Pirate Nation shows Ottawa High is more than just a high school

Whenever a photo or video of an event at Ottawa High School gets posted, or whenever a banner decorates the school, or whenever a post gets circulated around social media, it has to come from somewhere.

That somewhere is Pirate Nation, an organization of eight teachers focused on building community outside of the school and a relationship with future students.

Pirate Nation does this through celebrating the uncelebrated, highlighting students who typically wouldn’t get a spotlight shone on them for their hard work.

“One of my favorite things we do is we celebrate every team or individual that makes it to state,” Lacey Bellino said. “We give them a lot of press through our social media.”

Bellino said the group started to celebrate students that make the honor roll, especially since they already try to bring the spotlight to students who are part of clubs or need extra help.

“We want to celebrate the students that are doing well, and we want to cover everybody,” Bellino said. “That’s what Pirate Nation is. We want everyone to know they’re valued.”

Erin Byrd said the group’s first step actually involved branding more than any of them expected. Social media became a useful tool for them to reach students and families with highlights.

Ashley Carls said organizers had to take a two-pronged approach.

“We learned pretty quickly that Facebook is geared toward the parents, aunts and uncles and grandparents,” Carls said. “Now we have our Instagram, and that’s much more successful in relating to the kids.”

Pirate Nation’s social media has helped gain momentum in the school along with giveaways and trips teachers have taken to participate in open houses. While the group’s mission to this point has mostly stayed within the school, Pirate Nation is looking to expand further into the community.

That starts with sponsors, which Carls said they’re grateful for. Pirate Nation’s first donations came from within the organization, starting with auto teacher John Hladovack selling a car to donate money to the group.

It’s grown from there, with Pirate Nation running its own fundraisers, such as golf outings and having stalls at the Chris Kringle Market, among other things.

“We’re hoping to eventually do a community event to start the year, maybe on red and white night,” Byrd said. “And then we’d like to do a field day for students and staff at the end of the year.”

Carls said teachers have been supportive, too. Pirates Nation creates new sweatshirts and T-shirts and sales, along with signs to go outside of a house. The group has even had luck with flower sales once or twice a year and a poinsettia sale around Christmas.

All of this work is done based around monthly meetings, which typically take place when the school has half-days.

Byrd said it all works because of how easygoing the eight members are.

“We couldn’t ask for a better eight people to be on this team and take time out of their own day to do so many different things,” Byrd said. “I look forward to our meetings every month. We have a lot of fun.”

Members of Pirate Nation include Carls, Bellino and Byrd, along with Anne Carlson, Hladovack, Ronnie Brown, Janelle Nordtvedt and Keith Buzowski.

Pirate Nation can be found on Instagram @ohspiratenation and on Facebook at OHS Pirate Nation.