A new year is here, and OHS is ready to make a change.  Last year, Project ENGAGE was introduced to the school district and gave students the opportunity to get involved in the community through service events.  This year, OHS is stepping up the intensity by changing the name to Project ENGAGE Plus. This “plus” encourages more individual effort and the extra push students should take to make a difference in the world.

This three-month mission kicked off on Friday, Jan.13.  Students viewed a video called 212 degrees, which emphasized how little things make a big difference.

“The main point is that if everyone does a little bit more, then a little goes a long way,” Athletic director Becky Czuppon said.

OHS’s plan is to offer activities for students such as: Coaches v. Cancer basketball game (Feb. 7 with Mehlville), Polar Plunge (Feb. 25), and the Blood Drive (Feb. 28 and March 6).  Overall, the goal is to have 80 percent of students getting involved in any way that benefits others around them.

Once students engage in any community service activities, they will submit tracking sheets of their participation to the Tiger Mentor group.  On Friday, April 13, all students will view a “wrap up” video of how OHS has gotten involved through Project ENGAGE and will be asked to give a brief reflection on their own participation.

“The goal is to grow on the project and show kids that there are many things that they can do to get involved,” Czuppon said.