Incoming Notre Dame Academy freshmen participated in several T3 Events hosted by the school this summer. The July 12 orientation featured a Q & A panel with teachers and a scavenger hunt around the building.

The orientation events, organized by Ms. Ciera Gerl and Ms. Molly VandenHouten with the help of upperclassmen leaders, are designed to introduce incoming freshmen to the school and get to know their fellow classmates. 

“The main goal of T3 is to give the freshmen a chance to get to know each other and our building before the school year starts. By attending they will gain friendships and also gain some confidence around the building to make the transition to NDA as seamless as possible,” said Ms. VandenHouten, assistant director of admissions. 

Multiple teachers from different subjects were brought in to answer questions from the students. Some questions asked were “How long is each class?” as well as “When should we start studying for finals?” and “What’s the biggest advice you have for incoming freshmen?” 

The students got to hear and familiarize themselves with these teachers and even heard a couple fun stories about their favorite memories at NDA. 

“Cabaret Night is amazing because you have all of these people showcasing these different talents,” said English teacher Carolyn Brown in answering the “favorite memory” question. 

“The T3 event made me really excited for the upcoming school year. Getting to hear the teachers’ advice was really helpful and reassuring,” said Madeleine Wied. 

From there, students were split into groups with upperclassmen to go on a scavenger hunt around the school. They had to answer questions about classroom locations, donors and different pictures on the wall. 

“The scavenger hunt was really fun. We got to go around and see the school,” said Cece Melhberg. 

The event ended with tie dying and popsicles. The students dyed bandanas green and blue to wear for the upcoming school year.  

“I thought the T3 troop was a great experience to meet a ton of new upcoming freshmen. I also was able to meet upperclassmen and ask them questions about what high school was like. It was a fun way to bond with people and learn more about the school,” said Alanna Sladky, an incoming freshman.