OSSM has given me the community I didn’t even know I needed. The faculty and staff go above and beyond to make sure we succeed in and out of the classroom. I’ve made unparalleled bonds with the people here. OSSM has changed my life in so many ways, and I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything.

OSSM has taught me how to push myself and has made me a better person overall–It heightened every area/aspect of my life!  The faculty and administration here have put forth tremendous effort to provide me and my classmates such high quality education.  For that I am forever grateful.

Through the rigorous academics offered, OSSM has allowed me to feel well-prepared for college and beyond. OSSM has presented students with many opportunities that would not be available to them at their traditional home high schools. Students of OSSM become a tight-knit community, and [although] we have switched [temporarily] to virtual learning due to COVID-19, faculty has continued to work towards keeping the same academic standards for students.

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.

I have learned the importance of managing a profound amount of work with spending time to relax.  Learning to balance the two ideas can change how you approach all work in life for the better, making you a more effective worker.  

At OSSM, I was challenged not just by the academic rigor, but by the quality of people that I met. They helped me to challenge myself by being a better person.

The past two years, I’ve had the privilege to help a team of doctors with Alzheimer’s research. I’ve learned a great deal from this experience, but most importantly, I’ve discovered that my curiosity for the way the brain functions is endless. I find that each piece of new information I learn leads to more questions that I want answers to. I am excited to learn more as I pursue a degree in neuroscience and prepare for medical school

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!  

OSSM has not only facilitated my aspirations in an academic setting, but it has allowed me to explore the realm of opportunities outside a student’s traditional comfort zone.