Every fall, St. Joe hosts St. Joe Night for 8th Graders. From club tours and bonfires to dance parties and merch giveaways, St. Joe pulls out all the stops for the prospective students. Angel Ambassador volunteers create a fun, energetic, and positive atmosphere for the eighth graders while they learn more about our school spirit and the clubs we offer.

Often enough, this is the last event before 8th graders make their final high school decision. The Ambassadors must make a good impression because the eighth graders are very impressionable. The “Not I, But We” motto is seen everywhere and through everybody. Freshman Madelyn Emge believed that 8th Grade Night helped solidify her decision to apply to St. Joe. 

“Everyone was so welcoming and excited to see us. The night was so laid back, but fun because I got to meet a bunch of people that would be in my class. I knew St. Joe was my top choice,” Madelyn said.

From St. Joe Day and Spirit Week to various spirit games and dance parties during the week, St. Joe students bond over love for their school. Anyone around campus will say St. Joe is the high school for them because of the community. The support for the sports, theater productions, arts programs, and students in general is evident. It is one of the things that many believe St. Joe should be most proud of and therefore present to the incoming classes. Many athletes like Senior Claire Morrissey, one of our star varsity volleyball players, believe they play better when they have the support of St. Joe on the sidelines. 

“When my friends come and watch me play, I feel like I get more hype and then play better. It means the world when people come and watch,” Claire said. 

Spirit and support define St. Joe and incoming freshmen need to see that.

There are so many opportunities to get involved at St. Joe, every single person can find their place. With over 60 clubs at St. Joe and the opportunity to create new ones, every student has the chance to explore their passion. The clubs range from academic and student outreach clubs to athletic and religious clubs. St. Joe fosters a space of encouragement and support for students to find their passion, whether that means for a future career or a current hobby.

Upperclassmen can promote the clubs they love and the interests that St. Joe helped foster by running informational and interactive club tables at St. Joe Night. Senior Emily Allen, the president of Youth and Government at St. Joe, worked the club’s table at St. Joe Night. Behind the table, she gets to see the eighth graders find their niche in what could be their future high school. 

“I never had St. Joe Night because of Covid, but I love working it. Working the club tables is cool because I get to see the incoming eighth graders find their place and what they like,” Emily said.

As current students continue to bond and grow in the community, they are called to show eighth graders what their time at St. Joe could look like. St. Joe Night for 8th Graders provides a prime time for prospective students to see clubs and spirit in a laid-back way. It is an opportunity for incoming freshmen to witness the potential clubs they could be a part of as well as the whole Angel community.