Next week on Friday, Feb. 5 marks the first programming day in St. Louis U. High history—a new tradition in the making! There are four programming days—one for each grade level—and will be designed to be filled with both fun and spiritual activities to help bond the class together.

The order of each class’s programming day is based on need. This first one is for the sophomore class followed by the seniors on Friday, Feb. 12. No classes will meet on these programming days.

“When we were looking at each class like sophomores, for example, it was very noticeable that they didn't have any chance to come together as a class in the fall, so it was seen as more important to get (their programming day) in as soon as possible,” said science teacher Megan Menne. “Same thing for seniors. Seniors have had their retreats, and they have a lot of stuff towards the end of the year like graduation. So we decided to get them in earlier as well.”

The programming days were created as a response to the lack of unity-building activities this past year and the difficulty of cultivating class brotherhood while in the midst of a pandemic. They also offer for many students a much-needed break in the monotony of the school daily routine.

“When looking at the spring, we decided that it might be a good thing for classes to have a day to relax with each other, especially given our current schedule,” said Menne. “You also don't have a lot of opportunity to just hang out with each other. Some of your classmates haven't had a chance to hang out with each other since the beginning of the pandemic.”

“When looking at the spring, we decided that it might be a good thing for classes to have a day to relax with each other, especially given our current schedule. You also don't have a lot of opportunity to just hang out with each other. Some of your classmates haven't had a chance to hang out with each other since the beginning of the pandemic.”

Megan Menne

“We're trying to put together a day that will ultimately be a day of brotherhood and community, something that we lacked a lot in the first semester,” said Kesterson. “We have missed a lot of the big community-building activities that would have happened this last year. Even now with everyone back, with clubs going on, with sports and retreats, there is still a bit of that connectedness missing.”

The idea of the programming days came out of the Freshman Fun Day that occurred earlier this year in late October. The freshman event featured fun activities, prayer, and group breakout sessions, and it has been a model for how these programming days will look.

While each programming day will have a similar structure, each will also be tailored to meet the needs and wants of each class. Committees with teachers and a few students who are familiar with the specific class have been formed to help design these events.

“The sophomores, for example, don't know some of their classmates. So, some of the activities are going to be geared towards just getting to know their classmates more,” said Menne. “Whereas, the senior day will be more about spending time with each other.”

Although the planning committees for these events will have their own vision for what these days will be like, all of the committees have prioritized safety when developing the plans for these events, implementing a series of safety measures to stay in line with SLUH’s Covid-19 protocols. 

“We have to be a lot more organized when planning this,” said Menne. “They'll be divided into groups and you just have to keep track, to create pods so we kind of know where everybody is at all times and who they're around.”

With one day scheduled for each class year, the sophomore class is kicking things off and setting a precedent for what the other programming days will look like in the months ahead. Menne and a committee of other sophomore teachers have been meeting weekly since December and are excited for the day.

“I am really excited for the day,” said Menne. “A lot of planning has gone into this day, and I think it will be a good day.”

Both Kesterson and Menne believe that these programming days demonstrate how SLUH is more than simply an academic institution. It is a place where students are taught to be loving individuals and are a part of a community.

“The teachers are not focused on the class, students are not only focused on their schoolwork, but we're genuinely trying to figure out like this is a pandemic. How do we take care of each other's right now? I think that is what the programming days are supposed to help answer this question.”