. This was the hardest class I had ever taken at the time. I learned how to interpret the Bible, and write essays very quickly, while keeping their integrity. That year I got to go to Greece, which was incredible. That trip was totally worth it, as I had written around 20 essays in one semester, and taught myself Greek while memorizing 19 bible verses. This work taught me so much, and I will forever be grateful for it. Those two Bible classes built up my biggest value, which is Loving God, and learning to love unconditionally. I am still working on, but it is very important to me. Christian Science is important to me because it has done so much for me. I believe that everywhere I go I am supposed to go, and I will always get where I need to be. In preparation for coming to Link, I was very worried about the financial side of everything, especially the things that I needed to have to be prepared for going to Link, but God covered everything I needed, with all of the loving support from family and friends. I will be eternally grateful for God’s ability to support his children with all of their decisions.
I have already gained so much from being here at Link, and I love it. This is 100% the place I am meant to be, and I haven’t felt differently since the trip we took our first week at school. I realized on that trip, just how much everyone here cares for each other. Something that other places I have been were missing. The level of community that we became in such a quick time was incredible, it already felt like we were a family a few weeks into school. I felt at home, even though I was hours away from what I thought was home. I learned here that home can be anywhere you want it to be, which in my case is right here in this valley. I have learned so much from all the staff here, especially how to conduct myself as a better person. Through tribulations, I also learned how easy it is to talk to someone if you need something, everyone here is so approachable, and it makes living here so much more harmonious. I love the trips we go on! All the outdoor things I love are encompassed in almost everything we do, and it is amazing, the trips we go on have everything I need! Being outside, being on a bike, being in a boat, and getting better at backcountry cooking. We learn so much here all the time. I am constantly learning things from all the staff on these trips that are super helpful to think about when I start doing trips like this outside of school! But just as much as I love the trips here, I absolutely love the basecamp living too! It was super nice to have a warm bed, showers, and a house to be in after our two-week trip in October, it really made me appreciate how lucky I am to have all of this! I also love how the school operates academically; it is very nice. The most important thing that I love about school here, is how much the teachers love their jobs, and how they will do anything to help you, and that makes school much easier to understand. Outside of school, I love all the activities we do! For example, coming to Link has taught me how much I love rock climbing, which I didn’t really care for much before this year. Now I look forward to Monday afternoon climbing all the time. I also love boot hockey! It brings back so many memories of when I used to play, and I love how invested everyone is when we play, it makes the game so awesome! One of my favorite things about Link is how much there is to learn here! I’m learning how to ski every Friday, and I love it. Skiing is so much fun, and I love going around Monarch skiing down super fun greens and blues!
I love everything about this place! It is so special, and I am incredibly grateful to be here. Thank you so much for helping me, and everyone else experience such a perfect place to prepare for life after school! Thank you!
Sincerely, Garrett Kelley
Dear Sponsor,
Hello! My name is Bridger Hinchman. I’m a current senior at The Link School, and this is my second year attending Link. I was originally born in Charlevoix, Michigan, and when I’m not at school, I’m now living back with my parents in Elsah, Illinois.
A little-known fun fact about me is that unlike most students who come to Link, I came in completely blind and had no visit before I made the over 15 hour drive from Illinois with my dad. I think the blind entrance helped me grow to love Link, and even more so, helped me decide why I wanted to come back this year. The Link community has been nothing but the most uplifting and tight-knit community that I’ve been a part of in my lower school to high school academic journey. I’ve changed schools all throughout the journey, including being homeschooled for one of those years, and nothing was feeling like the right fit. That is, until I found Link. When I was first introduced to the idea of coming to Link by my mom, she described it first as a variation of summer camp but during the offseason. With my deep love for the summer camp that my family attended and now works for, this sounded like more than a perfect fit. I do not regret that decision for a second. All the friends that I’ve been able to make, being students, faculty/staff, or others nearby-to-school that I’ve been able to meet, have been a major impact factor on being able to be out here, 800 plus miles away from home. This was a change that I was ready to adapt to. When that adaptation was complete, there was nothing that made me second guess it. Along with the additional friends and relationships I’ve been able to build, the program has also helped me learn some awesome skills that I can take and use in my day-to-day life, including but not limited to skiing, rock climbing, white water navigation skills, and much more.
Sponsor, thank you once again for allowing all of us here at Link to be able to benefit from your generous support of our school. All the amazing activities I just listed and so much more has been made possible thanks to generous supporters just like you! Link would not be the same without you, and I think I can speak for all of the student body when I say your support has not gone unrecognized!
See you in the mountains soon!
Sincerely, Bridger Hinchman
Dear Sponsor,
Hi, I am Josh Holser. I am originally from Portland Oregon, but I currently live in St. Louis Missouri with my family. I am a junior in high school, and I am currently attending the Link School. I have been going to Link for just about one school year now, I started here for my second semester of my sophomore year. I have a younger sister named Zoey and my parents’ names are Julie and Chris. Right now, I am looking into becoming a diesel mechanic and possibly an electrician as well. I am practicing my skills on cars with James, our school director, and also looking into trade schools as well. I like to ski and snowboard as well. Being out in the snow and winter here in Colorado is much nicer than the winters in the Midwest.
In my life I value many things, but some of the things I value most are hard work, lots of fun, respect, and honesty. I feel that these things are some of the best ways to conduct oneself. Working hard at whatever you are given is a value that I have only just recently added to my mental value chart. It is one of the hardest things I have had to learn and am still learning; but boy has it paid off. I feel as if things go so much more smoothly for me because I can just take what I am given and do it. I also love to have fun, and it is one of the things that allows me to express who I truly am. Goofing around and being silly is one of the ways that I have best been able to connect with my friends and people I care about. I love the fact that here at Link you can do that with everyone. Being lighthearted and having lots of fun has allowed me to be more stress free but still have a good time with what I am doing. Respect is another one of my big values. Though I definitely feel that you have to earn respect, it is not just given. I respect a lot of people, and I understand when I haven’t earned someone’s respect because of my actions or the way I am conducting myself. Respect is a big one for me along with lots of other people, but I definitely think we all need to be careful who we give it to. The last value of mine that I am going to mention is honesty. I think being honest is one of those things in life that we should all be striving for all the time. I respect an honest person, and quite frankly I find it very hard for me to be dishonest. While I have been dishonest before, I am not at all proud of it. I think that the more we can be honest the better it will make us as people.
When I first came to Link, I was working through some poor decisions that I had made in my life. Link quickly taught me how to work hard and how to be able to do the things that I don’t like doing. Which I think is a great skill to have in life and one I am always working on. I have also gained a better understanding of myself and who I would like to become. Being here has helped me see a plan for myself moving forward in life. I have met so many people here that I want to have in my life for as long as I am here. I have also grown in my academics. When I first got to Link, I had some terrible grades, and they had been that way for years. Being here has taught me to put the effort into my schoolwork for a couple of reasons. One it will benefit me with jobs and two, it teaches me even more how to do things that I might not be feeling like doing because life will be full of those types of things. Link has helped me see and gain a better connection to God. Before being here, my relationship with Christian Science was very iffy. I didn’t know if I wanted to continue in the religion, but being here has shown me what it provides and can offer me for the rest of my life. I have had a couple of healings here that I didn’t expect to have but I had them due to my gained connection with God.
Thank you so incredibly much for all that you do for my friends, this school, and myself. It means so much to us to know that there are people out there who we have never met, but who are willing to donate so that we are able to have all of these amazing experiences. Once again thank you for your time and effort that you put into the people and programs here at Link.
Thank you.
Sincerely Josh Holser.
Dear Sponsors,
I am Philine Kreysing and I come from Germany. I am a junior here and I decided to come to Link because I wanted to experience something totally different from what I knew. That wish has definitely been fulfilled. Here I have so many opportunities to challenge and push myself in schoolwork, but much more even in the sporting activities we do here. In Germany I lived in the capital, Berlin. A big city, where it takes you at least half an hour to see nature. Being here now really is so different. Surrounded by this wonderful nature I feel that I am more at balance with myself. It is a gift to have nature right in front of my nose. It is cleansing and comforting to me and a school in the midst of nature is very rare in general. I am extremely grateful that I get to be here. I value this tight and small community very much. Living so close together helps me to grow too. It deepens my respect for people’s privacy, and we get to know everyone more intimately. What I mean is that we not only see each other as friends, but as people with problems or struggles and with their strengths and their most beautiful sides. Living here, I feel that I gain so much more than I ever could have in Germany, understanding love and building up mental strength. All these things we learn and gain here have a great value to life and will guide me and us through every challenge that occurs. The staff contributes a lot to that experience of growth. They push us, encourage us and give with all their heart.
The activities we do not only strengthen my body, but they also help me build up my mentality. Biking, playing booth hockey, canoeing and climbing are sports we continuously and often practice. I feel that it motivates me to push myself harder, to stay focused. It makes me more confident, which I can also see happening for other people around me. This place is perfect for people to thrive, grow and expand. It challenges them to come out of their shells or to take things like school and people more seriously. Being here shapes people positively in so many ways. In courage and caring for themselves and others and for nature. I know that it is a life changing experience for me, and I certainly think it is for my new friends here too. It has taught me to actively respect people more, which is very valuable. The trips we make strengthen a sense of connection to nature and an appreciation for all engaged people that make it possible for us to be here.
I am endlessly thankful for your generosity and your donating. For making all that this school can give, which is like gold for soul and body, possible. It is such a unique and positive place to be.
Sincerely, Philine Kreysing
Dear sponsor,
Hi! My name is Serena, and I am currently a first-year senior at The Link School. When I’m not at Link, I reside in Charlotte, North Carolina, where I have lived for most of my life. I am also the eldest of three, have a cat and two fun facts about me are that I am an olive and book fanatic!
Coming from a family that has never participated in any/many outdoor activities, and I, someone who has grown to love and highly enjoy the outdoors; the Link school is what I would describe as answered prayers revealed. There are many other things that I value besides the outdoors, some of these being, growth, learning, leadership, kindness, love, connection, and God.
I was raised in Christian Science before I even knew what Christian Science meant, and this has been one of Life’s most continuous blessings. The daily spiritual application of God’s harmonious laws and Jesus’s teachings is something that I truly value and love beyond words. This is exactly what I have seen demonstrated at Link. The Love that Link is built upon and surrounded by is not something to go unnoticed. In an atmosphere where love is freely given and expressed, I have grown in my understanding as a spiritual Link/child to God’s infinite, boundless goodness.
Something that I have been so fortunate to witness is the amount of growth and learning that takes place at Link. This being something I value, I have been so blessed to see both the physical, spiritual and academic growth that have taken place in myself and others. From learning how to mountain bike, getting into a kayak for the first time, learning how to ski, expanding and strengthening my knowledge of the outdoors, rock climbing, learning how to belay, and life skills such as cooking, reflection, and balance, Link has taught me that I am, and we are, so much more capable than we know. So much stronger than we think. And hold so much more love, that sharing and compassion are not a choice, but a natural reflex.
I don’t know you, but I do know the effect you, each person and sponsor who prays, donates, or gives to Link has. I can’t measure the good I’ve seen, the connections I’ve made, the memories that are forever, or the laughs that I have had, but I can guarantee that every day as the sun sets behind the ridge of mountains, I am truly, forever grateful for such a life-changing experience that proves the demonstration that “God is universal; confined to no spot, defined by no dogma, appropriated by no sect” -Mary Baker Eddy
Words cannot express the gratitude that I feel, knowing that the Link School is made possible by sponsors such as yourself. The greatest thing one can do in life is impact another life, and that is exactly what you do. Link is a testimony to God’s goodness unfolding right here right now. And such goodness can only stem from a place of even more goodness, and so to that I thank you!
With Love and gratitude, Serena Hidalgo
Dear Sponsors,
My name is Gabriel Early, and I live in Idaho. My life has been sort of up and down, but I feel like it’s leveling out ever since I’ve gotten here. I’ve been CS my whole life, and my family has been for about 6-7 generations. I love CS. I’ve grown closer to it than ever, and it has helped me a lot.
If I could have a board like a bulletin board to get to know me with a few things that are special to me, the list would go like this. Movies, campfires, waves, chilling, climbing, mountains, roads (not the asphalt roads you see but the concrete ones you see in the south), skating boarding, NYC, low/dim, warm lighting, music, and my parents (especially my dad).
My whole life, I’ve been outdoors, sometimes more than other times, but it has always been a huge part of my life. I started snowboarding when I was six, and it’s been the biggest part of my life. Being able to live in nature up here at Link is the most spectacular thing; being right next to the mountains is so sick. I also value my education. I have never really liked school, my grades have always been crappy, and I have always been getting in trouble, but I do think that Link has set me straight. I’ve started caring about my education and grades, which have been better than ever.
I’m appreciating my education. Since I’ve come to Link, I’ve gained more appreciation for CS. I’ve had many small and big healings from CS since I’ve been here. Everyone can appreciate the staff and all the work they put in, but I’m incredibly thankful for James. Last October, I lost my father, so I’ve been lacking that father figure that I can look up to. James acts as a sorta-father figure for everyone here. I’ve learned a lot from him because, you know, when you were a kid, your mom would tell you stuff, but if you had a handy sorta dad like I did, who knew how to do stuff, (at least for me) I would listen to him a little more, like when your dad would teach you how to mow the lawn and change a car tire. I’ve especially felt that when working with James in the garage on cars for project time.
Just writing a letter will not really show my thanks, but I’m so grateful to be able to come to Link. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind place. There’s just nothing like it. The staff are impeccable. I’ve heard that the actual tuition is like 80k, and the sponsors or Link pay like 50k, and on top of that. If students need, Link will pay for another amount. It’s incredible that a place like this is available for people to send their kids to, which is such a blessing. Link has improved my life in every way possible.
Thank you sponsors!!! -Gabe
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Rosalee Heeter, I am a freshman at the Link School. When I was first deciding whether or not to come to the Link School, I felt a bit weary. I was nervous that I’d be missing out on things with my friends from home, and didn’t want to feel left out of the typical high school experiences that everyone gets to have. And for a while, I really didn’t know what to do. But ultimately, I had to make a decision. A philosophy that I have for life is that, when making decisions, choose the harder choice. Choose the one that will challenge you, and make you think, and force you to grow. So, I chose the Link School. And I’d love to say that it totally felt like the right decision right away. But truthfully, I had no idea if I made the right choice. But I think that’s the beauty of Link School. In no other place have I been challenged so hard, been supported so deeply, or been forced to grow so much. So, here I am, at the Link School, infinitely grateful for my decision.
I love learning. I don’t know if I have ever loved it more than how much I love it here. I’m so genuinely excited for each class because I know that I will learn so much from it. I learn so much because all the teachers whole-heartedly love teaching. It’s very easy to tell the difference between a teacher that wants to be at school, and a teacher that doesn’t. It’s easy to tell that all the teachers at Link want to be here. I’m not sure if I’ve ever really been proud of my learning before Link. But here, I cannot tell you how many times I’ve gotten a rush of excitement in Spanish class because I know that a year ago, I would’ve been so jealous of how much Spanish I know now. I cannot tell you how much I have loved learning more about the Universe in Science class and the curiosity that has sparked from it. I am so insanely proud of how much I have learned at this school, and I entirely accredit it to the teachers.
My whole life, I have asked lots of questions. This desire for curiosity amplified for me as I learned more about Christian Science. I grew up in Christian Science, but as I grew older, I faced some of the cruel, disheartening truths of the world. Going through these things, I started to question a lot about my own faith. When you’re little, it feels really easy to believe anything you’re told. So, facing these truths was frustrating for me because I deeply wanted to hold onto that child-like faith I once had. I lost the person I saw as the epitome of Love and Christian Science. I hated that I couldn’t find any answers in Christian Science as to why that happened. I tried asking people about it, but just found myself getting more frustrated when all the answers I got seemed to be contradictory. So, I stopped asking the question. Really, I stopped asking any questions about Christian Science. But there is no place that will challenge you like The Link School. Being here challenged me to reintroduce these questions. But now, I phrase them differently. I will now ask Christian Science how I can be more connected to the epitome of Love. And in those questions, there is peace. This school is the epitome of Love. And I am so grateful for it. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all that you do to help this school exist.
-Rosalee Heeter
