For a long time, senior jerseys at Saint Francis have served as a rite of passage, a unifying tradition for the graduating class. However, like many other beloved traditions, it has undergone changes to reflect the needs of the student body. To what extent is this tradition at Saint Francis changing, and do seniors-to-be have anything to be concerned about?
According to Associate Activities Director Ms. Grace Savinovich, the short answer to that last question is no. For a long time, the tradition was limited to a select group of senior girls before Activities took charge and made sure that every senior girl could have a jersey. Before long, senior boys began asking for jerseys. Last year, the tradition was expanded to include the entire senior class, causing significant uproar. “At first, people were really upset and had a lot of opinions,” said Savinovich. “I think change is just a thing that frightens people a little bit.” Today, though, you’d be hard-pressed to find a senior who still finds fault with the change. Upcoming changes to extend this privilege, however, may create more uproar.
What is actually changing? All students in each class will receive their own jersey. Students’ last names will still be displayed on the back, as well as their year of graduation. The jerseys will be color-coordinated so that all students can show school spirit by wearing their class colors to rallies, and unlike their predecessors, the new jerseys will bear Saint Francis branding. Students will even be allowed to wear them on Lancer Gear Fridays.
According to Savinovich, the push for this year’s changes to the tradition came from many different factors. During last year’s rallies, many students found that they didn’t own clothing in their class color. Others found themselves wanting to showcase school spirit through unified clothing. Certain elected student government members even spearheaded these changes. “It’s meant to combat a lot of issues [that] students constantly, constantly complain about,” said Savinovich.
Despite the noble intentions, many juniors expressed dismay at the change. Selah Dorn (’25) compared the situation to “Harrison Bergeron,” a dystopian short story in which the government handicaps the talented in an overzealous effort for social equality. Other students, including Anya Nandiwada (’25), expressed their concerns that expanding the tradition to all classes would dilute the significance of the senior experience—battling burnout, living through their last months of high school, and preparing themselves to say goodbye to a community that they have been part of for four years. Overall, some students worry that the significance of this tradition—one that we have been waiting three years for—is about to be eliminated.
Savinovich, however, explains that this is not the case. “I find that there’s this worry of something sacred being tarnished, and what I found in the practice and rollout [of last year’s changes] is that more people appreciate being included in a sacred practice,” she said. “There’s a fear of change, which I totally understand,” concluded Savinovich. “Nothing is getting taken away. [These changes] are hopefully solving more problems for more students.”
