OS, Inc. wants to wish everyone a happy school year! We are so excited to reconnect with all of you and can't wait to see the amazing work that gets done this year! As the school year begins please make time to schedule a check-in call via Zoom (or phone), sign up for our 2025 Fall Showcase, and check out our amazing on-demand trainings!

The Fall Showcase is Monday, September 29 from 8:30AM-3:00PM at NIU Naperville. Below there is more information, a highlight of speakers, and what to expect. We hope to to collaborate and learn from our SIX brand new keynote speakers!

Back to school time can lead to an increase of social anxiety, safety concerns, bullying, and peer pressure. During this transition students are going to feel a loss of freedom while dealing with an increase of scheduling, navigating peer relationships, academic pressures, and overall anxiety.

Research indicates that 67% of students in the United States feel stressed daily, this is the highest rate in the world. 75% of high school students (ages 13-17) feel stressed over academics and achieving positive grades. During this time students are going to feel loads of emotions such as; irritability/anger (40%), nervousness/anxiety (36%), tiredness/fatigue (36%), and even overall stress (31%).

Abia Jeelani Basha from Stevenson OS provides some friendly reminders as the new school year begins:

"As the sun's rays dim and tree leaves change color, summer is ending and the school year is beginning. Various studies have emphasized the impact of school on students' mental health—whether it be pressure to perform well academically, anxiety regarding finals season, or the constant state of stress adolescents body undergo throughout the school year—it’s obvious that students need to take care of their mental health throughout the school year.

Taking that first step to put your mental health above all may seem daunting, but there are

various simple ways to prioritize your mental health throughout the school year.

1. Create a support system

“The greatest battles are never fought alone.” Creating a support system is vital, as they can provide guidance, comfort, and act as a reminder that you are not alone. A support system comes in various shapes and forms; it can be your parents, your friends, your siblings, a school guidance counselor—all that matters is that it is someone who makes you feel safe and has your best interest at heart. Creating a support system creates an outlet for dealing with stress and a gentle push in the right direction when things get tough.

2. Make time for yourself

Whether you’re an introvert—who gets energized by spending time away from people—or an extrovert—who gets energized spending time with people—it is essential to find a way to energize yourself after or during stressful weeks. Think of what makes you relax, what gets your mind off of things, and engage in that activity during the weekends or when you have time to kill. It can be something as simple as drawing or as crazy as going to a rage room; all that matters is that it allows you get your mind off daily stressors

3. Shift your mindset

I know, I know. Everyone gets that growth mindset vs narrow minded mindset talk in middle school, but it is such a significant ideology to keep in mind! The school year may be draining, but there is always something to look forward to: the weekend, thanksgiving break, winter break, spring break, and finally summer. By keeping in mind that you just have to power through it, week by week, you can get through the school year easily!

As tough as the school year can be, taking care of yourself will make it worlds easier to manage. By keeping these tips in mind, you have the capability to make the most of the school year!"

Our fall Showcase is an opportunity for our OS Teams to network and build connections with a variety of new speakers, while also gaining new knowledge and perspectives about various topics. This event is a great opportunity to network, build relationships, and learn something new! 

The event will include a 20-minute TED Talk-style keynote, allowing you to have a first impression about the presenters and the presentation they do best. From there, students and adults will be attending two rounds of one-hour workshops, based on the speakers they connected with most during their TED Talks. Our goal for the Showcase is to connect our Teams to amazing new speakers (with potential for future contracts), to network, collaborate, and engage in a Snowball event. The Showcase is going to be an amazing day of learning and you do not want to miss it!

We are beyond excited to announce that our new and improved OS, Inc. Website is ready to go! With the launch of our new website, we have an updated Member's Only Portal; this contains all of our toolkits, guides, and pre-recorded trainings, login information will be released shortly via email to each Snowball Accredited Team's adult leader.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out for assistance. We hope you enjoy our new website and find our Member's Only Portal a fantastic resource for this school year!

Fall check-in calls allow OS, Inc. to see how we can best support you moving forward and the areas that we need to improve as a collective community. We ask that you schedule a call with us to discuss your plans for this upcoming school year, any concerns/issues you would like OS, Inc. to assist you with, and/or anything else you want to talk about!

We look forward to connecting with each and every one of you to continue your Team's growth! We are excited to hear all of your plans for this upcoming school year and can't wait to support you in any capacity you all need!