by Samantha Fabian

Blue and white balloons began popping up one after another as Recruitment Director Mrs. Molly Woodman prepared for Marian’s annual Open House on Sunday, Nov. 19. With this being Marian’s biggest recruitment event of the year, it required the efforts of a diverse range of people to pull it off.

All of the teachers, counselors and campus ministers were required to be at school, and more than a quarter of the student body volunteered their time to help prepare and run this event. More than 120 recruitment team members were present on Sunday, along with the Mime Troupe and additional students who showed up to work a booth at the club fair.

When girls and their families first arrived at Marian, they were met by a smiling President Ms. Mary Higgins who was stationed at the entrance door to greet guests. Another smiling face, Principal Mrs. Susie Sullivan, was a few steps behind her to greet them once they came through the doors.

Not only did Marian’s Open House allow for unique interactions with school leadership, but it also allowed prospective students to interact with current students and teachers.

The one-on-one tours allowed students more time to give personal accounts of their journey at Marian and gave them the opportunity to provide relevant information according to each individual family.

“I like giving tours because I wanted to go to Marian so bad in eighth grade year and my parents didn’t want me to. My tour at Open House in eighth grade helped my parents get an insight on why I thought Marian was wonderful. Every time I give a tour I hope I get a girl that’s trying to decide between Marian and somewhere else because I want to be a part of that decision,” tour guide junior Mia Mixan said.

With three floors of school to cover and 26 spaces/classrooms to visit, there was a flurry of activities happening within Marian. Prospective students, along with their parents, had the opportunity to experience all of the exciting interactions taking place throughout the building.  The science teachers let the girls experiment with robots and see chemical reactions involving fire, while the social studies teachers sent the girls on mini scavenger hunts throughout their classroom. Although these activities were aimed at the girls, their parents weren’t left out– they were able to have their questions and concerns answered by the counselors and business office personnel at different times throughout their tour.

With the tours offering something for everyone, the results of this year’s Open House were successful. “I’m very happy with this year’s Open House!  The school looked fantastic, the students were magnificent and we had an excellent turnout,” Recruitment Director Mrs. Molly Woodman said. If the school continues to appeal to the potential students, it will welcome many new members into its Class of 2023 and beyond.