Howard High Village
Howard High School was the county’s first all-county public high school, and its students have carried that pride for more than 70 years. OhanaHC at Howard High is our nonprofit’s newest village: a place where every student can belong.
Howard High School
LionsEllicott City, Maryland
The first and still growing
Howard High opened its doors in 1952 and became Howard County’s first all-county public high school. Full integration took eleven years after Brown v. Board of Education. Since then, Howard has thrived as a diverse, multicultural community, built on a tradition of academic and athletic excellence.
Its graduates have gone on to remarkable things, from Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian to actor, writer, and director Korey Jackson to Michigan State defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere III. Running through it all is a deep sense of Howard pride.
OhanaHC’s Howard Village is the newest part of that story. Starting its first year in 2026, the goal is to create a warm, safe, welcoming place where students can come to just be.
From that foundation, the village will help students build life skills and form trusted relationships with adults invested in their success, at school and in the wider community. Belonging comes first, and everything else grows from there.
Join us
Students are always welcome to stop by a weekly club meeting, meet the OhanaHC community, and get a feel for the program firsthand.
Who We Are
Anisha Thompson is currently a school counselor who partners with students, families, educators, organizations, and nonprofits, to support academic achievement, positive behavioral outcomes, and family engagement. Her life joys include loving nature, exploring her birth city “Baltamour,” and volunteering her time to curate hope for others. Masami Stratton is a veteran Social Studies teacher at Howard High, where she teaches American Government to sophomores and Modern World History to juniors, and builds strong relationships with her students year after year.
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Anisha Thompson
School Counselor and Village Coordinator
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Masami Stratton
Social Studies Teacher and Village Coordinator
See OhanaHC Through Their Eyes
Every Ohana has a story, and Howard’s is just getting started. Meet the students, mentors, and community members building connections that make a difference.
OhanaHC will be that place where we can all learn and grow together, struggle together, and succeed together.
Impact
Making Space to Connect
Sometimes connection starts over a meal. Sharing food creates space to relax, talk, and build the trust that makes it easier to open up about the harder parts of finding your way.
Showing Up for What Matters
Mentoring allows us to step inside a young person’s world, and make them feel seen. Being invited to cheer on a student at a fundraising volleyball tournament was a reminder that the everyday moments of showing up can mean just as much as the big ones.
A School Behind Its Students
The Howard Village surrounds students with support both academically and in life. We work together to help students navigate challenges, build confidence, and keep moving toward academic and personal goals.
Help write its newest chapter
Howard has carried its pride for generations. You can be part of what comes next.
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