In Case You Missed It
In case you missed any of our exciting programs over the last few weeks, here’s a recap:
Scholar Celebration
What an amazing evening we had at our Scholar Celebration on Thursday, June 13! The energy in the room was palpable and contagious! After LINK President and CEO Dr. Toinette Gunn offered her opening remarks, Ken Johnson (chairman of the LINK board of directors) introduced the James J. Gavin Humanitarian Award and a Gavin family representative, who presented this prestigious award to Scholar Mitchell Bender. Scholars Olivia Cameron and Addison Belhomme then announced and presented several other Scholar and Mentor awards before senior Scholar college choices were announced and seniors received gift bags full of fun swag from sponsors and donors. Rickey Harris presented an inspiring keynote address, and then Julie Welborn (LINK alum and former board member) administered the LINK Alumni Pledge to the new graduates! Deepest thanks to everyone who participated in this exciting and meaningful event!
April Saturday Academy
Our High School Fellowship Scholars presented their Capstone projects in front of their peers during their cohort sessions on Saturday, April 13. Capstone projects were assigned based on grade level and ranged from creating a four-year plan to seniors defending their college choices. Scholars also participated in an Activity Fair where they were able to celebrate the end of the programmatic year by connecting with their peers.
Family Advisory Council (FAC) End-of-Year Mixer
Parents and guardians on the Family Advisory Council closed out the 2023-24 academic year with a fun mixer on Tuesday, May 28. After a very consistent year, the group came together with community builders, food, and deep reflections of how this year went and how the FAC can plan for an even better year for 2024-25. “It was a great chance for us to celebrate the parents and guardians of our Scholars,” said Mark Presley, Manager, Scholar Support. “This event provided space for them to come together, build community, and elevate their needs and the needs of their Scholars. This is how we establish the village that is the LINK community!”
New Scholar Orientation
It was an exciting day on Saturday, June 1st, as we welcomed 67 new High School Scholars and 15 new Jr. LINK Scholars for the classes of ’28, ’29, and ’30! We met our new young Scholars and their parents/guardians, introduced the LINK staff, shared an overview of our programming, and provided vital information and details about Summer Learning and the next steps in the program. Thanks to everyone who participated. We’re so excited to partner with you through LINK!
Deloitte Day
A group of specially selected Scholars enjoyed Deloitte Day 2024 on Friday, June 7, visiting the Chicago Deloitte office to participate in an interactive business case study. Scholars analyzed the market and presented their findings to Deloitte staff later in the day. It was also a fantastic opportunity for networking and learning more about Deloitte and the company’s impact in business through a panel discussion.
