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.

Through OSSM I have gained a better understanding of other cultures, a confidence in what I do even if I fail, and I now know more about what talents I have and how I can use them to achieve my dreams.  OSSM really has helped me mature and see what I can give back to others.

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!

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.

OSSM prepared me for a petroleum engineering undergraduate program which helped me start my first semester of college as a sophomore and have a higher GPA after that first semester.   (See more of Tyler’s story HERE!)

OSSM helped me the find the people that care about me and push me to be better every day.

Being at OSSM can be challenging. Natalie believes that students must have grit to persevere through difficult times and make it to good ones. “I chose OSSM because the education is so much more challenging than the one I could have received elsewhere.” Career Goal: General Surgeon

My hope for OSSM is that they continue to draw the rich talent Oklahoma supplies and turn those students into the leaders of academia and the global economy for the next generation.

OSSM is an experience that truly changed my life for the better.  The community of OSSM is amazing, and I have made friendships that will last a lifetime.