2005 Linkers Come Home!
Over a third of the Link Class of 2005 gathered at the school on July 28, 2009 for a Celebratory Dinner held in honor of their graduation from high school. During the evening alumni had the opportunity to congratulate each other and to share their accompishments as well as their plans for the future. Families were invited and several attended.
Lauren Grant, a graduate of Arts High, was the first to arrive. "I wanted to see people I haven't seen in many years," she exclaimed.
Kenya Mills, graduating from Newark Technical High , said, "It was good to see where everybody stands. I like to see everybody progressing."
Lawrence Brown, a St. Pat's grad, shared, "When I went to Link, I was a rotten little apple. Link helped me with that. I matured here." Lawrence will be attending University of Notre Dame in Indiana next year on a track scholarship.
Students were able to revisit memories with many Link teachers and staff - former and current - who attended the event. Dawn Gullickson (former Link English teacher) flew from Memphis, Tennessee to see what has become of her former students. Adrien Moncur (former Link Director of High School Placement) came straight to Link from the courtroom where he is working as a public defender. Deon Freeman, physical education instructor who left Link at the end of the 08-09 school year to pursue a business opportunity, gave advice to the alulmni. Both Keva Berutti (Link art teacher) and Rosanna Chanco (science teacher) took some time off from their vacations to visit with their former pupils. Ngozi Emenyeonu (known as Miss E) attended as well.
Many Linkers credited Link Community School and its teachers with helping push them to succeed. Stephanie Odiase, Lawrenceville School graduate, explains, “You can’t go to Link and then go back where you came from. Linkers are driven.”
Next fall the Link Class of 2005 will be spread across the country. They have been accepted to colleges ranging from Rutgers Newark to Mount Holyoke to Notre Dame to University of Richmond. It will be a huge transition, and the first time many students will live outside of the Newark area. Dahron Wheeler-Weaver, graduating from Delbarton School graduate explains, “I am looking forward to getting use to being on my own, being more independent. Time management will be a big issue. Link and Delbarton helped me a lot with that. I won’t have a mother or father there, so I will have to fall back on the lessons I learned here.” No doubt, this class has proven they are up to the challenge and will move on to success!
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