The Spartan Crew: Supporting New Students

To new students, high school can be an intimidating place as they try to navigate between floors, wings and classrooms, remember if it’s an A day or B day, and know where to find the library, nurse, lunch room, tech office, support staff and more! 

Luckily for any Richfield High School student in need of the guidance, the RHS Spartan Crew is here to help. The Spartan Crew is a group of high school students – mostly juniors and seniors with a few sophomores sprinkled in – who work to help our new and incoming students become comfortable navigating high school. 

“We help prospective ninth graders get accustomed to the building and the culture of our school,” explained Spartan Crew member Chimdalu Dibua. 

Spartan Crew is led by Counselor Morgan Kelley. “I love seeing the students come out of their shells and have fun working on our outreach projects,” she said. 

Margaret “Maggie” Thompson loves meeting new people and joined Spartan Crew to help new students. “I wanted to help out new students because I alway felt lost at the start of ninth grade,” she said. Now, as a sophomore, Maggiet hopes to attend a four-year college, travel the world and have a career working with animals. 

Spartan Crew member Samantha Krueger also enjoys being able to help people and felt that joining the Spartan Crew allowed her to do that. “We are here to help out with whatever is needed,” she said. “We help show people around school and lead projects to help integrate students into the environment.”

This spring, the RHS Spartan Crew helped with the second annual Experience RHS event, where incoming ninth graders from Richfield Middle School visited RHS to tour the school, learn about various clubs and activities and “experience RHS” as a future Spartan! Each small group of RMS students was led by Spartan Crew members, who helped answer questions from the incoming ninth graders. 

Senior Mari Rummel joined the Spartan Crew because she wanted to meet new people and be able to say hi or help them when needed. “I decided to join Spartan Crew because I didn't get a tour of the school my freshman year, since the school was under construction,” she said. “I love meeting people, and then seeing them in the hallways and saying hi to them. People in classes or clubs have recognized me since I was their Spartan Crew leader, and then we both have a familiar face. Giving tours of my favorite parts of the school and introducing new students to my favorite teachers is also fun.”

Mari will be attending Lawrence University to study math, environmental science and Spanish, as well as run Track and Cross Country. She hopes to work in a collaborative, hands-on, STEM-based job. “I hope to work with others everyday, and have a career where I can actually see the positive impact I am having on myself or others.”

Mari also shared some advice for freshmen: “Get involved! In sports and clubs I met some friends who aren't in my grade, and some of them are still my closest friends even though they have graduated. They also helped me with stuff from classes they had taken in previous years!”

We are grateful to have so many incredible students here at Richfield High School, and want to give a special shout out to all of our Spartan Crew members. Your time and passion for helping others is appreciated, and you’ve made a difference in the lives of our future Spartans! 

To get involved with the Spartan Crew, email Morgan Kelley at morgan.kelley@rpsmn.org or visit her in the Student Support Office.