Junior Ring ceremony

Each January, the Junior class of the Academy participates in a “Junior Ring Ceremony.” This ceremony is a gratifying experience for the girls, who have just started their 6th semester at Academy. 

The ceremony starts in the morning around 9:30 and is welcome to all family and friends of the girls. 

Being a junior and being able to have experienced this moment is a valuable part of the Academy experience. The ceremony basically officializes us being “sisters”. Even just seeing my classmates wearing their rings every day just makes us seem a lot closer.

Junior Ava O’Brien said, “I have been waiting for this moment since I started at Academy. I am glad we all have something that officially makes us a part of the school”. 

Most wouldn’t think much of a little ring but in reality, it is so much more than that. Even now, years later, moms of girls who attended the Academy still wear their rings. It’s super cool seeing older people have the same ring as the younger generations do and knowing that they all have been in the same shoes. 

There is also a lot of symbolic significance in the Academy ring. Against a background of onyx, on top of the crest is the lamp of knowledge, which glows above and throughout the ideals of the school. The upper third of the ring displays the vocational calling of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. The three lilies symbolize the three vows of the order: poverty, charity, and obedience. The dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit, who dwells in our hearts and minds as we endeavor to live up to our ideals throughout the school year. The open book stands for all the academic studies, from the humanities to modern language that is part of the curriculum at the Academy. The lower left corner is a model of the atom, depicting all the natural and social sciences offered at the Academy. The lyre at the lower right represents those acquired through their courses and activities. Beneath the crest is the school motto that reads, “Esse Quam Videri” – to be, rather than to seem. Thanks to Mrs. Chase, for providing the research behind the Academy ring.

Sophomore Lily Hayes says, “I can’t wait for my Junior Ring Ceremony. It is something I have been looking forward to for a while”.

Finally, part of the Academy ring tradition is the inclusion of our Sophomore class.  The sophomores form a walkway while the Juniors exit the ceremony. The sophomores hold roses up and when each Junior reaches the end of the line, they receive a flower. 

All in all, this special ceremony is an important milestone in an Academy life.