Benet Academy Amps Up for 125th Birthday Festivities

from Benet Academy

Friday, March 2, marks the 125th birthday of Benet Academy. 

Started in 1887 in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood by Benedictine monks, the first class consisted of two students.  At the time it was named St. Procopius College following the European tradition of naming secondary or high schools with “college.”  The school relocated in 1901 to Lisle.   Renamed St. Procopius Academy in 1956, the all-boys school merged in 1967 with Sacred Heart Academy, an all-girls school, and became known as Benet Academy.  Today more than 1,300 students from 60 surrounding communities attend Benet, a Catholic, Benedictine, college preparatory high school.

In honor of Benet’s 125th birthday, the following activities will take place:

• Halls will be decorated by student clubs with the themes of Benet’s Past, Present and Future.
• Tuesday, February 28 will be designated Red/White Spirit Day with students, faculty and staff dressing in red and white Benet spirit wear.
• Thursday, March 1 will be Decades Dress Down Day.  Students, faculty and staff will be able to pick a decade from the 1880s through 2000s) and dress in the fashion of the day.
• Throughout the week there will be special raffle drawings and music from various decades playing during passing periods

A special half-day schedule on March 2 for students consists of birthday cake, small group discussions about the part students play in the history and future of Benet, viewing of a video chronicling the history of Benet Academy from 1887 to present, stories from Benet faculty and staff who attended the academy. At 9 a.m. (weather permitting), the entire school will go outside, surround the school, hold hands and sing the Fight Song  and Happy Birthday to Benet.  Fr. Jude Randall, O.S.B., President of Benet Academy and Nick O’Reilly, Student Government President will raise the 125th anniversary flag.

There will be an all-school mass in the St. Ronald Gymnasium at 10:30 a.m. Faculty, staff, and invited guests will join in celebration during a luncheon at noon in the Benet cafeteria. 

As of last week, congratulatory letters have been received from Cardinal Francis George, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Senator Richard Durbin.  Proclamations have been received from State Representatives Michael Connelly, Darlene Senger and Patti Bellock, DuPage County Board President Dan Cronin, Lisle Mayor Joe Broda and Naperville Mayor George Pradel.  Congressman Peter Roskam honored Benet with congratulatory remarks in the Extension of Remarks in the Congressional Record on January 18, 2012 along with a commemorative plaque.