As of Fall 2022, only 39% of students at OHS feel like they are valued members of our community, meaning the majority of students feel underappreciated. 

This year, ASB leadership is focusing on supporting the students in our community and making it a priority that students’ voices are clearly heard. The goal is connection.

According to Freshman ASB President Phoebe Goh, “Our school would be a better place if we were all able to support one another as family.” While the definition of family may differ for everyone, many consider family at OHS to be “the people who support you and help you emotionally, mentally, and physically.” This comes in a variety of forms. 

Though OHS does its best to connect the students and create a famOLY, there are still 61% of students who don’t feel accepted at OHS. 

Senior Class President Dwija Adamala states, “I think many of the bonds are weakened by equity issues. Working to improve equity and promot[ing] equity through everything we are doing like improving our school curriculums… can help foster more bonds.” A positive step forward would be for students to recognize people’s differences and accept them, instead of setting themselves apart from others because of them. 

School counselor Amanda Hall believes, “We should continue to highlight and showcase all of the brilliant minds we have at OHS. We are a school that proudly sends a high percentage of our students to college, but what I would like to see more of is celebrating and promoting other pathways so all students feel confident in their next steps after high school.” The strength of the OHS family is the diversity of the people who compromise the family. The diverse culture and ideas act as a forcing function for creative problem-solving.

Adamala shared, “True family may be where they come from and the perspective that they bring. I think family is getting that perspective and respecting it even if it’s not your own.” Being able to build bonds with people that are different from you creates a stronger community at OHS.