SHOC is bigger and better than ever
SHOC is bigger and better than ever and ready for the year
October 19, 2021
SHOC, short for Students Helping Others Choose, is an OHS club that has existed since the 90’s dedicated to encouraging students to be drug and alcohol free and help spread awareness about drug prevention as well as educating the community. Many students are active members of SHOC and have joined with strong commitment to the group, SHOC has become very important to them. SHOC Officer sophomore Kate Sande said, “I’ve seen people close to me be harmed and affected by the side effects of becoming addicted to drugs and chemicals and seeing them get abused and it gave me motivation to learn more about it and try and help prevent it in the community.”
SHOC also takes part in the community by volunteering to make a difference and help set an example for younger kids and students to not participate in using drugs and alcohol. Senior Alyssa McGinn said, “If younger kids see that older kids are like ‘Hey don’t do these things, they’re bad for you,’ then they’re more likely to think ‘Don’t do these things, they’re bad for me’.” With SHOC now being a large club of 93 students, new members joining is not a surprise.
Students who join SHOC for the first time do training in the summer to learn more about the organization and what drugs are to people and why people use them. Many SHOC members feel like they can take away things from the group to help them in the future. Senior Madi Voracek said, “SHOC immerses you in an environment that equips you with proper leadership skills, to not only be a leader in your town and community, but with your peers. It’s important to find your foundation of what you believe in, and SHOC helps you really develop your leadership skills, and that’s really important to have throughout your life.” SHOC students also enjoy the community they have together as a group and the way they share the same goal with each other as they push to make a change.
This year, SHOC plans on pushing even further toward their goals. SHOC Adviser Ms. Williams said, “Upcoming is our Red Ribbon Week, which is a big nationwide drug prevention campaign that SHOC is involved in doing a lot of things right here at the high school.” Red Ribbon Week kicks off on Oct. 26 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Owatonna Middle School.
