Horizon High volunteer club inspired by experience with the Squeeze

When Providence Koss, president of the Game Changers, first volunteered with the Winter Garden Squeeze in the summer before her freshman year at Horizon High School, she simply was looking for a way to step outside of her comfort zone. 

At first, talking to new people and interacting with guests on Horizon’s concourse made her nervous, but slowly, Koss embraced and overcame the feeling. 

“I liked meeting new people,” she said. “Even though my heart was about to explode, I liked talking to people.” 

Koss’ experience became the foundation of her club, Game Changers, a Horizon High volunteer organization that serves as a vessel for students to connect with service opportunities across the school and community. 

Inspired by her time volunteering with the Squeeze and with a push of encouragement from her dad and Squeeze Assistant General Manager, Brian Koss, Providence Koss worked with school staff to launch the club during the first month of the 2025-26 school year. 

“My main goal was community involvement,” she said. “It mostly started as a Squeeze help program, but now, it’s helping the whole school.” 

During Koss’ first summer with the Squeeze and before her club became an organization, Koss was the lone student volunteer, working alongside the four interns to set up everything on game days. 

She quickly saw the need for more help. 

To start the club, Providence Koss first had to find the right teacher who would help her establish it. She connected with a Horizon teacher who also attended Squeeze games. That connection led her to Horizon High theater teacher, Ashley Fisher, who was more than willing to sponsor the club. 

One of the first people to join was Providence Koss’ friend, Julia Mendes. 

“I definitely would not be doing this if I hadn’t been friends with (Providence Koss),” Mendes said. “I was super introverted.” 

Today, Mendes serves as the Game Changers’ vice president. 

The Game Changers began with around four or five friends, but participation steadily grew through the volunteer opportunities it offered. 

Koss and Mendes said the club is different from others because its meetings aren’t necessary for all members to attend; most show up through volunteering their time. Students helped with theater productions, football, baseball and basketball games, and other campus activities. At the events, they primarily work concessions, ticketing, parking and front-of-house responsibilities. 

Theater became the club’s biggest outlet for community service and introduced more students to volunteer work and customer service. 

Mendes said working with people and experiencing an occasional rude customer helps all the volunteers pick up their customer-service skills, which is what the club is all about — gaining life skills through volunteering. 

Courtesy photo

CONFIDENCE THROUGH SERVICE

While Game Changers provides volunteer hours for students, both leaders said the biggest benefit has been their personal growth. 

Koss said working with the Squeeze helped her overcome social anxiety before she began high school. It helped her push past the barrier and perfect the classroom icebreakers and small social interactions all students experience on a daily basis. 

The confidence carried over into the classroom. 

“I used to overthink things and wonder if I was doing something wrong,” she said. “Now I’m just like, ‘No one really cares.’ It’s all psychological. I just have to push past the restrictions I put on myself.” 

By doing so, Koss has seen herself become more true in her character. She has become more authentic and showcases different parts of her personality when she interacts with each customer, whether it’s a friendly “hello” or striking up a conversation about shared interests. 

Mendes has seen a similar transformation. Through volunteering by working the ticket booth at theater performances and Squeeze games or making the hot dogs for the Squeeze’s concessions, she has gained confidence.

This summer is the Game Changers’ first return to where it all began — with the Winter Garden Squeeze. Instead of Koss being one student helping among a team of interns, the club regularly brings multiple volunteers to assist with ticketing, concessions and fan engagement on game days. 

Koss said it has been huge in the Squeeze’s operations. Attendance fluctuates based on the day, sometimes it’s as many as nine volunteers helping during a single game or, more typically, two to four. 

“It’s so much quicker,” she said. “The environment’s lighter, too. It’s nice to have a good rotation of people with fresh ideas and new helpers.” 

By volunteering their summer hours to help with the operations, friendships have grown through the time spent under the tent at ticket operations or under the shade of concessions, but Providence Koss also has been able to spend more time with her dad, Brian Koss. 

“It’s been a nice way to bond,” she said. “We don’t have a lot of common interests, so this has become something we share.” 

Looking ahead, the Game Changers hopes to continue expanding its membership through social media, word of mouth and additional volunteer opportunities. It’s a flexible club and members are able to be as active as they’d like, which in turn gives them more volunteer opportunities. 

Game Changers will continue to serve its original vessel, the Squeeze, as the final week of summer play wraps up and looks to celebrate its one-year anniversary in September.