Leaving after graduation, one can imagine the seniors feel an intense sense of finality. It’s summer, you have walked across the stage, gotten your diploma and now you are hurtling towards the future. You might wonder… was that the last time I will set foot in NDA?

Believe it or not, the seniors will return to the Academy that very night for Senior Send off.

“Senior Send Off is a post-graduation party for the graduating senior class. It is a memorable, fun and safe celebration,” explained Geno McKenna, director of events and one of the brains behind Senior Send Off.

“This tradition has become an event for the senior students, and their parents have enjoyed it immensely. It is a great event that takes place at NDA and is sponsored by NDA and the senior parents.”

This year, SSO takes place Saturday, May 25, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

According to McKenna, this event is considered a tradition at Notre Dame.

“The party is planned by the graduating senior class parents, and each year they bring on different ideas and themes to make it fun for their students.”

Each year there is a different theme, voted on by the senior class. Last year’s theme was the Olympic games and this year is The Great Gatsby. (Unfortunately Astroworld got vetoed.)

The SSO committee has a lot of fun in store for the graduates, including t-shirts, games, food, entertainment, prizes and music.

“Some of the events planned for this year include laser tag, a mechanical bull, caricaturists,a  henna tattoo stand, Zuma, human foosball, an amazing hypnotist and more,” said McKenna.

There have been a lot of memorable events that went down in previous SSOs.

“A few years ago a comedy group performed for the graduates. The hypnotist has also been very popular,” explained McKenna.

The event is paid for by the senior class and parents.

“Senior parents chaperone and they always seem to have a blast,” said McKenna. “SSO has almost 100% participation. This is the last time the entire senior class will be together and this event will be a memory that will last them a lifetime.”

NDA holds this event to celebrate the last four years spent working in the building.

“The school will be transformed into a party atmosphere and it will be a night to remember.”

McKenna would like to thank the planning committee for doing an awesome job pulling this together.

“It’s a lot of work, and this group is committed to getting all seniors to attend. They are an amazing group of volunteers that have their hearts in the right place,” he said.