Freshmen year is a time of transition.

Students often make this adjustment at their own pace.

Kimoni Stanley and Lola Guevara, Link Crew leaders at Sierra High, were among the fortunate.

“I already knew a lot of people (as a freshman),” said Stanley, who is a standout athlete for the Timberwolves.

He plays football – as a sophomore, Stanley led Sierra in rushing with 1,375 yards and seven touchdowns – and is a sprinter on the track team.

Guevara is involved in soccer and softball. In her three years, she batted .374 for the Timberwolves while playing shortstop while playing in the latter.

Both benefited from having an older sibling.

Stanley’s older brother Nick Stanley was also involved in sports. Guevara was thankful for her older sister Dominque Guevara for being there for her early on.

Both still relied on the Link Crew process.

“I was still nervous when I got here but I was thankful for my Link leader (Kendra Kaiser),” said Guevara, who took advantage of the upperclassman’s mentoring.

The first day of school is today with some 455 ninth graders making up most of the newcomers at Sierra’s Class of 2023.

On Wednesday, many became acclimated to their new surroundings via freshmen orientation under the directions of Link Crew instructors Jeff Greene and Rochelle Fast.

This is their four year of their involvement in the transition program consisting of 125 upperclassmen serving as Link leaders.

“That’s most (Link leaders) that we’ve ever had,” Greene said.

Fast led in the ice-breaking activities in an effort to get the newcomers out of their comfort zone.