On the bright and beautiful morning of November 8th, 2024, the atmosphere simply brimmed with excitement as the Class of 2026 gathered to receive their rings on Junior Ring Day. Many of the one hundred and seventy-one girls had been anticipating this day for months beforehand, selecting their Ring Dance outfits and setting appointments for their hair and nails. All the Juniors could hardly contain their excitement as they anticipated the events to come in the Middle Level Gym. With a liturgy, a ceremony, and a dance to look forward to, they were ready to cherish every magnificent moment together as the class of blue and orange.
Once everything was ready, the Juniors gathered in the auditorium for Ring Liturgy to worship and pray together in the presence of their friends and family. A selection of Juniors prepared—and played integral roles in—this liturgy, such as Maura (Quinn) Fitz-Patrick ’26 giving the Call to Worship and Taylor Foltz ’26 presenting the First Reading, among other participants. They channeled their elation into song, especially during “All the People Said Amen” by Matt Maher, and truly manifested their Ring theme of “Better Together.”
The Juniors took the stage with pride and assumed their places according to advisory to begin the Ring Ceremony. Each advisory was called by their respective advisors to stand up, file out, and proceed back to the front of the stage to receive their rings from Sister Patricia. Then, the long-awaited moment came for the sisters of blue and orange. During Class President Sophia Rafter’s speech, she invited her fellow classmates to place their rings on their fingers, thereby officially becoming Upperclassmen at NDP. Mia Saxon ’26 commented on the significance of this moment, “I felt so grateful to share the company of all my classmates on such a momentous occasion! I can truly consider it one of the highlights of my year, considering that I have been looking forward to it since sixth grade.” To conclude the ceremony, the Class of 2026 sang their Ring Song together, composed to the tune of “Vienna” by Billy Joel, which invoked their past experiences, present exuberance, and future potential.
While being created, the onyx and gold rings were quite literally born in symbolism, with each facet thoughtfully considered to encompass the entire NDP experience. Not only were the Juniors endowed with the spirit of the SSND’s through the onyx, but they were also eternally connected to their Class of 2026 sisters through the shape of the ring band itself.
Ring Day culminated with the Ring Dance, where the Junior class displayed its innate elegance and grace. Before the event, there was a pre-party at the Millstad Center. After a multitude of pictures were taken, they headed to NDP for their first formal dance, donning long gowns and corsages to match. There, they enjoyed the night with their friends and became closer as a class because of it. Stephanie Ogle ’26 mentioned the experience she shared with her classmates, “I really enjoyed the new connections I made and the old ones I strengthened through my experience at Ring! During the ceremony and dance, I came to better understand and cherish our theme of ‘Better Together.’” It was a wonderful event for the Class of 2026, and it will continue to live on in their memories for years to come.
In reflection on this day, the true meaning of the NDP ring comes to mind. This ring symbolizes the commitment each one of us Juniors carries to our alma mater, our forever connection with this distinguished school, and our forever promise to uphold its principles, virtues, and ethics.