The senior Class of 2013 officially joined the Holy Names Alumni Association (HNAA) and family on Wednesday morning, April 17, at the Annual Silver Coffee.  Along with the many traditions that come along with the AHN experience, the Silver Coffee is an established tradition for more than 85 years.

Senior Catherine Young was very excited to become a member of the HNAA.  “I cannot believe that the time has finally come for me to become an alum!  Academy has been my home since I was five, so this step is a big deal for my family, my friends, and me.”

The seniors, their mothers, and alumnae first gathered in the Brady Center North to celebrate this year’s graduating class.  These guests munched on delicious refreshments and drank coffee from the traditional silver coffee set.  Each year Director of Alumni Relations Mrs. Patty Bohannan and her staff set up the center of the room to resemble the traditional decor of the second-floor parlor used for the coffees when AHN boarded students.

After the coffee, guests moved to the first-floor foyer where each senior gracefully descended the stair case as Principal Mrs. Camille Jowanna called her name.  After receiving a pink rose from HNAA President Mrs. Mary Frances Kelly A’82, and Mothers Association President Mrs. Kiki Baldor, each girl ascended the other staircase and waited until all girls assembled on the stairs with their roses.

After the rose ceremony, seniors and guests proceeded to the Blessed Marie Rose Durocher Chapel.  Mrs. Cristina Livingston A’86, mother of senior Sophia Livingston, delievered a reading for all of the mothers of the graduating seniors.  Mrs. Marijke O’Connor Woodruff A’87 also spoke to the inductees about the meaning and advantages of being an AHN alum.  During this ceremony, HNAA President-Elect Mrs. Nina McGlucken Alvarez A’01 called each senior’s name and her HNAA legacies as she received a certificate and gift and signed her name in the HNAA book.  The ceremony concluded with a chain lighting of every guest’s candle, the recitation of the HNAA’s mission, and the singing of the Alma Mater.

The morning proved to be one that senior Tyler Ruppel will remember.  “Silver Coffee was a very special day for me because I joined my mom in our Alumni Association. I was so happy to spend the morning with my mom, chatting with all of her old Academy classmates and seeing the similarity between her memories of AHN and mine. The speeches given by the alumni also made me appreciate the short time we seniors have left of high school.”

Mrs. Bohannan loves the traditional, yet modern series of events.  “While the Silver Coffee is a very traditional Academy event, we have had to adapt to the changing times over the years to maintain relevance.  It is always a beautiful ceremony for the seniors, mothers, and alumnae to share.”