Katie Liebl

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.

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 has really given me the challenge I have always looked for… [and] significantly increased my confidence when it comes to taking and handling challenging academic courses. Even during a worldwide pandemic, the faculty have been supportive, understanding, and caring! The resources and opportunities we get at this school are something I would never have gotten at my home high school!

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.

There is a sense of security to be gained from similarity.  At OSSM, however, I have found my best friends are the most different from me, and I relish in our unique approaches to problem solving.  We all share in the ambition to better ourselves and the community we share.  

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

OSSM gave me a competitive environment to learn at a highly accelerated pace, which is what I and most of my colleagues have been wishing for since the discovery of our talents in elementary school.

OSSM has changed my life. I have learned so much, met so many amazing people, and had many opportunities. The heavy course load has shown me that I can accomplish anything, no matter how hard it seems. I have met a lot of people that have similar ambitions as me and we have grown together throughout our time at OSSM.

My first year at OSSM improved my time management skills greatly.  It also improved my work ethic and has advanced my academic career much more than a regular high school would.  

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.