During that 2006-2007 school year, then Badin senior Patrick Keating was among the 17 upperclassmen who created the first freshman rally event and now Keating is principal of the high school.
The early morning light saw wide-eyed freshman walking through a cheer tunnel of seniors outside the school’s main entrance with high fives and fist bumps raining down on them.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
And at the main door stood a beaming Keating, personally greeting each of the 202 members of the class of 2029.
“This is all a testament of so many people here,” said Keating between fist bumps.
“We started at the stadium at 6 a.m. for senior sunrise and our whole senior class was there by 6:45 a.m. It’s incredibly important because we are firm believers that God made us better together. And this welcome from the seniors shows the freshmen how much they mean to us and to welcome them here in the right way.”
The dawn gathering of seniors at the new Lanni Family Stadium at Matandy SportsPlex was a first for the 60-year-old high school in west Hamilton. Sophomores, juniors and seniors will begin classes on Wednesday.
Earlier this month Badin held the first sporting event in its newly built, $15 million stadium marking a historic change for the west Hamilton school that previously lacked an on-campus athletic facility during its six decades of existence.
Badin is Butler County’s only Catholic high school, and officials said this school year’s enrollment of 742 students is the largest for the school in this century.
Badin school parent Andy Stamp had just dropped off his 9th grade daughter and was all smiles as he took in the energetic scene.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
“What they do here at Badin for the freshmen is really just an amazing experience not only for the freshmen but for the community. What a welcoming experience for them to have,” said Stamp.
“It has been a thrill to see my daughter walk through that and to see the smile on her face and to see how the seniors are greeting and cheering for them all is a fantastic experience.”
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