What does The Office Group (TOG) mean to our members?
When we started the early discussions about a non-profit organization to serve students who didn’t understand that if they put the hard work in during high school they would have many opportunities post high school, we had no idea it would be so well received by students, parents and the amazing community that we live in. When we look back at that February 2014 meeting, it is incredible to think that two years have passed so quickly. Now it is exciting to imagine what the future might hold for TOG.
TOG means different things to each member. If you’re a freshman it is different than if you’re a senior about ready to head off to college, trade school or the military. If you have support from both parents, but they might not understand the college selection process, it’s different than a single parent who might be working multiple jobs to provide for their family. What we do know, is that when a high school student becomes a member of TOG and commits to the process, they start to see themselves as a student who can be hugely successful and have many great opportunities in their future.
Not every member is the same. Some students are 4.+ GPA students and others have to work harder to achieve grades that they want. Some members are involved in athletics or other after-school activities and while others need to have a job to help support their family. We have members who are very outgoing and social and we have members who are reserved, quiet and analytical. The one thing that every member must show is the ability and willingness to do Hard Work. We feel as an organization that hard work will lead members to greater things in life.
When we opened the doors to TOG at the start of the 2014-15 school year, we decided to start slowly and serve 10 high school boys. As a new organization we had to identify and recruit students who fit our criteria, which is hard-working and deserving high school students in challenging situations. Students had to take a chance on us as much as we had to do the same with them. As the first semester progressed, it became evident that we might be on to something that students were missing. Members had their friends show up at our location to ask questions about homework, how to identify colleges, degrees and job possibilities. By the end of that first semester, our idea of starting slow and being really good at serving 10 members had grown to include 16. To say that we were fairly successful with that first group of members is an understatement. All 16 members received their highest GPA ever and all five senior members were accepted into their college of choice and started in the fall of 2015. Those five seniors received over $150,000.00 in financial aid and scholarships. When the applications for membership for the 2015-16 school year went out in Spring 2015, we had 35 applications to review.
Now in our second year of TOG we have 26 members. All 11 members who were part of TOG last year reapplied and were admitted. We have members in all four grade levels and all three area high schools are represented. Currently, all 10 senior members have been admitted to at least one college or university. Once again, our members are doing outstanding things in the classroom. In the first semester, 15 members set the bar high with their best GPA ever. We are giving back to our community as well. One snowy Saturday in December our members volunteered to help build a house for a deserving family with Habitat for Humanity.
Just like our members, TOG has a very bright future. To see how quickly we have grown this little idea, to help students achieve their best and have many possibilities after high school, is incredible. It is a group effort to help our members. We have amazing support from our Board of Directors, volunteers, tutors, sponsors, donors and parents who enable us to accomplish our goal to see students achieve great things.
To say he was successful is an understatement. Will received his highest GPA ever with a 4.2. Along with the demanding schedule he has taken, he applied to five universities and was accepted to all five. His choice is going to be a difficult one due to the fact that he has been awarded over $35,000 in merit based scholarship money from Montana State University, University of Puget Sound, University of Portland, University of Oregon and Boise State University. Along with being an outstanding student, Will is a three year varsity track athlete who has competed at state. His leadership was rewarded when he was selected by his track coaches as a captain for his final season. Whichever school Will decides to attend, we know he will achieve everything that he hopes to accomplish with his effort, commitment and excitement to learn.
