LINK (Leaders Involved in Networking Kids), a peer leadership organization, was implemented at Unionville High School in 1995. The organization was a result of Downingtown High School’s own peer leadership program activated in 1993. Mr. Ed Spang, the principal at Downingtown High School, moved to Unionville High in 1994 to take over the Principal’s position. With him, he brought the concept of L.I.N.K.

 

             By the fall of 1995, Mr. Terry Muzzy and a student staff from Downingtown High School conducted the first Unionville L.I.N.K. weekend; Mr. Spang and Mr. Muzzy were the primary founders of L.I.N.K. at Unionville. During the weekend, a total of thirty-two ninth and tenth grade students attended as well as a few adult staff members from Unionville. The following fall, advisors Mrs. Julie Hawkes and Mr. Vince O’Donnell carried out the second L.I.N.K. weekend. By 1998, L.I.N.K. had become a popular student organization and due to much request, the amount of weekends per year and number of students allowed to attend was raised. A total of two weekend per year, a fall and spring weekend, and forty students per weekend became the norm; this same policy is continued today. The nomination process for students can be seen under “nomination process”. If chosen, a student may also eventually be chosen to become a “staffer” who helps run a L.I.N.K. weekend.  The L.I.N.K. weekends are almost entirely run by student staff. Adults that attend the weekends are considered full participants. This allows for a more equal basis for faculty to get to know students on a more personal level. As a result, students are able to form a large support system of fellow peers and teachers.

 

             The fall of 1995 also marked another important event in L.I.N.K.’s history: the first opportunity for students to participate in peer mediation. The peer mediation program at Unionville High School is now one of L.I.N.K.’s primary responsibilities. L.I.N.K. organizes and conducts peer mediation training and this process is not limited to L.I.N.K. members; any student in school wishing to become a peer mediator may do so regardless if they are a L.I.N.K. member.

 

             L.I.N.K. has caused the growth of leadership programs in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District as well as in various other school districts. For example, programs have evolved at Hillendale Elementary and at Charles F. Patton Middle School that teach students the benefits of conflict resolution and self esteem. A program known as T.I.L.T. was also developed at Charles F. Patton Middle School due to L.I.N.K.’s influence. Wendy Landry, a teacher at the middle school, advised the program for several years but it is no longer in effect. Neighboring school districts have also attempted to implement a L.I.N.K. program within their high school and some have been successful. For instance, in spring of 2008, two teachers from Marple Newtown High School attended the L.I.N.K. weekend. This event led Marple Newtown to host their own weekend with the aid of ten Unionville student staffers and help from adult L.I.N.K. advisors. Strath Haven High School has fully implemented L.I.N.K. into their high school because of the work of Mrs. Andrea LaPira, a former English teacher and L.I.N.K. advisor at Unionville. Mrs. LaPira became Vice Principal at Strath Haven and spoke about the benefits and positive atmosphere of L.I.N.K. in schools. With the help of Unionville staff and advisor Mrs. Hawkes, Strath Haven was able to hold their first weekend; today, Strathaven is still conducting weekends. Kennett High School’s Vice Principal, Mr. Raymond Fernandez, also participated during the spring 2007 weekend and has hopes of establishing L.I.N.K. at Kennett as well. West Chester East High School and Henderson High School have attempted to start L.I.N.K. at their schools, but unfortunately, they are not able to obtain funding at this time.

 

             Currently, L.I.N.K., is one of the largest organizations in Unionville High School. L.I.N.K. has a total of approximately two-hundred and eighty members ranging from freshman to senior each year. Two weekends a year with forty nominated students per weekend are still being conducted with the aid of advisors such as Mrs. Hawkes and Mr. O’Donnell.

 

             The L.I.N.K. experience is a positive one for students involved. The program stresses leadership roles as one of its main goals; not only are members aided by learning the skills needed in becoming leaders, but also the entire student body is helped. Students learn to respect others and all students in the high school are able to benefit from a more tolerable, respectful, social and academic environment. The program is designed to improve the decision making skills of all students involved. Research has shown that a solid peer leadership experience is a valuable necessity of programs to help fight teen substance abuse. Past and current L.I.N.K.ers describe their experience as a memorable one; in many cases, students have written their college essays about what they have gained through their L.I.N.K. experience. L.I.N.K. has provided students with a reason to get more involved in Unionville High School.

 

             As of this writing, L.I.N.K. just had its twenty-sixth weekend. Spring of 2009 will be the first ever all school LINK activity for all students to share their experiences.

History of L.I.N.K.

Leaders Involved in Networking Kids