At the end of August, the highs and lows of summer seemed to fade away into distant memories as the Class of 2027 stepped into their final year at St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly.
All the fears of the past — not knowing anyone as a freshman, finding the right friend group as a sophomore and pushing through challenging classes as a junior — are now relatable experiences that can be translated into wise advice to give new underclassmen. As leaders of the school, PVI’s senior class is determined to leave their mark and create a new legacy based on community, service and passion.
Seniors began their long-awaited Senior Day Aug. 21 by celebrating Mass together in the Panther Athletic Center. While the class filled only a small portion of the bleachers, their voices rang clear throughout the entire Mass with everyone wholeheartedly participating. After receiving the final blessing from chaplain Father Jonathan Fioramonti, Principal Tom Opfer called the Class of 2027 to sing their favorite song, “Lord, I Need You.” Not one senior was silent, praising loud and proud, causing the final verse, “Oh God, how I need you,” to echo throughout the entire gym. At that moment, students realized this class was no longer strangers, but a family: a family that was about to embark on their last year of high school together.
“The sense of community I felt when we were all singing together at Mass as a class made me feel like we were all in this together,” senior Indra Malli said.
Throughout the rest of the day, the seniors were divided into three groups and traveled through various stations, which included participating in team-building games, discussing their legacy in the theatre and participating in a service project.
Joe Hugley, director of campus life, led the session in the theatre, asking seniors to call out one word to describe what they pictured for the upcoming year as the Class of 2027. Many words arose, such as memorable, entertaining and fun-filled, but one word that stuck out to senior Wilton Taliaferro was “passionate.” He explained that what this class lacks in size, it makes up for in passion, “We (PVI VI Man) put a lot of effort in, and I could say that about our entire class.”
“Giving back and serving our community is truly at the heart of the Catholic faith,” senior and student government president Reagan Steger said, noting class plans for yearlong service opportunities at various shelters and food pantries.
Nick Zaso, director of campus ministry, and the campus ministry team also found a way to integrate service into Senior Day, giving students a preview of the upcoming year. All seniors were asked to bring in items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, granola bars, socks and deodorant to assemble into hygiene kits for people experiencing homelessness in Camden, N.J.
“I was impressed by our students’ excellent response to the need for donations on the first day of school, when there are so many other worries on their minds,” said Zaso.
Together, students assembled bags with donations, finishing them with a special prayer-filled note reminding whoever receives them that they are in the students’ prayers.
The Class of 2027 finished Senior Day by signing their names to a shipping container near the football field and collecting their long-awaited parking passes. They left school with big smiles on their faces, entering the last weekend of summer, before a bright and early wake-up call for Senior Sunrise Monday morning.
Campus life, with the help of student government members, brought the Senior Sunrise tradition to the first day of school this year, marking a new chapter for the annual event. Seniors gathered on the football field, surprised with donuts provided by the school and watched the sunrise.
“I loved seeing how everyone, no matter the friend group, came together on the football field for our last first day of high school,” senior Matthew Ferrier said. “I really believed it marked what will be an amazing last year.”
