WILDCAT TRADITIONS

Our Wildcat spirit events and traditions are one of the many ways our Villanova students bond and connect with different grade levels and peers. Our Associated Student Body officers are primarily responsible for carrying out these traditions, if you have any questions or suggestions, please email asb@villanovaprep.org.

To help our freshmen adjust to the high school experience, they are matched with a senior buddy who helps them navigate their new environment (E.g. opening lockers, getting to know the campus). The week begins with freshmen meeting their new buddies and receiving a personalized, matching shirt from their senior. Throughout the week the pair eat lunch together and participate in a variety of games and activities. The week wraps with a freshman-senior barbecue at lunch, schoolwide games and a Freshman Welcome Dance in the evening.

The Villanova commitment to personal best or “excellence” includes a minimum of 70 hours of community service, which students complete on an individual basis as well as within their team. Service Day is where all teams get together to give back to the community. Some examples of past projects have included supporting organizations like California Coastal Horse Rescue, Catholic Charities, Food Forward, Meiners Oaks Elementary School, Ojai Raptor Center, St. Joseph's Retirement Home and Ventura Wild. Students have collected trash, cleaned and painted buildings, tutored grade school children, provided gardening and cultivation services and spent quality time with the elderly.

Wildcat Day is often cited as a favorite memory amongst our Villanova alumni. Throughout their time at Villanova, students are divided into teams in order to encourage bonding and connection across the entire student body. Within these teams students participate in Wildcat Day, a day of competitive activities and field games. Athletic students may take the lead in physical events, but everyone can find their niche during the ceremonies – more creative students design t-shirts, decorations and posters, while others leaders assist faculty with preparations and setup well in advance of this special day. This day highlights Villanova’s core value of Unity because despite the natural competition, all teams root each other on creating an inclusive and communal day for all.

International Day kicks off the beginning of Catholic Schools Week, bringing the students of Villanova Preparatory School together to celebrate the diversity of cultures from around the world. Villanova students enjoy sharing their own individual cultures, staying true to the school’s core values of Truth, Unity and Love, through dance performances and delicious food. During the lunch period of International Day, all the Wildcats go from booth to booth sampling the exotic food displayed before them. It gives the dorm students a chance to invite the day students to taste a slice of their world. The day has a feeling of sharing, togetherness and especially Unity! Despite the fact that this is a day of celebrating individuality, it truly serves as a bonding opportunity that brings the Villanova Community closer together.

In contrast to Wildcat Day, our annual Nova Bowl shines a light on our academic leaders through a battle of the brains. Nova Bowl highlights Villanova’s core value of Truth - where students reunite with their teams to search for answers to a variety of academic challenges. Past events have included games like Jeopardy, math competitions and scavenger hunts. The most popular and spirited competition is the cardboard boat regatta race pictured above. Teams of two create a cardboard and duct tape “boat” with the hope of making it across our campus pool. Students are encouraged to create ingenious designs to defy physics. The team with the most points at the end of the day wins the coveted “Nova Bowl” award.

Beach Day is a day for all students to unwind and enjoy a day out in the beautiful Southern California weather. This is another opportunity for students to bond and spend time as a school. A highlight of the day is a friendly game of tug-of-war, where grade levels compete to be the first in line for pizza.

With college applications out of the way, seniors are able to celebrate their accomplishments with the rest of the student body. The week is filled with fun activities planned in order to make the senior's exit just as memorable as their freshman year entrance. Senior Farewell Week is also an opportunity for the freshman and seniors to spend time together once more, as the two share a final lunch. Senior Farewell Week is the last chance for the entire school to express their love for the senior class.