Spry Community OS had their first retreat at Camp MacLean in Wisconsin, allowing their students to connect with each other and build stronger bonds with limited distractions. Focus Youth Gambling Prevention provided Spry with an empowering keynote that allowed students to learn about the prevalence of underage gambling, how it relates to underage substance use and mental health trends, and gave them the tools needed to create change in their community.

Spry also received workshops from OS, Inc. that let them come closer as a team, grow as leaders, and begin learning about how to lead in different situations and environments.

We were able to provide workshops for OS Teams and works to adapt all activities to best fit the needs and situations needed for Teams requesting workshops.

If your Team would like OS, Inc. to provide workshops for next year or has any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to our team.

Monroe County OS had their very first retreat with students from a combination of schools throughout their county. Their Student Directors were all hands-on as they ran workshops, made sure everyone felt included, and got to see all of their planning pay off. Participants, Student Directors, and Adults took advantage of each moment, enjoyed the team-bonding experiences, and pushed themselves to grow into better leaders.

In only their second year of active programming, Monroe County OS is already planning their retreat for next year, inviting more people to CGTI this summer, and continuing to grow their reach and recruiting new leaders.

Stevenson OS invited OS, Inc. to their evening event to lead a workshop with their Teen Directors. Stevenson Teen Directors kicked off the workshop by encouraging their participants to step out of their comfort zones, interact with new friends, learn different talents, and perform those skills in front of the group. OS, Inc. helped the participants learn their personality types, interact with individuals who share those traits, and explore how they can use their skills and weaknesses to improve their OS Team and change their community.

"From the second I walk into my school in the morning, to the moment I leave in the afternoon, I always feel judged. This judgment doesn’t necessarily stem from anyone teasing me specifically, but I can sense it through others’ silent stares and light chuckles. Sometimes, when I realize I’m wearing or doing something to receive this kind of judgment, I want to curl up in a corner. I hope none of you reading have experienced judgment similar to this in your life but for those of you who have, I think I can speak for us all when I say it’s not a fun experience at all.

Now, imagine that no matter what you did, or what you didn’t do, you received judgment like this every time you stepped out into public. That would be horrible, right? Unfortunately, this is the experience that many people with disabilities face.

My older sister, Maggie, has Down syndrome. She’s so sweet, and anyone who’s met her is instantly drawn by her personality and goofy nature. But to strangers who haven’t met her, the only thing they see in her is her Down syndrome. They assume that “she looks different, so she must be different.” And it’s really saddening to see people stare, point, and laugh at her; people from all walks of life, in all kinds of places. 

Now, to my knowledge, Maggie isn’t really aware of this judgment when we go out in public. But I’m aware of it. I notice every stare, every giggle, every finger pointed, and every joke. And I’m sick of it. 

Why is the idea that “being bad is different” so common? Because to my knowledge, people who are “different” change the world. Albert Einstein was bullied for his quiet nature and withdrawnness, and he went on to pioneer many fields of science. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team for being “too short,” and he went on to become one of the GOAT’s of basketball. Theodore Roosevelt was teased for his asthma and skinniness, yet now, his face is on Mount Rushmore. Do you see the trend? Some of these examples are quite commonly cited, but it’s easy to see why. There are just so many success stories from people who are “different.”

Personally, I believe judgment stems from a desire to fit in, to be normal. And sometimes, that means putting ourselves over other people to be perceived as “better” or “more normal.” We need to teach ourselves that that’s not okay. That it’s okay to have your own interests, but to never make fun of others for not having the same interests as you. That it’s okay to have your own style, way of doing things, and personality, but to never criticize others who look different than you, do things differently than you, or act in a different way.

That change starts with you, my fellow students. We can be the ones to initiate the change, to break the status quo and be accepting of those who are different. Because that kindness can make someone’s day. Or their week. Or their month. Or their year. Maybe you even saved their life. All I know is that together, we can stop the judgment!"

All accredited OS Teams have access to the Accredited OS Team's Portal, through the remainder of the 2025-2026 school year! Your Team can close out the school year or can start planning for next year by taking advantage of all of the amazing resources available in the portal.

Steps to logging in...

• Go to the OS, Inc. website
• Click the button in the top right corner (Accredited Team Login)
• Type in the password (OperationSnowball2025)
• Enjoy all the amazing resources

Be sure to share the login information with your amazing student leaders & OS Team, so your students can explore the resources available as well! If you have any issues or questions regarding the OS Team Portal, please reach out to Michaela Price, michaela@ilabh.org!

OS, Inc. worked to provide OS Teams with a variety of new speakers and content that helped to fuel their action plans and promotes positive impacts in their communities. The 2025-2026 OS, Inc. Webinar Series has 11 pre-recorded webinars that covers content that empowers students to build stronger action plans, use their voices to create positive impact, and engage with more prevention education efforts. 

What will my OS Team & stutdents get out of these webinars?

• Student empowerment
• Stronger action planning
• Youth empowerment - using their voices for good
• So much more...

All of these webinars are still available but the deadline to watch them is rapidly approaching. Make sure to register and watch these webinars before they leave the OS site on June 30 at 5:00pm (CST). At that time, registration will close and OS Teams will no longer be able to access any of the webinars.

Who can register? Any accredited OS Team or any student/adult from a currently accredited OS Team! 



Need a Certificate of Completion? All webinars include a post-survey, after completion individuals will be provided with a certificate of completion or a certificate of service learning hours. If you have any questions or have any issues, please contact Michaela Price (michaela@ilabh.org)!

Looking for a way to continue your OS programming over the summer? Register your team for the 2026 Cebrin Goodman Teen Institute (CGTI)! CGTI is a week-long leadership and prevention camp that welcomes 500+ youth and adult leaders from across the state each year to develop skills, engage in community action planning and prioritize healthy living. 

Attendees will get the chance to attend keynotes and workshops, explore team building and leadership development in small and large group settings, use their voices to target community issues with sustainable student-led initiatives, and more! The keynote speaker line-up has just been announced and features an incredible range of experts who will be highlighting resiliency, authentic leadership, prevention education and more.

Registration is open now until June 20 at cg-ti.org/cgti-summer-conference. There are scholarships available for new attendees and OS Teams. Questions? Email our Program Marketing Manager, Natalie Maggiore.