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Traditions

Two young men, one in a tie-dye shirt and the other in a grey t-shirt, interact outdoors with a blurred green field in the background.

At Trinity Academy, students take meaningful ownership of our school traditions. Juniors and seniors, in particular, are entrusted with leading younger students with warmth and enthusiasm, helping to shape a strong and unified community.

Over the years, many of our most cherished traditions have grown from the ideas of both students and faculty, becoming an integral part of the school experience.

Through school-wide participation, each student is given the opportunity to find a sense of belonging and connection within our community.

The following are just a few examples of traditions that punctuate the rhythm of each school year with joy and good memories. 

A group of children in tie-dye shirts are playing a game with red and orange balls on a grassy field with trees in the background.

Field Day

Field Day for grades 6-12 is held twice a year at Clay Park, in fall and spring. Students break into mixed-age teams and compete in a variety of games like volleyball, dodgeball, ultimate frisbee, and soccer. Seniors enjoy leading the teams on Field Day, and sometimes faculty and students face off in a friendly but competitive game of kick ball or dodge ball. 

Der Lernvernügentag (Fun Learning Day)

Students have a blast on Der Lernvernügentag each spring. On this day, the entire school departs from the regular schedule and attends an eclectic mix of classes on subjects that that capture our faculty's imagination or draw upon an area of expertise that might not normally show up in the classroom. Some examples of past classes include: a flower crown tutorial, cajun culture and dancing, the basics of karate, how to sing sea shanties, the origin of midwest accents, how a gasoline engine works, and the Revolutionary War.

This day is not only fun for both students and faculty, but serves as a reminder to embrace intellectual curiosity, love learning for its own sake, and recognize that the ability to continually learn something new, no matter how old you are, is a uniquely human privilege and gift.

Students sit at a table decorating ukrainian eggs with candles in front of them
People in medieval attire stand near tables adorned with flowers, with stained-glass windows and banners decorating the background.

Eighth-Grade Medieval Banquet

The Medieval Banquet is a well-loved part of the eighth-grade experience at Trinity for students and parents alike. As a culmination of studying the middle ages in history class, students choose a historical figure to research and represent. They present themselves before the king and queen (played by faculty members), and are treated to live entertainment and a sumptuous feast—including castle cakes and a real boar's head—prepared by parents. The day concludes with a trade fair where students showcase their period-inspired handicrafts.

Sixth-Grade Toad Hall Banquet

After reading Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, who can resist celebrating with a Toad-inspired feast? The beautiful ballroom of our historic Studebaker mansion serves as the perfect setting for Toad Hall. Sixth-grade parents set the banquet tables beautifully and prepare a spread of comfort food worthy of a Toad-esque picnic basket. Students prepare toasts to the hapless Toad and his friends, and take turns providing live entertainment including instrumental solos and poetry recitations. 

In the foreground, children raise glasses in a toast at a decorated table, while in the background, adults and more children are gathered in a room with wooden paneling.
Students carry shoes filled with candy on St. Nicholas Day

St. Nicholas Day

Each year on St. Nicholas Day in early December, junior girls on the joyful task of playing St. Nicholas at the start of the school day. Students leave their shoes in the hallway during Morning Prayer and come back to find them overflowing with candy.

A young woman in a purple shirt cheers with her fist in the air in the foreground, while other people sit on the grass in a park with trees in the background.
A group of boys in green shirts and dark shorts stand in a grassy field holding spears and shields decorated with colorful drawings, with trees and a building visible in the background.
Three smiling girls wearing floral crowns and school uniforms pose in front of a plain wall with a window.
A group of boys in green shirts and dark pants sing outdoors in front of a brick building.