Gratitude from the students of Year 15 (2022-2023)
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Savannah, but everyone here calls me Sav. I am from a little northern town in the great state of Indiana. I have lived there all my life but now I am spending my senior year in the Rocky Mountains. Next year I will be attending the University of Missouri Science and Technology to play soccer and study biology. I have been a part of NLC since eighth grade and that is definitely what got me on the path to come to Link. I spent this past summer as a CIT photographer at Adventure Unlimited Ranches. James came over to camp to help with staff training and told us all about school–at first I was really unsure but definitely knew it was a big possibility and once in a lifetime opportunity. I come from a large public school where I was a integral part of our cities sports and community so I knew it would be a huge transition, but I’m very grateful God directed my path here, I would not want to be anywhere else.
Academics has been a huge part of my life since I was in elementary school. I have struggled the past few years in high school mentally with academics. I have been a straight A student ever since freshman year, but I was just so unhappy and not getting where I felt I should be. My old high school was very college focused and it was great and all, but I was only learning life skills at home.
Here at Link, I have never been so happy to come to class or have class outdoors (my Mom would definitely agree with me on that). I love the fact that I am being pushed to learn and be better during school while also being pushed mentally and physically by my peers. I have never enjoyed English or Spanish much until this year. Ari, our English teacher is so awesome, and I have learned so much from her. She is so connected to the students, and you can tell she enjoys being with us. Ari was a Link student the very first year Link was open, so she makes connections and tells us stories. Joel, our Spanish teacher, has made a huge impact on my learning Spanish. He is such an inspiring teacher and role model at Link, I am so grateful to have him as a teacher this year.
Rock climbing, river activities, and snowboarding! There are so many activities we do here that I love dearly. Before coming to Link I had never been rock climbing or mountain biking, two things which I hope I will be doing for the rest of my life. I have always been athletic and played sports all my life, but nothing has been more challenging than pushing myself in these activities. I have also grown to love duckying and paddle boarding on the rivers; two more activities I have never done until coming to Link. Team games will always have a big impact on me, because everyone needs a little team energy in their lives. Boot hockey, Bernie Ball, soccer (of course), flag football, just to name a few favorites that we play here at school. These group games have definitely brought me closer to my peers while keeping active this semester. They force you to be a team player win or lose and to keep everyone involved, no matter the skill level.
Utah is a state I will always love dearly due to all the Link memories. Rafting the Green River for swift water classes, biking Slick Rock, climbing at Wall Street, and eating at Milts as a family–forever memories in my heart. Trips like these always start the best ways with the best naps in the car along with your best friends and arriving at campsites to set up tents for the best camp sleep ever. Camp cooking and meals are my favorite because you are outside under God’s beautiful sky. I can definitely say so much of the science I learned this year was applicable on our trips and it’s so incredible to apply the things we learn in school to our daily lives and trips into nature.
We read a book called “The Book of Delights” by Ross Gay this year and it’s a compilation of what he enjoyed in his daily life. Every day for a year he wrote down a simple delight from the day. This book was so empowering to me because I am one who likes to enjoy the little things in life. On our trips and during my days here, I would take note of the little things I truly enjoyed without realizing it. A few examples: running in the rain to get ice cream, trying on hats in a store with my best friend, hailstorms while eating pizza outside under an umbrella, walking in the dark down the sandy beaches, and sitting in the bathtub with the girls because the hot tub was broken. These little memories have meant the most here for me. Getting to see the growth every signal person expresses on a daily basis, it’s so empowering to see your peers grow in front of your eyes.
I have had many Christian Science healings while I have been at Link. This has been the biggest impact here for me. James has been a huge guide in CS for me, especially not having family here to support me physically. I have been through some of the most difficult things in my life here and I couldn’t have done it without you and the support of the staff. The ideas of growing closer to God have been so prevalent in my journey and living here. I would not want to be anywhere else or with anyone else. Thank you so much for all you do for us by supporting the school. I am forever grateful.
Thank you,
Sav
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Sia (short for Αναστασία Μπαλής). I am an Aquarius, 12th-grader, and a former art student from Maryland. I heard about Link through Adventure Unlimited- where I have been going for the past six years. At home, I am not an athletic person. The last physical sport I played was in 5th grade. At A/U I was pushed to peak mountains, rock climb, and raft. I often found that at A/U I was happier than at home. I found pride in completing peaks and joy in my everyday activities. At the end of my junior year of high school, I was exhausted. I didn’t feel connected to my school and lost my passion for school. Furthermore, I didn’t feel I would be prepared for college because all I knew was schoolwork. My parents suggested Link and I realized it was perfect for me and my senior year.
Both class and trips are so fun. I look forward to our trips because there is so much joy in them. So much laughter and so much growth. Mountain biking, climbing, and duckying were all relatively new for me. They are new things that I get to grow with. I had the opportunity to lead the Mountain Biking trip. I think I’m one of the weakest mountain bikers at Link and I found out that I was leading the trip a day before the first trip meeting. I enjoyed getting to help lead a trip and I grew my foresight and reflection abilities from that. I enjoyed leading the nightly reflection circle.
I love our Ecology class with Woody Brown. I am a humanities girl, but this year Ecology is my favorite class. The environmental and sociological implications of farming are fascinating; our hands-on field trips are delightful. I feel like I have so much practical knowledge about our world. That’s not to say that I don’t love my other classes. Joel is the best language teacher I’ve had the pleasure of having. Every class I learn more and the knowledge sticks. Joel knows how to balance classroom fun and learning. My teachers are all incredible people. I know that they care about me and would help me if I was struggling.
I am so cared for in our community. As I find myself, I also seek community. Link has such a wonderful community. I feel celebrated and supported. James and Makenzie are truly wonderful people with so much ardor and care. I am learning about myself- as most people are- and this is a great place to do it because you are supported no matter who you are. I love being able to support others and share unbounded joy. Link has you live as your infinite being.
Speaking of Infinite Being (nice segue, huh) I enjoy the reflective beginning of each day. I feel in touch with spiritual guidance and have a greater metaphysical understanding. I like having mornings where Bobby Lewis comes to school, discussions with James, and listening to different metaphysical talks. Whatever it is, spiritual prep is always a good start to the day. Every day I get to remind myself of God’s Love and omnipotence. In the morning I feel how lucky I am. I also like the spiritual consistency of my day.
With the commitment to Christian Science, there’s a commitment to being your highest and best self. Link is a wonderful opportunity and part of the opportunity is the physical expectations. I love climbing. I know that I have grown so much. On the first trip of the year, we duckied and rock climbed. I was so grateful to be placed with someone who had duckied before. I felt incredibly tense, but I also knew that I would grow only by facing my fears.
Before agreeing to send me, my parents told me- “you know you’ll be kayaking, if you pick this you are picking it for the whole year.” I told them that I was committed to Link and all its challenges. Link has been a challenge- but one that I am growing beautifully from.
The second day we climbed at the beginning of the year I was almost in tears. The climb seemed incredibly difficult, and I didn’t feel strong enough. How can I do this? I thought. I did get to the top, but I felt defeated. We returned to that climbing spot over Thanksgiving, and I succeeded. I did that climb wicked fast- not once but twice. That just feels like a testament for how much I’ve grown at Link.
Thank you so much for all you’ve done. I am so lucky to be here. We are so lucky to have you.
Much love and thanks,
Sia
Dear Sponsors,
My name is Vincent, I am 18 years old and currently a senior in high school. Originally, I come from Dresden which is in the east of Germany but since the fall of last year, I got to experience the beautiful concept of The Link School. My whole life, I lived in Dresden and had an environment I was comfortable with, a little bit too comfortable. Most of my friends were from the same area and even from the same school, so I constantly heard the same things. That’s when I decided I needed a change in my life and a new perspective. Therefore, I applied to The Link School, which wasn´t completely new to me, since my sister Victoria had attended her junior and senior years. The school felt exactly like the newness needed because it was a new country, new people, new activities, and a different language as well. Once I got here last year, I never doubted whether it was the right choice.
At Link, you start doing outdoor activities as the school year begins. The first day you might go kayaking, the next day climbing, and then biking. I learned to really appreciate the time we spend on those activities the longer I´ve been here. The more I do these activities the more I want to know about them. For next semester for example I have a guiding course planned with James where he will teach me more interesting and helpful knowledge about the outdoors and how to navigate them. Last year, I thought I had a favorite activity with mountain biking but this year my perspective on that has changed. I now enjoy every activity equally and value the components every one of them delivers to me. Mountain biking is a really good physical challenge, it showed me so many times already that when I push myself further than I think my body can handle, I can gain so much growth. Climbing is an activity where I can express myself in different forms and actions. When I am climbing higher off the ground, I am working on overcoming my fear of heights completely. Over my time here, it has gotten significantly better and it will go away soon, I am sure of that. Rafting is an activity I wasn’t used to at all before I came to Link because the rivers were never the most exciting thing for me. Now, however, I can’t wait to go rafting again in the spring because it brings so much joy. The academics this year are all really exciting and interestingly taught. My favorite academic class this year is Spanish. I always liked languages, but the last few years were a little rocky with it. Spanish this year is unbelievably thrilling since Joel is creating a class that is full of variety. One day we might have a conversation and then the next we read a story. Science is a cool class too, Woody, our science teacher, looks from different angles at Ecology and sustainability. We went on several field trips to learn about the topics from class firsthand. As we are already on the topic of trips, the first trip of the year was an enormously good trip to bond with the new students. We went climbing and rafting and this was all in the first week of the school year. After the trip, we were basically really well connected already.
“How do you challenge yourself to be the best self you could ever be?”, that was a question I have never asked myself in Germany because the area I lived in just had a different state of mind. At Link, however, I was constantly confronted with that question and by doing these outdoor activities I understand how to push myself beyond the barrier of my comfort zone. With that, I discovered so many new qualities I have never thought I had in me. At the end of last year, I knew that I had added resilience to my reservoir of personal qualities. The quality of resilience is one of the most important ones my life will ever need. I also really value the sense of community this school provides. Everyone gets so close to everyone in a matter of days. Since going on trips even with our academic teachers, we really have a deeper connection to all the people surrounding us here at Link.
Thank you all so much for making this experience possible for me but also everyone else because if one person were missing from this group, the group would feel incomplete. Everyone is contributing to this group in their own way and that is what makes this place incredibly special. Seeing the growth that people gain here in a matter of weeks is something you hardly can find anywhere else. I couldn’t be more grateful to all of you for being so unselfish and seeking the betterment of others.
Much Love,
Vincent
Dear Sponsor,
Hello there, my name is Kaylah and I am currently a senior at Link. I originally come from Camarillo, California but have lived in Medford, Oregon for the past three years, and now I live in Colorado! I grew up in a Christian Science household with two amazing parents (my mom just became a CS practitioner) and a super cool older brother who just graduated from Principia. I have loved the outdoors (mountains and rivers) my whole life and have played lots of sports, mostly volleyball. This past summer I was a CIT at Adventure Unlimited in the rafting and kayaking program. Through my job this summer, I learned about Link and got to even take a tour. After visiting the school for the first time, I fell in love immediately and asked my parents if I could apply. With their love and support, I filled out my application and got accepted!! Soon enough I packed up my life and came here to The Link School. I am now looking towards the future and have begun applying to colleges with lots of help and support from the staff – pray I get in. I am forever grateful to the staff for accepting me and supporting me through this adventure and I am just as grateful to each one of you for making it possible for me to come here as well.
At Link, I have had the opportunity to experience the most amazing outdoor activities. My favorites must be kayaking/rafting and climbing. I have always loved the river and Link has allowed me to further my experience and knowledge of the river and river sports. I look to continue kayaking and rafting throughout the remainder of my life. Rock climbing is something I came to Link with almost zero experience in, excluding the Rock Gym and Turtle Rocks at A/U as a camper. But sure enough, climbing has become one of my most favorite activities. When I climb, I feel very connected with the earth and a great sense of peace, and this is another activity I hope to continue for many years. I also got the opportunity to be on the Mountain Biking Team and it was a wonderful adventure. I was continually pushed out of my comfort zone but was supported fully by those around me. I even participated in a bike race, which I could never do again and be fine, but it was fun in the moment . My absolute favorite place to bike is Slick Rock in Moab, Utah, a place I have come to love immensely. We have taken two trips to Moab, both absolutely amazing trips! On the first trip we got to kayak (my favorite) and climb (also my favorite) at Wall Street, an incredibly famous climbing wall. Because of that trip, Utah became a place I love very dearly. Then we got to go back for a second time to mountain bike and climb! Both trips were beautifully fantastic. Another trip I absolutely loved was our Denver Art Trip. We got to visit so many amazing museums, my favorite being Clifford Still (if you ever go, call me up). When I am not paddling through rapids or hanging from a climbing wall, I am in class. My favorite is Spanish, which is fairly ironic considering I dropped Spanish my junior year because I did not want to do it. But Joel Benson, our teacher, is a perfectly hilarious teacher and has managed to teach me so much (Me gusta español!). Now when I am not learning and I am not on a trip, you will probably catch me in town with friends, playing games, or running! I love running very much and at Link I have been encouraged to run a marathon! So, on May 6, I will run the Colorado Marathon in Fort Collins (come run with me!). I am beyond excited. I run during project time to prepare and I have begun to focus on my senior project as we begin 2nd semester. My senior project will be a five-day self-supported trip in Brown’s Canyon wilderness and I am just as excited for that as well. I think it is safe to say I am usually very busy and have enjoyed every minute of my time here at Link, excluding finals.
I could never explain how much Link means to me, no paper could ever be big enough. But suffice it to say, I am simply better for having come here and I would never trade this experience for the world. I have become a person willing to face all challenges and my wild child soul is beyond happy. To me, Link is a place where I have made a lifetime of memories and a place I will call home forever. I have found my greatest peace here. I value the people who I get to call my best friends and I value the outdoors and all that it can teach us. Link is where I am meant to be and so, to you, my sponsor, I thank you from the very bottom of my heart. Because of you I have found my place. I have cultivated habits that I will always carry with me and I have come to understand a greater sense of joy and peace by being here. Link has changed my life and no words could express my gratitude to you for allowing me the opportunity to come here. Link will live in my heart forever and it is my happiest place.
Thank you.
With all my love and gratitude,
Kaylah
“Happiness is spiritual, born of truth and love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it.” M.B.E
Dear sponsor,
My name is Kailey, I am from Milwaukee Wisconsin, and I previously went to a boarding school in Colorado Springs. I have spent most of my life in Wisconsin but also lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico for about two years. I transferred to Link about two weeks ago after having a rough start to my year. This is about the eighth school I have been to, and I am only in my sophomore year. I previously played lacrosse and volleyball, and also was in debate for about two years.
In my short time at Link, we have already done multiple activities that are completely new to me. Link has brought many new things to the table for me, and I am still adjusting to all the various things done here. My first-time skiing was just in these past weeks, and while I did fall a couple of times on my first go, I think this is a great environment to pick up the skill. Having only gone skiing twice now, I would still say I have picked it up quite fast from the help and support of the staff and students. I’m very excited to continue progressing in skiing and learning new things. Besides all the athletic things I have picked up while being here, academics has also been going very smoothly for me. I have only been sitting in on classes for the past two weeks, but it is very enjoyable with the intimate environment in the classroom. In most schools, the classrooms have many people whereas at Link, the classes mainly have 3-6 people. The classes become very interactive and useful when you can build a connection with your teachers. Teachers here are always very willing to support and give extra help as needed. There are so many more opportunities to ask questions in the small groups.
Transferring to Link has been very difficult for me because I had to leave the people that had become my family. The beginning of the year was a very hard time for me; I needed a stable environment where I could thrive. Link has given me that opportunity, and every staff and student has supported me during this adjustment period. My timing to join Link may not have been the most convenient, but considering the circumstances, I have been given so much grace. I have never been in a community this loving and kind before, everyone accepts you with open arms right away. The relationships between students and teachers here are different than in your average high school. Teachers at Link try to form bonds with their students. The energy at Link is just immaculate because everyone truly wants to be here for this experience and to learn and grow with each other. It is so much more than just school here, it is about friendships, activities, and so much love. Initially, some of the activities here can seem intimidating and scary. However, with everyone’s support, everything we do here can be enjoyable. I still have so much more to learn and experience from my time at Link, and I am very excited about that journey ahead.
Thank you,
Kailey
Dear Sponsor,
If I had to describe myself in one word, I would choose adventurous. My name is Sky and I am currently a Senior at the Link School. I was born in Rhode Island and spent the next 16 years growing up on Bainbridge Island (a small island right outside of Seattle). At the age of 11 I was a committed soccer player and continued to play for two teams in my area up until this last year. As much as I was committed to my team, something about living on a small island was not enough for my developing personality. This realization came to me during Covid, when my old school was dealing with online learning. I decided to pack up my island life sophomore year and head to New Zealand alone to continue in person learning in a place where Covid was not yet affecting education. However, once I came back from that life-changing abroad program, it was hard to fit back into the mundane island schedule. I began surfing and skiing every weekend and looking for new ways I could continue to entertain myself. Then… I found The Link School.
This year I have found so many new activities and learned new things from the experiential learning style Link provides. I will carry this with me for the rest of my life. Joining the bike team was one of the most challenging things for me and allowed me to work on being more persistent and flexible; skills I will surely need for other physically demanding things that may come my way. Biking is now one of my favorite activities, and I am excited to continue biking in the Redwoods in California when I go to college. Other activities that I have continued a love for are rock climbing and skiing. Being among so many capable athletes, I feel like I can really push myself for the first time with these skills and learn from each person in a different way.
One of my favorite places to work on developing skills is on our camping trips. Climbing at Wall Street and biking on Slick Rock are definitely highlights of my year so far. On trips, where technology is out of sight, I feel most connected to the people and earth around me. When we get chances to write, and reflect in nature, it is a time where all the chaos fades away, and I can be calm and present with myself. The laughs and gratitude shared around the campfire at night are extremely special, and prompt for greater learning once we are back at the school. Getting chances to really connect with our teachers is so important to me because the learning is much more personable and interesting coming from those whom I trust and admire.
As amazing as all my classes are, I especially enjoy walking into the Spanish room and seeing Joel’s smiling face. Spanish has been a slippery slope for me in the past, and I have dropped out two times in past years, but I was willing to give it one more go this year to prepare for Peru. I have never been more grateful. Joel is an amazing teacher, whose enthusiasm for the class, and crazy cool life have grabbed my full attention. Being placed in practical Spanish, the hardest level, I have been challenged mentally and emotionally with the new material. I have seen so much progress since when I first entered the Spanish classroom. I am extremely excited and grateful to get the opportunity to travel to Peru, where I can put what I have learned and practiced into use, conversing with native speakers.
This school is so special to me because I have learned so many things about myself, and have been able to work on developing valuable qualities. I am becoming more self-aware, and am getting the chance to work on being compassionate. Link, being a very small community, has challenged me to be patient and flexible with both me and with others. I value the gratitude others have shown for me in the past and am excited that I now have the tools to give that gratitude back.
Being high on a mountain puts things into a different perspective, and allows space for the calming of thought, and immense gratitude for where I am and who has helped me get here. When I look out at night, and see all the lights from the town of Buena Vista, it reminds me how special it is that I have the chance to be somewhere so unique and life changing. Many people do not have the opportunity to go to a school where academics are a part of the curriculum, not the center of it. With this perspective, I take the most out of everything we do here, knowing that so many things have led me to a place where I have boundless resources available to me, both materially and spiritually. I know that being here will create endless paths for me to choose from once my Link journey comes to an end, and I am confident to say that I will be ready to take on whatever path. The experiences and growth Link has sparked in me has allowed me to view life as a beautiful thing to be very grateful for.
Sincerely,
Sky
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Dear sponsor,
Hi, my name is Dima and I am from New Jersey. I love games and adventure.
I came from Ukraine. I love playing video games and making new friends.
I like outdoor activities as well. I go mountain biking, hiking, and kayaking. I love the experiences at Link. It’s fun and challenging. I get to prove that I can do more than I thought I could. Life has brought me a lot of challenges and I have some challenges to get past. I lived at a youth home and did not have the support that this school had. There was no friendship at my old school and we were fighting all the time but since I’ve come to Link, the people have helped me a lot. I love the biking trips they are a lot of fun and I get to push myself.
The reason I love The Link School is that I have a second chance. I said I can become better than I am and so here I am. I will sacrifice anything to stay here (well, except my family or God but other than that I’m all in). and I will never back down or quit. I love the opportunities we get at Link.
Thank you,
Dima
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Wade and I used to live in Westchester County outside of New York City, however, I call Colorado home now. I had worked at A/U over the summer and felt inspired at the last moment to come to Link. It was a hard choice, I was giving up promising lacrosse and wrestling seasons, but I am so happy I made the choice to stay in Colorado. Many of my friends wondered why I would want to change schools for my senior year, and it is for that reason that I came, change. Link has given me the best possible change of pace I could ask for. Here at Link there is a strong community with plenty of opportunities to better get to know who I am, and what I am passionate about.
There are so many activities at Link that take a lifetime to learn and I love how coaching and exposure to these at an early age opens up so many avenues that would have been closed to me. I had just gotten into climbing at the A/U rock gym over the summer and being able to further pursue that at Link has been a blessing. Climbing is one of those things where it’s more than just a physical action, it involves problem-solving, motivation, will, and composure, all qualities which nicely replace the lack of team sports in my life. That aside, I have also enjoyed becoming better at mountain biking through the biking team and James’ coaching. It has been really rewarding to improve so quickly at something and to have a good group of friends to do it with. Besides skiing, these are the two activities I am most passionate about which means the only logical choice for my favorite trip thus far would be biking and climbing in Utah. On our second trip to Utah, we stayed at the Slickrock campgrounds, just a short ride from one of the world’s most famous trails, Slickrock. Three out of the five days we were biking at various trails in the area, Slickrock included, and it was some of the most fun I have ever had in my life. I have so many good memories from the trip riding with my friends, joking around, and freezing around our artificial campfire. On the other two days of the trip, we had the pleasure of climbing at Wallstreet, one of the World’s premiere climbing spots. It was our second time there and was no less moving than the first. It is impossible to not be moved by the sheet five hundred-plus foot sandstone canyon walls, and both times we went it definitely had an impact on me. So many things that we do at Link are impactful and meaningful and for that I am grateful.
Besides the field activities, Link has given me and my peers so much more. James and Makenzie have done an incredible job of revitalizing academics, between fantastic teachers and a good course selection they have made Link a strong academic environment. I went into this school year with a 1230 on the SAT, a score which I wasn’t very proud of, I registered for the November SAT two weeks prior, worked with teachers who kindly donated their time to help prepare me, and scored a 1370 on the new test. Besides becoming a more motivated student, Link has helped me learn who I am. Not that I didn’t know before, but after my semester at Link I can confidently say that I have grown into myself. No matter where a student is in their development as a person and learner, Link definitely gives them a leg up in preparing them for life. The staff gives us the perfect balance of feeling independent and self-reliant, while also feeling supported and cared for. Because of this, I have learned so many life skills that I will carry for the rest of my life. The most important of these are how to be a lifelong learner, how to manage my own time, and how to cook for myself. Some might seem more important than others but they are all vital for my success and learning them now puts me ahead of the curve. That aside, the students at Link have role models of the highest character to look up to. All of the staff members are people to be admired and we are blessed to have the privilege to learn from them every day.
As spontaneous as it was, I am so grateful I made the decision to come to Link and I wouldn’t change it for anything. I am proud of the strides I have made as a person and proud of the community that we have collectively made. Thank you for making this year possible, it is one that I will never forget, and I will take it with me for the rest of my life. You have changed the trajectory of fifteen people’s lives this year and that is no small deal, it is something to be proud of. I really appreciate what you have done for my friends and for me.
Thank you,
Wade
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Maya, I’m a sophomore and this is my second year here at Link. I’m from the small mountain town of Buena Vista, Colorado, twenty minutes from Link. My parents are both outdoorsy people and have been since their early twenties. So, naturally, they exposed my brothers’ and me to the wonderful outdoors. In middle school, I went to a small local Christian school that did similar outdoor programs. When I was looking at the different high schools in the area (there are very few), I came across Link. Immediately I was hooked. I knew that that was the place for me, where I wanted to learn and grow as a person before I am ushered into adulthood.
The amount we do here at Link is more than most schools. A day will consist of, spiritual prep, breakfast, morning class, lunch, afternoon class, afternoon activity, dinner, and evening class. Each class and activity is always full of enthusiasm and excitement. In the classroom, whether we’re learning a new language or what carbohydrates are formed of, there is always passion and interest in what we are learning. Not only that, but students truly apply themselves to their learning and work, knowing that they are preparing themselves for a better future. Outside there is even more enthusiasm. As a returning student, I knew a lot of the new students would be nervous about the outdoor activities we do, and understandably so. It’s not every day you go rock climbing or whitewater kayaking. However, immediately after our first trip, everyone seemed invested in the activities we were doing. Everyone wanted to learn new skills and how to be safe in the outdoors, something that made me ecstatic about this new group for the year.
Link is a very unique school in so many different ways that make it stand out. However, my favorite thing is our community. In public school, you have your group of a few friends among the hundreds of people who attend. Here at Link though, you get to not only know everybody, but make deep long-lasting connections. Being a day student here, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to make such connections as easily. I was very wrong. Every morning that I come up, everyone greets me with a bright good morning and are always encouraging me to stay a little bit longer after the day is done. In this group, I feel supported, loved, and can be myself freely. I’ve heard so many people talk about their high school years being the worst. Here at Link, I know they are the best.
Being able to come to Link is one of the best things to happen to me. I love being here and am so grateful for all the things I can do with Link. I never thought I would be able to have this amazing experience, and it’s all thanks to you. Your support of the school is something that I am beyond grateful for, because without it, I don’t know if I would be here. So, thank you.
Yours with gratitude,
Maya Welch
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Casius. I am from Buena Vista Colorado, I have lived here for my entire life. I grew up at Adventure Unlimited, right next door to Link. When I was 8 my family moved to The Link School, and I have lived here ever since. Christian Science is a big part of my life, I have been going to A/U since I can remember. I have so many great friends at A/U. They are one of the best things that ever happened to me. It brings me joy every time I think about them. I have wanted to go to The Link School ever since my dad started working here. It’s been one of my biggest dreams and now I’m here. Link has opened so many opportunities for me, I get to go biking, climbing and skiing every week. This last fall I was on the Link mountain bike team. We have gone to so many places to do these amazing sports. Every Monday we go climbing both inside and outside. When we go climbing outdoors, we go across the valley and find the most jaw dropping views I have ever seen. On Tuesday we go out and play one of Links exciting games such as Boot Hockey and Bernie Ball. Boot Hockey is one of my favorite activities we do here at Link.
Academics have been great this year, probably the best academic experience I have had in my school experience. My first class of the day is Spanish with the retired mayor of Buena Vista Joel. He knows so much about the language it truly inspires you to take the time to work on your Spanish speaking. My second class of the day is Math. Our math teacher’s name is Juile Kerr, she makes every single class so worth it and fun. She has had 2 of her 3 kids go to Link. Sadly, she can only teach for one semester and won’t be here next semester, but the person who is taking her place is also someone I know from camp, his name is Spencer. He used to be my counselor. He will be amazing. My 3rd period is a study hall where I can get all my homework from the previous class done. My 4th class is English. I am really grateful for this class because I need to learn all the correct formatting for essays and structures of paragraphs and all that good stuff. My teacher’s name is Ariana Stevens. Then I have science, taught by Woody Brown. He is one of the funniest people I ever met. My last class is at night taught by my dad on Mondays and on Tuesday and Thursday we have Adriana as our history teacher. She has so many great stories and is so funny.
We have been on 5 trips so far and they have been such good bonding experiences. Our first trip was 2 hours away near Kremmling Colorado. We went on an overnight boat trip at the beginning of the year. It’s what really kicked off the friendships here at Link. The second part of that trip we went climbing for the first time as a group in a beautiful place called Penitente. It was so much fun. Our 2nd trip was a service trip to the Lost Wonder Hut where we met Bobby Lewis to do maintenance on the hut and the surrounding area. That was also an overnight trip. But my favorite trip by far was the trip to Moab Utah to go biking and climbing, it was so fun and a great experience. Due to our lack of art and culture we took a beautiful trip to Denver to visit 3 art museums all filled with stunning art masterpieces.
The most meaningful thing here at Link by far are my peers, there is just so much support and laughter. You can’t turn a corner without laughing. I want to thank you with my whole heart for helping me be able to be a part of this amazing community and make my lifelong dream come true.
Sincerely,
Casius
Dear Sponsor,
My name is Brady, this is my 2nd year at The Link School and I am a senior. I live in The Bay Area of California. This is my 3rd in-person high school. I was previously at The Principia Upper School and Homestead Highschool in Sunnyvale California. I came to Link my junior year. I love sports and spending time with my friends. I’ve played competitive sports my whole life, some of my favorite sports are snowboarding, baseball, and now, rock climbing. I heard about The Link School from David Price one year while attending Cedars Camps and decided to try it.
Ever since my first week at Link I have found a great passion for rock climbing, it’s my favorite activity at Link (that and snowboarding). I’ve really found out a lot about myself through climbing, it’s almost like a spiritual time for me. My favorite trip is either the canyoneering trip or the climbing trip. It’s always amazing to have a whole week dedicated to working on climbing, I always end up learning so much.
My favorite class at Link is Spanish. I was part of a Spanish Immersion program from kindergarten through 5th grade and I was part of the Spain abroad trip at Principia my freshman year. Joel makes the class super fun and always keeps us engaged. I feel like I’m learning more than I ever have throughout my Spanish years.
Something that is so meaningful about Link is that they truly care about the whole person. A lot of schools say that they do but it’s really just to look good. Link genuinely cares about the whole person, that’s something that has meant the world to me while being here. Something else that is super meaningful to me is how much support there is here. I always feel comfortable asking for help in and out of class and everyone is always super supportive and will move heaven and earth to figure out a solution that helps. High school has been incredibly hard for me for lots of reasons but here at Link I feel like I can achieve anything and I always know that whatever happens things will work out for the best and I don’t need to worry about it. I feel so loved at Link and I and so grateful that I have been guided here.
– Brady