Being at OSSM has challenged me more than I could have imagined.  I have really learned about the academic world through various assignments and opportunities; I feel very prepared for college. Anyone considering OSSM should know that, though challenging, OSSM has an amazing support system. OSSM has also provided many opportunities and experiences which help students grow personally and intellectually, unique to its boarding school setting.

OSSM has opened up so many new doors to me and has given me the chance to meet new people and explore the person I want to be. This place is unlike any other and it is overall amazing to be here.

At home I could not have received the level of academic support or the caliber of college counseling I receive at OSSM.  Living at OSSM taught me I can volunteer more, learn more, work more, and achieve more than I ever thought possible.  A million thanks to all who make it possible for students like me to take advantage of the biggest opportunity Oklahoma has to offer.

I learned the value of true friendship and to be more accepting of my own imperfection (such as grades) because in the end we all learn from our faults and flaws and can always improve.  OSSM certainly has given me a first, real experience of hard work — There is no time or space for procrastination!  

I learned how much a teacher could push me and nurture my education at the same time.  I also found a great network of friends that could help me out no matter the problem and I’m truly grateful I got to have this experience!  

At OSSM, I learned leadership and responsibility.  Gaining knowledge went from a task that ought to be done to a joy that shapes who I am and who I may become.

Being at OSSM has driven me to focus more on my academics, and it has taught me how to utilize my time well. I constantly find myself surrounded by supportive peers and teachers, and . . . I will always be thankful for OSSM and everyone that I’ve met here, because through this school, I’ve found a new and more confident “me” that I know will thrive in the future.

OSSM is a mix of the most challenging experience I have ever had, and the most rewarding at the same time. I have learned so much so far, and I have gained friends I would have never gained anywhere else!

Coming from rural Oklahoma, my ambition to be an aerospace engineer didn’t draw out many peers or mentors from my community.  Besides the academic growth that came from attending, OSSM  impacted me by helping me grow extensive peer and professional networks, which have since led to several exclusive opportunities.  Since graduating in Spring 2018, I have completed two summer internships with The Boeing Co. and written a proposal accepted by NASA.

It’s important to remind yourself that no matter how many disappointments you face or how many times you fail, you just have to pick yourself up and keep working towards your goals.  If you do, eventually your successes will outweigh your failures and you will accomplish the goals you set for yourself.  It took me two semesters at OSSM to learn this, but I know I will never forget it.