On Sunday, August 14, two days after their first orientation, the incoming freshman class returned to its new home on Bayshore.  However, that day’s purpose was not to plunge headfirst into the Academy lifestyle amidst cheers from Student Council representatives and chants from excited seniors; instead, the freshmen’s goal was to scurry around the campus in search of clues in the first annual Freshman Scavenger Hunt, hosted by the Ambassadors.

After weeks of planning, the Ambassadors put together a fun back-to-school event that had thirteen freshmen teams, appropriately named 1881, Yellow Cardigan, and Esse Quam Videri, among others, racing around the school in order to capture  first place.

However, in true Ambassador spirit, the teams’ upperclassman guides showed their new sisters around the Academy while also giving them helpful hints for the first day of school, such as to not use the south staircase between the first and second floors.

While the fun coupled as a learning experience for the Class of 2015, the true mission of winning was always in mind, fueling the girls’ competitive nature. The objective of each team was to find six clues hidden in each and every nook and cranny of the campus.

First, they scampered up to the third floor boardroom, where they matched the portraits of the most important Academy administrators and faculty members, including new president Mr. Arthur Raimo and principal Mrs. Camille Jowanna, to their respective names.

Next, the teams rushed down to the forbidden south staircase to count the number of stairs between the first and second floors, taking note of how much energy is required to make this daily hike.  After, they climbed back up the stairwell to the senior lounge, where they collected their clue outside its sought after entrance, only to actually cross its threshold in three more years.

Following the fourth hint, the girls ran to the chapel, where the clue awaited them on the balcony.  Then, they returned back to the fourth floor to discover a clue hidden inside an empty locker outside Mrs. LeBas’s room.  Finally, each team sprinted to the art wing and turned through the dark room door to capture the sixth and final clue before arriving back at the Brady Center to join their families.

Though only new freshmen participated in the scavenger hunt, the Ambassadors took care to not leave out their families from all the fun.  As their daughters and sisters hunted down clues, the parents and siblings enjoyed a delicious meal in the Brady Center  provided by the Dads’ Club, complete with hamburgers, hot dogs, and the standard cook out fare.  Other parents elected to learn more about their daughters’ new high school by visiting booths manned by representatives of the Academy’s numerous clubs and sports teams.

After each team had returned, having collected every clue, the Class of 2015 enjoyed a delectable ice cream bar, stocked with popular toppings and sweet syrups.  Not to be left out, the upperclassman club representatives also feasted on the frozen treats and socialized with the newcomers, chatting with their new freshman friends over dessert.  This cool sweet provided a great way to wrap up such a successful and exciting event to kick off the new school year.