FOLEY, Ala. — High school can be an exciting and anxious time for teens as they begin to find themselves — they branch out to form lifelong friendships, develop specific interests and life goals and shape the mold for the person they wish to become. Football games, pep rallies and prom are coupled with homework, lockers and class schedules.

Freshmen often face bullying from upper classmen, confusion about class locations and teachers’ expectations, not to mention stressful social situations, but some rising juniors and seniors at Foley High School took time out of their summer to help the younger group get settled in.

Jakob Suell and Candy Mosley, seniors, volunteered as Link Leaders at Camp Lion Pride.

According to information provided by the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, approximately 500 freshmen students were divided into groups with a junior or senior Link Leader for each group. Leaders mentor the students, familiarize them with buildings and classrooms and offer friendship in an otherwise lonely experience.

Link Leaders talked about their motivation for participating.

“Just being here puts me in a wonderful mood,” Suell said, a smile growing across his face. “People think these programs don’t affect them (freshmen) much, but the kids don’t talk at first … High school is the building block for the rest of your life.

“Some will go into personal problems and some start to joke around.”

Candy Mosley said that positive energy is contagious.

“When you’re happy, and excited and love what you’re doing, then they get excited,” she said.

She explained that freshmen have many anxieties since everything is new to them.

“Earlier today, Gage (a student in her group) was like, ‘I’ll get lost this school’s so big,’” she divulged. “(But on the way back) Gage said, ‘this is here!’ — now he won’t get lost and be scared on his first day of school.”

But Gage wasn’t the only worrier in the group.

“They worry about teachers and lockers,” Mosley explained. “I feel they’re thankful we’re here.”

He admitted that he gives of his time to help others, as well as himself.

“Honestly, I’d give up as much time as possible to do this,” he said. “It makes me happy.”

Mosley agreed.

“I choose to do this because I love to volunteer,” she lit up. “It makes me feel good.”

Suell, like Mosley, has volunteered with the program for the past two years, and has seen the benefits of reaching out, he said.

“I know I’m helping freshmen come into this big world a little more comfortable,” he reflected.

Mosley said she knows she’s making a difference because she sees the evidence all around her.

“I see members of my group from last year in the hallway and they say, ‘Hey Candy, what’s up?’” she laughed. “I feel like they felt they had someone older to protect them and who knows them — it gave me a sense of well-being.”

She said Link Leaders are part of something bigger than freshman orientation.

“The way we act and the way we present ourselves — we’re going to shape a little piece of them,” she spoke with inspiration. “It’s awesome to guide them through their freshman year.”

Terry Burkle, vice president of the South Baldwin Chamber Foundation and an organizer for Camp Lion Pride, said selecting inspirational and eclectic leaders such as Mosley and Suell is a vital part of the process.

 She said the Chamber Foundation chooses Link Leaders from the pool of applicants and they “try to get the whole gamut.”

She said choosing a broad spectrum of volunteers helps freshmen find someone they can relate to.

“When you’re working with that many kids, they want to feel like they’re working with someone with their personality type,” she explained.

Burkle delights in seeing teens help other teens.

“Especially at that age teens are typically so me- focused,” she recalled. “To give of their time and to help the community is very unique.

“It shows the pride they have in their school, and that they want incoming freshmen to have that pride, too.”