Ring Day is a memorable tradition for the oldest members of the Upper School in the Sacred Heart Greenwich community.  Every year, the upperclassmen come together for a liturgy during which the seniors present class rings to the juniors.  In the weeks leading up to Ring Day, juniors ‘propose’ to seniors as a way of asking to ‘ring them.’  Some compare Ring Day to a moving-up ceremony because once the juniors receive their rings, they are one step closer to becoming the oldest in the high school.

Typically, when a junior asks a senior to ring her, she chooses a senior to whom she looks up and respects.  ‘Proposing’ to the senior is, therefore, a big deal for the junior.  It also forms a lifelong friendship beyond grade levels.  Mrs. Maureen Considine, Director of Upper School Campus Ministry and Sacristan, shared the importance of Ring Day and how the ceremony impacts those involved.

“Ring Day at Sacred Heart celebrates the love between the junior and senior classes, a love which exists among students and alumnae of the Sacred Heart Network schools throughout the world,” Mrs. Considine said.  “It also symbolizes a leadership transition, as the junior class prepares to become the student leaders of the Upper School.”

Sacred Heart alumna Ms. Alessandra Badioli ’11 discussed her experience with Ring Day and what the celebration means to her even after all these years.  She expressed the ring’s symbolism of unity and the shared values students hold throughout the school community.  The seniors pass down their best wishes and responsibilities of being the oldest students in the school, asking the juniors to step up to their new responsibilities. 

“All of my friends and I still wear our rings,” Ms. Badioli said.  “I have also met numerous people throughout my college and adult life because I saw them wearing a SH ring.  They didn’t necessarily go to SH Greenwich, but all Sacred Heart schools have a class ring and it is easy to spot them.  Through this ring, even if others went to different Sacred Heart schools, it’s as if we know and recognize an immediate bond of understanding and friendship before we even know it.”

A ring is a symbol of a promise or a pledge to someone or something.  There are school rings, wedding rings, and Super Bowl rings.  A ring is a reminder of celebration and commits students to the future.  On the Sacred Heart class ring, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary remind students not only of their time here on King Street but also of their call as women of the Sacred Heart to continually open their hearts to God’s Love.  The school community embraces the call to bring the attributes of the Sacred Heart, such as gratitude, generosity, compassion, and forgiveness, to a world that desperately needs these gifts.  When asked about the bonds that define this tradition, Mrs. Considine expressed the love shared between the junior and senior classes. 

“Ring Day creates a bond between the junior and senior Sacred Heart Greenwich classes but also with the entire network of Sacred Heart schools around the world,” Mrs. Considine said.  “A Sacred Heart ring can forge an instant connection between alumnae of sister schools.  There are countless stories of conversations starting among strangers upon seeing a Sacred Heart ring.” 

Featured Image by Olivia Flynn ’25