Junior Ring Ceremony, one of the most significant days of a girl’s time at Woodlands Academy, marks the turning point in her time at a Sacred Heart school. The class rings and Philippine Duchesne medals presented at the March 13 ceremony, planned and hosted by the senior class, are reminders of the strong bond students feel within the walls of Woodlands Academy and the entire Sacred Heart community.

Senior KJ Miller, this year’s WACOR (Woodlands Academy Council of Representatives) president, opened the ceremony with a message to members of the junior class: “Each school has its own tradition, but all Sacred Heart schools are united in featuring a special ceremony in which juniors receive their rings. … It celebrates you, your accomplishments, and the meaningful connections fostered within our community. … Alumnae will often tell stories of finding connection with strangers when they notice a Sacred Heart ring and suddenly, they are strangers no more.”

Rings presented during the ceremony bear the Sacred Heart symbol of two embracing hearts: signs of love, friendship and unity. Each junior wears her ring with the hearts facing in toward her heart. Once she graduates, she turns the ring around as a challenge to reach out to others and share Sacred Heart traditions and values.

Based on Woodlands Academy tradition, each junior was tasked with asking family and friends to give her ring a turn. By the end of the day, each ring should have been turned at least 27 times – symbolic of the Class of ’26 plus one extra turn for good luck.

The ceremony included senior Galina Yanishevsky’s reading of the poem “A Pinky Promise,” written for and dedicated to the junior class. “The senior class wants to extend a message of motivation and support for our Woodlands Academy sisters in the junior class,” Yanishevsky said. … “Know that we, your Woodlands sisters, are always here for you and that you are held in the strength, courage and love of the Sacred Heart community.”

After juniors had received their rings, the song “Yellow” was performed by senior class members as a musical tribute to the juniors.

Emmy Seliga then officially accepted the rings on behalf of her fellow junior class members. “I would like to thank all the faculty and staff here at Woodlands, especially our wonderful advisors, for guiding each of us in our academic and personal development since the beginning of our time here,” she said. “These rings are circles. An object following a circular path revolves around a central point. I want us to remember that within our connection with each other, this sisterhood, we have found our center – the soul, the essence and the heart that we can forever rely on to guide us home.”

A reception for Woodlands Academy’s Class of 2026 and their families followed the ceremony.