Structures of Support: Link Leaders in Action

For students in Grade 9, the transition from Middle to Senior School can feel daunting. New expectations, unfamiliar faces, and the pressure to find footing in a larger community all arrive at once. At St. Michaels University School, the Link Leader program exists to help ease that transition by pairing Grade 9 students with Grade 12 mentors who remember exactly what it was like to be in their shoes.

Throughout the year, Link Leaders connect with their assigned Grade 9 homerooms through a series of fun, student-led challenges designed to break the ice, build trust, and create a sense of belonging. The activities are lighthearted by design, but the connections they foster are meaningful and enduring.

One of the most anticipated of these events is the annual Egg Drop Challenge, which took place on the morning of January 20.

“Sometimes, especially after winter break, you can feel kind of fragile, like an egg, and to manage stress you’ve got to lean on people and the community around you,” said Grade 12 Link Leader Matthew Stark, using the project as a metaphor for the support Link Leaders provide.

Students were given just 11 minutes to design and build a structure that could protect a raw egg from a two-storey drop onto concrete using the bare minimum of materials such as an empty toilet paper roll, popsicle sticks, string, some tape and a plastic bag. As the clock ticked, the room quickly filled with lively discussion, creative problem-solving, and debates to choose the most promising design.

When it came time for the drop, students gathered below the Crothall Building under clear skies and bright sunshine. Music pumped through large speakers as anticipation built with each release. Cheers, gasps, and groans rippled through the crowd as some results were obvious on impact, while others required a careful unwrapping and a decisive thumbs up or down.

While the outcome drew plenty of excitement, the real success of the Egg Drop Challenge was the atmosphere it created. The event brought together students from different grades in a shared moment of creativity, humour, and connection.

Moments like this are what make the Link Leaders program such a memorable part of the Senior School experience. As one of several Link Leaders activities throughout the year, the Egg Drop Challenge continues to be a tradition that strengthens community, builds confidence, and adds a little fun to the school day.