Student Traditions

Our freshmen received a royal welcome by our seniors as they engage in the spirited festivities of Freshman Week. Seniors are paired with their "little sister" freshmen and spend a week in September dressing in various themes from Disney to Rock Star to Twinning to Crazy Hair and Make Up. It's all in good fun as every student and even some faculty (33% of our faculty are graduates) have embraced the Freshman Week experience. It all leads to our first Mass of the school year as a community when we gather in Chapel to celebrate and honor our freshman class. You will notice the faculty and staff donning various shades of green in support of the freshman class as well as student with green head bands. The highlight of the week is always the selection of Little Miss Freshman! The student body gathers for a dance party and dance off where a group of Freshmen are named finalists and ultimately Little Miss Freshman is crowned. All past Little Miss Freshman are invited on stage to join in the celebration.

Who has spirit - our sophomores, of course! We celebrate our delightful sophs in the Spring when you, once again, see the faculty, staff, and students going red for our sophomores. We begin school with a beautiful Mass together in Chapel for the special intentions of our sophomores. After a private serenade by the freshman class in the morning, sophomores sport their spirit day shirts, which a class member designs, and prepare for the craziest talent show on earth! The Student Council Leadership Team serves as emcees for this hilarious, and sometimes very serious, display of Nazareth talent. Students are invited to participate solo or in groups; serious or funny and the show stopper is always the faculty performance. What will they do -- this heavily guarded secret begins early in the year with faculty planning for a show and secretly meeting and practicing. Some of the past faculty performances have included Sister Act; a flash mob of dance moves through the decades; Dancing with Stars; Thriller and Nazareth Idol. 

The distinctive Naz ring can be spotted from afar - you just know that beautiful blue stone! The ring has not changed much from the very early years. The first Nazareth Academy High School ring was issued to the Class of 1940. Every November, the Junior Class has a difficult time containing their anticipation for Ring Mass and Ring Day. Held in the spectacular Nazareth Chapel, the evening Ring Mass brings students and parents together for the blessing of the school ring and bestowment of the rings by the junior homeroom moderators and Principal. After enjoying the evening with their families, the juniors return to school where they are honored during Ring Day. Faculty and staff find every blue hue imaginable to wear in support of our upperclassmen as they take that next step in their high school journey. During the week, sophomores are secretly practicing songs in honor of the Juniors on Ring Day. Everyone participates in the traditional turning of the school ring and showing off the lovely blue stone with pride.

The school year closes in style as we honor and tear up for our departing seniors. We begin our day in that wonderful Naz tradition of gathering as a school community for Mass in Chapel. Our seniors are weepy as they know this is their last school community Mass as graduation is just days away. The Gold abounds on student head bands and faculty and staff clothing honoring the seniors. Following Mass, the juniors present their big sisters with a corsage and special performance. The entire student body and guest then gather as the Class Day Awards are presented by the Principal in conjunction with sponsoring award donors. More than 60 distinguished awards in English, Literature, Math, Languages, Athletics, Music, Writing, Art, Spirit, Community Service and so much more display the fine Nazareth Academy High School careers of our seniors.