Collaborating with teachers and other OPHS staff, counselor Jenny Charrett released “In This Together,” a video project, via Parent Square and Student Square on April 8.

The purpose of the video is to reach out to students and spread positivity during these difficult times. Charrett also stated the video is a “special nod” to seniors who have lost the rest of the semester due to social distancing for COVID-19.

“I have always enjoyed finding creative and fun ways to connect people and promote positivity and kindness — we may have serious work to do at times but [that] doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun and smile while we’re at it,” Charrett wrote.

The video featured 77 teachers and staff showing positive picture messages.

“I was blown away as I was asking for this at a time staff was feeling very stretched, so it goes to show how much our community rallies for one another — that’s love,” Charrett wrote.

Charrett stated she has received lots of love and appreciation from the Oak Park community, with many staff and parents referencing that the video moved them to tears.

“I had the privilege of having a Google Meet to preview it with one of my seniors and his mom, and I was moved myself to watch them have huge smiles on their faces, laughing at parts, having that moment together to share,” Charrett wrote. “It was just genuine positive human emotion and I couldn’t have been more grateful to witness that.”

Senior Hadia Hamza was also moved by the video and stated she felt grateful for the staff’s efforts in spreading positivity.

“I was so happy to see all my teachers. It’s really great to still feel part of the Eagle family even from home,” Hamza said.

Another idea to promote connectedness during social distancing is to give students an opportunity to hang out with their friends during lunchtime via Google Meets.

“This will be a Google Meet once a week for kids to share a meal and give students that feel isolated an opportunity to bond and talk about their interests,” Spanish teacher Francisco Henning wrote to the Talon. “So even though we have not started yet, I hope we can implement it soon in order to provide our students with a space similar to what we had in our regular schedule at Oak Park High School.”

Other OPHS staff members are also working to check in on students through this major transition.

“As a counseling team, we have been getting out a weekly email for tips and resources. Counselors are about to offer virtual office hours so students can drop in rather than correspond through email; or, students can request an individual check-in either by phone or Google Meet,” Charrett wrote.

Inspired by the staff and students’ efforts in responding to challenges, Charrett hopes the video project will provide happiness to the Oak Park community.

“I hope it provides a moment of joy to watch and serves as a reminder that although we are all being stretched to adapt to a situation that is a real struggle at times, we are a community and there is a lot of love, support, and gratitude that exists,” Charrett wrote.