This week’s “Saugus Some-one Special” features a woman whose prestige is known throughout Saugus High School yet her great deeds sometimes do not reach the minds of the people outside of the school. Mrs. Jane Osgood has been a teacher at Saugus High School. She is the head of the school’s English Department and is also has been the advisor for the high school student council for thirteen years.

For those that do not know, the Student Council is an organization of Saugus High School as well as many other schools in the country, that are dedicated to leadership, community service, and many fundraisers for the town. Their activities are always a huge success and often times end up being a lot of fun, such as their annual Mr. Saugus High pageant; a mock on the Ms. America pageant where boys from Saugus High School strut their stuff for a laughing audience.

Recently, the Saugus High School Student Council attended the North East Massachusetts Association of Student Councils (NEMASC) and came home very pleased from the event. Saugus High School received many awards, including the Honor Council Award, an award presented to some of the best Student Councils in the state, kind of like the silver medal. Other awards were the 5 Star Council award which is presented to schools that take place in all five state conferences, the Project One award which is presented to schools with outstanding hours of community service, and the Top Ten Project award for their fantastic rally of money and canned food that was donated to the Food Pantry and My Brother’s Table for the past Thanksgiving. Other awards, known as the Commonwealth Awards which recognize outstanding individual effort by a student inside of their own Student Council, were presented to three students of each Student Council in the state. Representing Saugus High School for these awards were juniors Daniel Freehling, David Vasapoli, and Stephanie Lowe.

However the huge story for the Saugus High School Student Council was the great honor that Osgood received at the conference, as she was named Advisor of the Year over all of the Student Councils in Massachusetts. “I had no idea,” said Osgood about winning the award. “They were reading the description of the winner and it just never clicked. Then they called my name and it was really a surprise.” Osgood was able to share the moment not only with her students from Student Council, but with her daughter and husband, who made a surprise appearance on stage with the announcement.

In to be nominated for Advisor of the Year, two things must happen. One, you must be recommended by the principal at your school and two, you must be recommended by the president of the Student Council that you advise. Jillian Howell is a senior at Saugus High School and is the president of the school’s Student Council. In her letter to the directors of NEMASC, Howell said, “It is a rare sight to see Mrs. Osgood walking through the halls- since she is usually running. Serving as a high school English teacher, head of the English Department and Student Council advisor leaves her no time to waste. With all of these responsibilities, it would seem nearly impossible for any one person to meet these challenges, yet Mrs. Osgood is no ordinary person.” Indeed Osgood is no ordinary person as often times through the hallways at Saugus High School one can hear the utmost praise for her determination, kindness, and patience and disbelief in how she can make these rare qualities roll together so smoothly. “Both my students in the classroom and in the Student Council keep me energized,” says Osgood on where she gets the patience for all of the stressful things that she has to put up with day in and day out. “I believe in what I do,” she goes on. “I have a passion for the subject I teach and I believe in the good works of the Student Council and all of the benefits for the community in what we do as a council is very rewarding.” Howell was also the designer of the cover of the pamphlets and T-Shirts that were given out at this past NEMASC conference, making it so that 1200 students in Massachusetts are wearing her artwork on their shirts.

Very rewarding, indeed, as Osgood now holds the highest title available to a Student Council advisor in all of Massachusetts. “I was deeply touched that my council member would even think enough of me to nominate me and whether I won or not,” Osgood said, “the fact that they took the time to go through the process to nominate me is a greater reward.” Many people are not aware of all of the great things that the Student Council does for this town and above that, all of the great things that Osgood does for the Student Council. “She’s the cutest thing ever,” said Stephanie Lowe, one of the recipients of the Commonwealth Award and a member of the Student Council’s executive board. “She’s one of those teachers that are so fun to talk to and hang out with. She’s really a great person and deserves everything.”

While interviewing Osgood, I asked her “how she feels to be the head of one of the top student councils in the state”. She quickly corrected my error as she said, “I am not the head, I am just the advisor. The president and officers are the head and for me to be the advisor, I get to reap the benefits. I just lead and sometimes they do that for me too.”

Whether you attend Saugus High School or not, Osgood must be recognized as a great figure in the town of Saugus. Her commitment to the school and students goes above and beyond that of anyone else. “I generally enjoy being with [the students]. They make me laugh. I don’t try to be anyone but what I am. There is no secret to it; I just appreciate who they are as people.” A quality that is very reflective upon her by students as Howell simply says, “She’s the best.” Congratulations to Mrs. Jane Osgood on her fantastic work as a teacher, advisor, and all around person in the town of Saugus, the school would not be the same without you.