OCPS Student Connectivity Day introduces students to new passions

Horizon High School’s Zahara Perfecto and Joseph Gonzalez watched the computer monitor carefully as they used controllers to have their Smash Brothers characters attack each other. 

Smash Brothers was one of several video games played in the Esports classroom during Student Connectivity Day Thursday, March 12. 

The room was open to any students interested in learning more about the Esports club or to simply play video games with friends or classmates during the quarterly Student Connectivity Day. 

“It’s a little place to escape for the time that’s given, especially here where you can be with friends and play video games,” Gonzalez said. 

Student Connectivity Day is a new districtwide initiative at all high schools this school year. 

Orange County Public Schools asked all high schools to take time out of one day for the first three quarters in the 2025-2026 school year to have students involved in activities to become connected.

Horizon High School already had Club Day at the school in which clubs invited students to learn about what they do. 

Assistant Principal and Student Connectivity Day coordinator Takia Chiles said for the first Student Connectivity Day, many high schools had a Club Day, but Horizon High’s leadership team met and decided to add other aspects of the day. 

Teachers who weren’t already advisers of an established club could create an interest room. 

Students then received a Google form to be able to choose which clubs or interest rooms they would visit.

Chiles said Student Connectivity Day allows students who aren’t able to participate in extracurriculars after school a chance to get involved during the school day. 

“They get a chance to have a good time, meet with their like-minded friends … and find an interest or group,” Chiles said. “I think it’s important for kids to feel involved, because now not only are they seeing the kids in their academics, but (also)  they’re seeing interest areas like ‘I like puzzles or I like horror films or I like to dance in theater.’ We have an array of things.”

Across the various high schools, there was a plethora of clubs, organizations and activities in which students could learn about and be involved. 

From creative and arts clubs to sports to gaming of all types to performing arts and entertainment, students were bustling around their high schools talking, participating and having fun.

At Horizon High, while Gonzalez and Perfecto were playing video games in one classroom, Sofia Gunia, Ana Lia Martins Freire and Manuela Oliveira Coelho were putting together a puzzle in another classroom. Dozens of students were creating chalk art outside. Serenity Ball was attempting to solve a crime in the crime scene investigation classroom.

In the future, Chiles said the school is looking to expand everything the students are doing depending on a survey that will be sent to the students to receive feedback on Student Connectivity Day.