Are you ready ODA? Friday, September 21st, is the annual all-school Convocation. Students, Pre-K-12, will gather at 8:30 a.m. in the Petrik Thunderdome on the Uihlein Campus in Lakewood Ranch. Family of the Seniors and Kindergarteners are welcome in the celebration of the Senior Class of 2013.

To show our appreciation of the Senior Class’ leadership, each class as well as Mr. Mahler and the faculty will present a gift to the graduating class. A much anticipated custom of the lower grades is their singing adorable songs with popular melodies and original lyrics that relate to the seniors. Another highlight is that each year, the Junior Class customarily creates a slideshow that displays images of  students of the Senior class with an adjective that describes them.

Also part of the ODA Convocation tradition is the ringing of the bell by the Seniors and their Kindergarten buddies, and the taking of the all-school photograph. All teachers and students are asked to wear navy blue polos. This year, the ODA community is asking each student to bring in at least one canned food to support All Faiths Food Bank.

The celebration does not end there. At 7:00 p.m., join the varsity football team in their first home game of the year against St. John Neumann High School.  Don’t forget to change your blue shirts for white for the all-school white out!