An Apache Junction High School employee is to attend a three-day Link Crew conference in June at the Hotel Fera Anaheim DoubleTree in Orange County, California, to learn how to implement a program where older students mentor younger ones.
The governing board voted unanimously April 23 to approve the June 17-19 out-of-state travel for Terra Seymour, AJHS assistant principal of academics, costing $4,293.96. It will be funded with a ninth-grade success grant.
Link Crew is a transitional program for ninth-grade students who are matched with juniors and seniors who serve as mentors, Meara Verna, AJUSD’s executive director of educational services, said to the board.
“And so they do team-building activities, they pair them up and they work together just to make sure those freshmen feel welcome and they start to build that community as a high school student,” she said.
“I’m just very impressed with the whole concept. I’m glad that we are integrating that into our high school,” governing board member Gail Ross said.
The cost includes $468.96 for plane travel; $1,045 for meals and lodging; $100 for bus, taxi or phone; and $2,680 for the registration fee, according to a travel request form.
Link Crew, a program from The Boomerang Project, is a high school orientation and transition program, according to a brochure attached to the form.
The three-day conference offers intensive training to certify individuals as a coordinator in the Link Crew program, according to https://www.boomerangproject.com.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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