SMH Seniors Celebrate Blue Tie

The Saint Mary's Hall (SMH) community came together to celebrate the Class of 2022 with the annual Blue Tie Parade and Blue Tie Ceremony on August 20. These traditions serve as rites of passage for seniors as they begin their final year at SMH and continue their vital leadership as part of the school community.     

The day’s events included a Blue Tie Parade, where seniors, equipped with water cannons, balloons, and coolers, rode on decorated floats and drenched enthusiastic underclassmen as they passed. The seniors then processed to the Ancira Event Center for their Blue Tie Ceremony. Head of School Len Miller spoke to the community about the history and importance of this distinctive milestone in the lives of SMH seniors. He then bestowed blue ties and senior rings to the 78 excited members of the Class of 2022. Family members who were SMH graduates, faculty or staff members, and trustees were given the honor of presenting a blue tie to their senior. The tie stands as a symbol of the culmination of students’ SMH experience and the legacy they will leave as soon-to-be alumni.

Director of Alumni Relations Nancy Lee Archer ’16, who served as this year’s Blue Tie Ceremony speaker, shared her wisdom as an alumna and inspired seniors to answer the call to leadership.

“Six years ago, I sat in the very seats that you sit in today, anxiously awaiting the moment that I would receive my Blue Tie from my grandmother," said Archer. "This is a special moment in your career as a student at Saint Mary’s Hall and I am proud of each one of you for making it to this day.”

“When you receive your blue tie, you are adding another layer to your own legacy as a student at Saint Mary’s Hall. By taking part in this 81-year-old tradition, you not only accept the charge of being a leader on this campus, but you also accept the call to be a leader in the community long after your time at Saint Mary’s Hall,” she continued.   

Following the ceremony, seniors then enjoyed a reception with family, friends, and faculty on the Upper School lawn. Their day concluded with a Senior Brunch, where seniors enjoyed time to connect as a class and celebrate this special moment in their lives as students of Saint Mary’s Hall. 

View photos from Blue Tie. 

The treasured tradition of Blue Tie was first held in September of 1940, when blue ties were awarded to the Class of 1941. Today, Blue Tie continues to be a momentous rite of passage for SMH seniors who, by the time they graduate, are well prepared for their futures in college and in life. They take their place among the long purple legacy of alumni who make a difference in the world and in the lives of others.