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Student Life Traditions Main Image NEW24
Student Life
Traditions
A CELEBRATION OF SEVERN
TIMELESS TRADITIONS
Traditions hold a special place in our hearts. More than just fun activities, these treasured events create lasting memories and enduring bonds among generations of Severn Admirals. They ignite school spirit, celebrate our vibrant community, and strengthen the sense of pride that defines the Severn experience. Whether it’s the annual Spirit Week activities, the emotional senior send-off from their final Morning Meeting, the Holiday Sing in the Lower School, or the spirited Minute to Win It grade-level contests in the Middle School, each tradition is a testament to Severn’s collective identity and the joy of coming together as a community.
UPPER SCHOOL TRADITIONS
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Upper School Traditions
- Senior Breakfast on Their Last First Day of School
- Hoops Madness
- Pumpkin Decorating
- Pink Tie Friday
- Elf on the Shelf
- Hot Chocolate and Caroling on the last day of school before Winter Break
- Last Admiral Standing
- Fresh/Soph Picnic
- Freshman Dessert Reception before Homecoming Dance
- Morning Meeting
- Dodgeball Madness
- Pre-Prom Pictures at Daiger House
- Senior Prank
- Boardwalk Blast
- Class Reflections at Baccalaureate
- Trivia Night
- Senior Sendoff at Final Morning Meeting
- Rivalry Games vs. St. Mary's
- Spirit Week
- Flag Football Game
- Class Banner Competition
- Hallway Decorating
- Sing for Your Supper
- Tug of War
MIDDLE SCHOOL TRADITIONS
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Middle School Traditions
- Minute to Win It Class Challenges
- Coffeehouses
- Socials
- Advisory Door Decorating
- Innovation Day
- Homecoming
- Breadwinner Challenge
- Holiday Toy Drive
- Field Day
- Service and Belonging Days
- Eighth Grade Team Building
- Eighth Grade Promotion Ceremony and Celebration Line
LOWER SCHOOL TRADITIONS
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Lower School Traditions
- Convocation
- Lower School Dance
- Homecoming
- Halloween Parade
- Veterans Day Assembly
- Holiday Sing / Pajama Day
- Lower School Dance
- Grandfriends Day
- Spring Sing
- Kindergarten and First-Grade Letters to Seniors
- Kindergarten Celebration
- Fifth Grade Promotion Ceremony
FEATURED SEVERN TRADITIONS
TRADITION NEVER GRADUATES
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Coffeehouses
Twice a year, aspiring artists, musicians, singers, and performers in grades six, seven, and eight are invited to share their talents with their classmates during a Middle School Coffeehouse. These open-mic-style events create space for students to share their artistry with their peers in a supportive environment. -
Convocation
While Convocation is an all–school event, one of the highlights of this opening assembly is when the kindergarten and first–grade students walk into the gym hand–in–hand with the seniors. This pairing represents the passing of the torch as the seniors kick off their final year of high school accompanied by young learners whose Severn journey has only just begun. Following the assembly, they reconvene in the Teel Academic Center and read a book together that the Lower School students have gifted to the senior class. -
Holiday Sing & Pajama Day
Elf knew it, and so does the Lower School community. There is no better way to spread holiday cheer than by singing loud for all to hear! This joyful event celebrates the arts and the holiday season, as each grade performs a special song or dance (or both) for the audience. And doing all of this in pajamas makes it even more memorable. -
Lower School Dance
Formerly the Daddy/Daughter Dance, this popular Lower School event was refreshed to open it up to all families. Held in January, the dance is wildly popular among students and parents. Fan favorites, such as the themed photo booth, are always a hit. -
Minute to Win It
In this spirited grade-level competition, students compete within advisory teams in ten unique challenges from the popular game show Minute to Win It. The 2025 event will be the sixth year running for this fun competition, which has become one of the most anticipated MS events of the year. -
Rivalry Games
The Severn vs. St. Mary’s rival lives on! The Admirals continue to battle it out with the Saints every sports season. These spirited games always draw a large crowd to the student section, whether home or away. The Spirit Captains also get in on the fun, selling those treasured "Sink the Saints" t-shirts ahead of big games. -
Trivia Night
It’s an epic game night that brings nearly the entire Upper School out for a team competition like no other. This lively evening has a little bit of everything – costumes, challenges, and sprints, as team members race to the scorer’s table to submit their answers.
UPPER SCHOOL SPIRIT WEEK
One of the most anticipated and celebrated weeks in the Upper School, Spirit Week has it all. It kicks off on Sunday with the Junior/Senior Girls Flag Football game, followed by a week of fun. There are daily dress-down themes for students, the annual food drive benefiting SPAN, a class banner contest, creative hallway decorating, Sing for Your Supper, Tug of War, and more. The finale, of course, is Homecoming Day, which includes home games for the Admirals and the annual Homecoming Dance.
Dave LaChapelle '93 P'28
The best tradition at Severn is the St. Mary’s rivalry. I have such great memories of those games. We’re both small schools, so you end up friends with the opponents, and it’s fun to talk about the outcome even years later. The games were fun when I was a student, but they’re even better as memories.
THE LAST FIRSTS
SENIOR TRADITIONS
Severn senior celebrate a year full of "last firsts" as well as many senior-specific traditions. Just before graduation, the seniors go through a "Super Tuesday" of traditional events.
The day begins with seniors presenting their Innovative Senior Projects (ISP). Following that, it’s a quick change to get ready for College T-shirt Day and a visit from the kindergarten and first-grade students. The young students have a special mission that day: to present each senior with a handwritten letter offering some words of advice as they prepare to head off to college.
Traditionally, each senior wears a shirt and/or skirt that day that represents the college or university they plan to attend in the fall.
After a special lunch hosted by the Alumni Association, seniors are back in assembly dress for the final academic assembly of the year. A number of senior awards are announced at this assembly. After the Academic Awards, faculty, staff, and underclassmen file out ahead of the senior class, forming the famous Hug Line. The members of the senior class then walk out through the long line, giving them the chance to say thanks and goodbye to teachers, staff, coaches, and friends.
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Traditions Senior Prank
That time when the seniors painted Woods Hall pink…
For better or for worse, the Senior Prank tradition has staying power! Each year, the senior class plans a prank for the spring, which becomes known only to Dean of Students Marc Buckley. Some are more memorable than others. In the past twenty years, two have really stood out for their creativity. In 2006, the seniors snuck onto campus in the middle of the night and painted Woods Hall bright pink. (This building was slated for demolition a few weeks later.) Also memorable, the Class of 2022 pooled their money and hired a Mariachi Band to follow Mr. Buckley around all day. Everywhere he went, they followed, playing music all the while.
