On Friday, May 4, seniors tearfully said goodbye to the Academy community.  Friends and siblings, ranging from freshmen to seniors,  all clung together balling their eyes out, dreading the departure of their older Academy sisters. Then in its usual good form, AHN underclass ladies presented the girls with a formal goodbye and recollection regarding their cherished times shared at Academy.

Principal Mrs. Camille Jowanna started off with a welcome and prayer, followed by speeches from seniors Darby Meade, Brynn Wiley, and Student Council President Tori Foody. All three girls brought up old memories, such as the Junior Ring Ceremony Alma Mater crisis, the senior retreat, freshman year, sisterhood,and their cherished years at AHN.

Each grade presented the Class of 2012 with a farewell gift and blessing.  Freshmen read a poem in unison, and then gave each senior a copy.  Sophomores, inspired by the class “royalty” theme, read memorable quotes by queens ranging from Mulan to the Little Mermaid’s Queen Ursala to Queen Elizabeth.  After their presentation, the girls rushed over to their senior friends to present them with hand-crafted crowns with a graduation tassle attached.  As tradition has it, juniors brought many to tears as the school viewed a video, put together by the junior class, full of forgotten memories, last words, and wishes.

The seniors concluded the Farewell by linking arms, singing, and dancing to their class songs: Bruno Mars’ “Count on Me” and Jay Sean’s “2012 (It Ain’t the End).”

After the Farewell, underclass students returned to class, while seniors and their mothers attended a 10 a.m. celebratory Mass in the chapel and a 11:45 a.m. luncheon at Tampa Yacht & Country Club, hosted by the Mothers Association.  Each girl was given a beautifully framed picture of her class photo to take to college as a reminder of their sisters and time spent at AHN.

Congratulations Class of 2012! You will be missed!