Xavier’s 8th Grade Day is an opportunity for the incoming class of freshwomen. This is an occasion to see what Xavier is all about and to see its strong community.
This day is not required for eighth graders to attend, but is a great chance for the approaching class, not only to view the campus, but also to see an all-girls environment for the first time. Additionally, eighth graders get to experience the faith-powered education shown at Xavier every day.
Vanessa Zoha, Xavier’s assistant director of admissions stated, “It’s a super fun day that reminds us how joyous it can be here at Xavier.”
All have an eventful day filled with moments to welcome incoming Gators.
“I think that the incoming students can see the spirit of the school and how sports are celebrated, which is a big deal,” Zoha said.
Xavier’s rallies are centered upon class dances as well as performances by each sports team in the current season. Sports teams compete by dancing with hopes of winning the Xavier spirit stick, awarded by designated faculty and staff.
“Teachers will be more heavily involved this year including faculty and staff,” said Zoha. Xavier’s staff is heavily involved in the planning of each rally and also sometimes appears in rally dances.
While there are many exciting parts of the day, many staff members have their favorite moments. Denise Macrina, dean of students, stated, “Seeing them all come in, they’re all so excited.”
“Watching them during a rally, I see all eyes are on our girls, watching every move they make. It’s so fun to see,” Macrina said.
Though the rally is known as the highlight, the day is more than just a pep assembly. The day consists of a welcome gathering, student-led classroom visits, (personally directed by current Xavier ambassadors), and a school-provided lunch.
Ava Calihan ‘25, Xavier student ambassador president stated, “It’s such an exciting day because the student ambassadors work so hard all year to put together a fun and inspiring day for the eighth graders, and it’s great to see that work pay off.”
As improvements are made, the faculty becomes eager to see rallies come together. “I know some things are different this year, but it looks really exciting and interesting,” said Macrina.
Changes have been made this year for 8th Grade Day. “This year eighth grade students sign up on GatorNet. They create an account and then are able to sign up for Open House, 8th Grade Day, the Shadow Program and the Informational Session,” Zoha said.
“From an ambassador standpoint it is extremely fun and rewarding to show off Xavier and all it has to offer,” said Calihan. “My three years at Xavier have been incredible and being able to encourage eighth graders to embark on the same journey is so much fun.”
“We’re early. Though we get around 600 signups, as of today we have 395,” said Zoha. “We’re doing a lot more school visits to promote 8th Grade Day.”
Seeing all the details come together is fulfilling for many of those who work on planning this day. “It’s rewarding to witness the excitement and to know that we are helping shape the future experiences at Xavier,” Calihan said.
“We’re not just academics, we’re not just sports and faith. This day shows that we can all come together to celebrate Xavier’s awesomeness,” Zoha said.
