Students Start the Year with Traditions and Trips

After a day of moving in and matriculating, the community gathered in St. Mary’s Chapel for Fall Convocation. Rector Suzanne Buck shared a welcome and opening words for the year to come, and returning students were recognized for their outstanding academic achievements in the previous school year. The day ended with a family-style advisory dinner in Yardley and orientation games led by the Prefects and Honor Council.

Spirits were high around campus as the first days of classes and athletics kicked off the school year in earnest. Students met with their advisors to set personal goals for the semester, picked up a treat at Cookie Break, and learned about school traditions through the Honor Chapel Service and Purple and Gold Assembly. The community capped off the week on Friday with a time-honored tradition, the Picnic Honoring the New Girls. Students and faculty enjoyed a picnic in the Meadow before the new girls and faculty were taken onto their team, either Purple or Gold.

After the week’s packed schedule, students had a chance to unwind on Saturday with class trips. The Freshman and Sophomore classes enjoyed time outdoors with a hike at Hanging Rock State Park and navigating a low ropes course, respectively, while the upper classes turned their eye towards the college process. The Junior class took tours of Monticello and UVA, while the Seniors spent the morning working on college essays before traveling to Lynchburg for an afternoon of fun. The events and traditions of the first week set the tone for the year ahead and proved the perfect start for the fall semester.

You can see more photos from the Freshman class trip here, and for photos of the Picnic Honoring the New Girls, click here.