Having a Big or Little is no longer restricted to college sororities. ODA is bringing the “Big/Little” program to their own campus for the first time in history.

So far, the first semester with the Big/Little buddies is going surprisingly without a hitch. Since the seniors were paired with their freshman partners at the end of their junior year, there have been an outstanding number of connections made.

The coordinator of the whole idea, Mrs. Murphy, did an amazing job searching for similarities between students and pairing them up in the hopes of finding immediate chemistry.

“I feel very educated and informed by my Big. I’m excited to get to know him better,” says freshman Matt Jones.”

This past Friday, Mrs. Murphy organized the first lunch in which bigs and littles were able to meet up and spend time together, catching up and eating. For the first lunch of many, the seniors found their places at the tables, and the freshman set off to find their buddies.

The next lunch will give the freshman a chance to sit at their choice of table, while the seniors find and join them. The white lights strung back and forth across the ceiling in the Commons were lit up, creating a special, rare atmosphere.

Mr. Brewer played music in the background while pairs of bigs and littles filled every table in the room, talking about everything from family to favorite subjects in school to what they did last weekend.

“I thought it was really nice how we were able to talk about anything and even gossip like we’ve known each other for such a long time,” says senior Scarlett Raven.

At a small school like ODA, students have all seen each other around campus at one time or another. Unfortunately, many have most likely never met or even smiled at each other, especially with the distance between freshman and seniors.

The Big/Little program is breaking down the supposed “barrier” between 9^th and 12^th grade and teaching students of the two grades how much they still have in common, and how much they can learn from each other. Many pairs have already grown from acquaintances to genuine friends in just one lunch spent together.

“I love my Little. It’s a great way to get to know them, when we otherwise probably wouldn’t,” says senior Christine Turner.

Since the first Big/Little lunch, Mrs. Murphy has asked both seniors and freshman for their opinions on what other activities they might enjoy and grow in together. So far, suggestions have been in the realm outside of school, and outdoors, such as camping or TreeUmph.

Whether it is these specific activities or any other suggestion, Bigs and Littles at ODA have certainly had a promising future to some amazing bonds.