Recently, the seniors of St. Joe celebrated an extremely exciting event: Senior Investiture. Senior Investiture is an important day, as it is the day seniors receive the stoles they will wear at graduation and it is the first day that they can access their senior privileges. Most importantly, however, it allows them to be recognized for their roles as leaders in the school community.
The tradition of Senior Investiture began about a decade ago under the authority of former St. Joe principal, Dr. Dianne Cooper. She saw it as “an official ceremony to induct the seniors as the leaders of the school.”
As the class coordinator, Mrs. LaMonica bears a great deal of responsibility in the planning and organizing of Senior Investiture. She works closely with Ms. Anna Hotop, Principal of Student Affairs, Dr. Jennifer Sudekum, Principal of Academic Affairs, and Mrs. Marcia Neidringhaus, President, to ensure that the day goes smoothly and that everything is in order. They must reserve the theater, set up all of the necessary materials, and establish a specific order for the seniors to enter.
“It’s pretty fluid now. We’ve been doing it for a while, so each person kind of has their own role,” Mrs. LaMonica said.
On the day of the event, the seniors enter in order before taking their place in the theater. Then, they are called on to the stage one by one to receive their stoles. Finally, they are invited by Dr. Sudekum, Ms. Hotop, and Mrs. Neidringhaus to be good leaders of the school.
“We hold them to certain standards, and that’s a way of telling them those standards and telling the rest of the school…and also for the underclassmen who are watching to say, ‘Oh, I’m going to be in that position someday, so it’s important that I hold myself to a certain standard as well,’” Mrs. LaMonica said.
Once the seniors have been invested, they are led in prayer and able to step out into the school community as new people. After this day, they have to access their senior privileges, which are special benefits and opportunities open only to them. For example, the signature yellow polos and sweatshirts are finally available for them to wear. They are also allowed to leave St. Joe early throughout the day if they have a free period or want to purchase lunch off-campus, and they may arrive late, as well. In addition, newly implemented this year, the seniors are allowed to wear gray or navy leggings underneath their skirts instead of the black that other students are required to wear.
While the privileges and recognitions are nice, Senior Investiture is important because of the impact that it has on the students. Meredith Dunn is a senior at St. Joe this year, and she is still adjusting to the change.
“I’m so scared that I’m a senior. It hasn’t really hit that it’s me this year. It’s really sad, honestly, because everyone is just reminiscent of our last four years, and I don’t think anyone really wants to graduate, but we’re just trying to get through and make the best of our time,” Meredith said.
To Meredith, Senior Investiture was a very fun day. She enjoyed standing up with her classmates to officially become leaders. She believes it is important because it requires her to set a good example for the underclassmen.
“We need to make sure that we have a good legacy that continues to impact classes after we graduate. I remember the seniors when I was a freshman and how nice they were to us, so it’s important that my class makes a similar impact,” Meredith said.
Luckily for Meredith, this senior class has had that impact. They are highly beloved, and they serve as excellent role models for the rest of the St. Joe community. St. Joe wishes them good luck throughout this year, as they continue to grow and prepare for the next phase of their lives.
