Molly VandenHouten, recently hired admissions coordinator at Notre Dame Academy, has been involved with this school ever since attending as a teenager.

After graduating from St. Norbert College, she contacted the people she knew from NDA and is now running the upcoming Preview Night for eighth-graders, soon to be freshmen. 

As well as Preview Night, Ms. Vandenhouten is also in charge of shadow days and school visits.  In other words, she devotes her time to getting the students involved with high school life.  

With majors like Communications and Sociology under her belt, it’s safe to say that Vandenhouten is a “people person” and has been using that gift ever since, most notably with Preview Night.

Due to the pandemic, Preview Night 2020 is an hour-long event to target eighth-graders interested in attending NDA. 

A typical turnout for this event is around 100 people, including parents and students, and usually consists of touring around the school, meeting the teachers, and getting a little taste of what the high school experience feels like.

This year however, the middle-schoolers won’t be pulling up to school with their parents, but gathering around the computer instead.

 A virtual Preview Night became the challenge for Ms. VandenHouten, who is rather excited about the variety of media being used to highlight the NDA experience. 

From video to club/activity links to student testimonials–all will be used to help eighth-graders understand what their high school experience will look like. 

With the help of her associates and students, VandenHouten has created a virtual school event that will give the eighth- graders a tour of the school and an opportunity to see and hear special guest speakers such as teachers and students at NDA.

The vast variety of clubs and extracurricular activities will also be available to check out. 

All of this is happening as a YouTube Live event on November 5. A pop-up box for registering is available on the school website. 

Future Tritons are encouraged to start filling out the applications to become part of next year’s Freshman Class.