With 5 high schools in the district, 112 in the county, and 1,003 in the state, Arizona is filled with schools containing different curriculum, students, and organizations. Among those, OHS stands out as one of the best, and many students are aware of it.
Whether it is on the court or in the classroom, OHS produces the best scores. With sports teams that win state championships, and clubs that bring home gold, OHS does it all.
“They [OHS students] are a great example of what we want our kids to do and be, whether that’s on the athletic field, in the theater, or out in the community,” said Dr. Curtis Finch, Superintendent of Deer Valley Unified School District.
OHS students recognize their school’s achievements as well. While many of them discuss academics, people often think of sports when they hear the name ‘O’Connor”.
“The first thing that comes to mind when I hear ‘O’Connor’ is sports because our sports teams are always winning,” said Preston Buhl, junior.
In fact, OHS’s sports are so strong that it is even what other schools know it for.
“I always think of [OHS’s] football. Our [Mountain Ridge’s] rivalry is so strong, so I think of the game we play against each other every year,” said Marissa Rodgers, student at Mountain Ridge.
Whether it’s in volleyball, basketball, or even esports, OHS achieves greatness. However, sports aren’t the only strong extracurriculars that OHS is known for.
“I immediately think of their choir and theater program because it’s very elite, and there’s a lot of good opportunities, people, and actors there,” said Trinity Di Cosola, student at Barry Goldwater.
Other than just activities and organizations, the high school is known to have a great environment.
“When I think about O’Connor, I think about the culture. There are a bunch of different things that happen at O’Connor: clubs, sports, and there are lots of people from different backgrounds,” said Will Mordka, freshman.
OHS students are not the only ones who acknowledge the culture within the school, as students from other schools also have very positive interactions with the OHS population.
“I think you guys are very friendly people, when you come to our schools you are respectful, and when we go to your school, you’re respectful. It’s a good environment,” said Japneet Kaur, student at Boulder Creek.
The campus itself also plays into that image, with many acknowledging how clean and orderly the school is.
“When anyone else talks about our campus, they usually say it’s really nice compared to theirs,” Buhl said.
Some may think that while there are positive aspects about OHS, there must be some negatives to it as well. A common negative aspect that students think of is the misconception that OHS is filled with people who are a bit stuck up, as they are assumed to have come from money.
“I think people think O’Connor kids are rich,” said Caiden Willis, junior.
This seems to be a common misperception of OHS students, as other schools say similar things.
“I have some friends at Deer Valley who don’t think of us very highly because they think we’re [supposedly] stuck up,” said Symone Mitchell, junior.
People can believe what they want to believe, but OHS continues to prove themselves time and time again. In terms of their own school, OHS students think highly of themselves.
“I don’t have anything bad to say about it, because if I had something bad to say I might as well just transfer,” Mitchell said.
Overall, OHS has a high reputation among itself, as well as other schools. District wide it is known to be the best, for the best, and it will continue to hold that status for as long as it can.
“When I think of O’Connor, I think of excellence,” Dr. Finch said.
