A Reflection on the Class of 2024 Ring Ceremony

By Elizabeth Chism ('24), Student Contributor

One of the many great traditions at St. Agnes Academy is the Ring Ceremony, the event where the Juniors receive their class rings. Last Friday, I was able to receive my ring, along with the rest of my classmates. One of the reasons this is day is so exciting is because of the symbolism the ring holds: the black onyx triangle that represents the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; the round gold setting where the triangle is mounted, standing for our unity as a class, with God as our guide; the pearls that represent purity; and the black triangle with the white pearls symbolizing the tradition of the Dominican Sisters, who founded St. Agnes in 1851.

The fact that this same ring has been around for decades is astonishing—it really shows the unity between each girl who has, does, and will attend St. Agnes. Since my very first day at St. Agnes, I have been waiting to get my ring, and now I have it!

Not only did the day have great meaning and history behind it, but it also meant that as a class we are one step closer to graduation. I think when President Hood told us all that we had “roughly five hundred days till graduation,” we all felt a little sad and scared. Because as much as we cannot wait to start our future, I think it hit us all very quickly that our “future” is closer than we think. As bittersweet as the ceremony day was, it was full of joy, laughter, and excitement.

It thrills me to think of what everyone will accomplish as we move on from SAA, but a part of me still feels like I am a freshman, walking through the halls with a mask on my first day of school, navigating high school and COVID. Sooner rather than later, we will all be going our separate ways and this school that we spend most of our time at will slowly become a vivid, but distant memory.

The Ring Ceremony is the first day where everyone realizes we are no longer just underclassman‑ we are soon to be seniors. This day will forever be engraved in my memory because of the pure joy and the strong sense of sisterhood I felt in being a part of it.

I asked some of my peers how they felt about Ring Ceremony, and they shared:

“To me, the Ring Ceremony is a special moment, and it was made even more special by sharing it with my family and all my junior sisters. Having a class ring now makes it feel like we are "officially" St. Agnes Stars, and one step closer to graduation!”

“The Ring ceremony to me celebrates my class's unity and the sisterhood we have developed throughout the years we have known each other.”

These quotes sum up the Ring Ceremony-one of the most exciting days at St. Agnes and a time-honored tradition. It was, for me personally, one of my favorite days in my time at SAA!