Students began filtering into room 301, taking seats in the wide circle of chairs that were set up within the classroom. Some sat alone and others in small groups—but all had come to participate in the PLUS forum.

            Few students and teachers know exactly what goes on in a PLUS (Peer Leaders Uniting Students) forum, let alone within the organization itself. On the surface PLUS may just appear to be a self help group, and an excuse for students to avoid going to their first period classes, but the composition of the organization along with its accomplishments make it a powerful force.

            “A lot of our activities are either helping individuals or helping [with] community service,” social science teacher and PLUS adviser, Juel Franklin explained. PLUS mentors, the peer leaders that run the forums, must complete a total of 35 volunteer hours per semester, and commit their time to activities ranging from cleaning up the school campus to feeding the homeless.  Assisting individuals takes place within forums.

            Forums occur once every two weeks in Franklin’s classroom. They involve a group of around 18 PLUS mentors leading a group of about 60 students or sometimes a group of staff members. During a forum, peer leaders direct activities that break down barriers and create a sense of family.

“We want to hear what you think,” senior Erin Nagle, president of PLUS explained. The voice of students is what matters to PLUS, “It’s them, not us,” she said.

  Confidentiality is key to a forum, as anything said there stays there, unless true information presents a danger to the individual or others.  Students are able to express problems and concerns in a forum. From the difficulties expressed in a forum, the peer leaders identify a specific need and implement an action plan.

            Though few students may realize it, PLUS has already begun implementing action plans on campus. Last year they helped in creating the Gay and Straight Alliance when the issue of accepting homosexuality came up during a forum.  This year, PLUS has begun speaking in health classes about emotional and physical abuse that may occur in relationships, another issue identified in a forum. Franklin could see that some students they spoke to personally knew of the ordeal as they began fidgeting in their seats and avoiding eye contact. Although the situation was sometimes intense, the PLUS organization offered help. “They saw they had someone to connect to,” she said. 

            The latest project PLUS has begun is the PLUS Closet. It caters to students that are homeless as well as in situations where they are unable to buy clothes.  The PLUS Closet collects clothes and displays them online, on the campus’s main website, orangeglenhigh.org, where students can confidentially request garments and have them delivered. Franklin plans to expand the Closet to offer students dressy clothes for job interviews as well as attire for dances other than prom, and to include school supplies too.

            The impact of PLUS is not limited to the students that mentors help. Franklin explains that it is especially seen in these peer leaders. “It’s a great impact on students actually in the course,” she said. “I can definitely see the development and growth.”

            Senior Erin Nagle describes the relationships within PLUS. “This is our family. It’s cool that we have an advisor who allows us to be family with her as well,” she said. “With a different advisor, I don’t know where we would be today.” Nagle also explained that this same the inclusion PLUS offers is carried to students who come to forums.

            Any student can become involved in PLUS, whether becoming a peer leader or attending a forum.  Becoming a peer leader involves firstly going to a forum to know what PLUS does and then going through an interview process which involves answering questions in front of a panel of PLUS mentors who gauge the responses, see personality, and finally vote if that person should be a peer leader. 

To attend a forum, students can either request to do so through a PLUS member or be recommended by a counselor or teacher.  The next PLUS forum will be held after Winter break.

            Although a relatively new club on campus, mentors were selected in 2007 and forums began last year, PLUS has already began aiding students and impacting lives. There are many more plans for the future of PLUS as they continue listening to students’ voices and ideas and creating a sense of community.