To begin with, students were allowed to pay in order to dress down from Monday, April 17th, through Wednesday, April 19th. There were different themes, such as “All Gold Day” and “Beach-Out”; however, students opted to wear colors to support their grade level in the competitions. The proceeds from these Dress Down Days were matched by the Student Council, and the grand total of $6,450 will be used in the renovation of the student lounge.
On Tuesday, April 18th, classes were dismissed at 1P.M. and students assembled in the gymnasium for the week’s first game, which was volleyball. The first game was between the freshmen and the seniors, and unsurprisingly, the freshmen lost. Then, the sophomores competed against the juniors, and although the scores were a bit closer, the juniors won. On the subsequent Wednesday, a three-against-three basketball tournament also took place in the gymnasium. Once again, the seniors won against the freshmen and the juniors beat the sophomores. The seniors won the finale of both volleyball and basketball, going out strong for their last pride week game at Saint Joe’s. Although the senior class won both tournaments, the whole school enjoyed the two competitions. This is partly because of the enthusiasm of the student announcers, including senior Alex Pavic and freshman Christopher Pinto-Spiegel. More significantly, the competitions unified the entire student body, promoted pride within each grade level, and exemplified the brotherhood and camaraderie present at Saint Joe’s. For the seniors, Pride Week was one of the last opportunities they could truly bond with their peers before their school year ends on May 9th.
The SJR Day of Giving occurred after the two competitions on April 20th, and the entire school community came together to raise money to benefit the future of the school. Over 800 Saint Joe’s alumni, faculty members, as well as current parents, relatives, friends, and students collectively raised over $400,000 to support the school. This money will go towards things such as scholarships, maintenance and improvements, academics, athletic programs, clubs, and other activities.
To end the historical success of the 2023 Pride Week, the senior class gave back to those in need by participating in a variety of service trips. All in all, Pride Week truly unified the school community, both from the past and present, and exemplified the camaraderie present within this community.