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The St. Thomas community invites prospective students and their families to a season of campus-focused experiences designed to introduce visitors to academic life, arts, and athletics. These gatherings are organized for current middle school students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade as well as transfer students, giving attendees a chance to meet administrators, faculty, staff, and current families. Highlights include the flagship End Zone Rally, opportunities to attend Eagle Football home games, an open school preview for 8th graders, a hands-on S.T.E.A.M. Academic Night, and two arts events that showcase theater and visual arts.
The most time-sensitive offering is the End Zone Rally on Friday, October 2, 2026. Check-in opens at 6:00 pm and the game’s kick-off is at 7:00 pm, with action staged from the Granger Stadium’s end zone. That night the Eagles will face Lutheran South High Academy, and families can expect a friendly, welcoming environment where you can interact with school leaders and current students while enjoying football and food. The event is designed to help middle schoolers and transfers picture themselves as part of the St. Thomas community.
Game-day experiences and school spirit
Attending an Eagle Football game offers an authentic view into the social energy and community culture at St. Thomas. Prospective families are welcome at any home game, where the crowd, halftime traditions, and sideline hospitality provide insight into student life beyond classrooms. Game nights serve as an informal campus visit: you will see school spirit in action, meet coaches and student-athletes, and get a feel for the traditions that shape daily life. For families weighing high school options, a football night can be a simple, enjoyable way to experience the school’s atmosphere firsthand.
Academic exploration: open previews and S.T.E.A.M.
The school offers multiple academic-focused opportunities to experience campus culture during the school day. The Open School Preview is specifically intended for 8th grade students whose middle schools do not schedule a group campus visit. During a preview, visitors tour classrooms, meet teachers, and share lunch with current students so they can imagine a typical school day. This program emphasizes authentic classroom observation and a chance to ask curriculum and extracurricular questions directly to faculty and administrators.
S.T.E.A.M. Academic Night: hands-on learning
S.T.E.A.M. Academic Night is arranged to showcase the school’s facilities and teaching approach in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. The evening begins with a light dinner for students from 5:30 – 6:00 PM, followed by interactive activities from 6:00 – 7:30 PM. Attendees will participate in hands-on stations that highlight problem solving, creativity, and lab work, allowing middle schoolers to experience the school’s approach to integrated learning. The night is an excellent way to observe how curiosity and collaboration are encouraged across disciplines.
Arts, theater, and creative showcases
St. Thomas presents opportunities for budding artists and performers to explore the school’s creative side. The one-night Fall Theater Production of Stone Soup offers incoming thespians a behind-the-scenes glimpse of stagecraft, including backstage access to rehearsals and technical prep before the curtain rises. That same emphasis on arts education appears at Hot Art Cool Jazz, an annual event hosted by the Fine Arts Department. At Hot Art Cool Jazz, families can enjoy performances by the Eagle Jazz Band and St. Thomas Singers while browsing student artworks in clay, drawing, and digital media. Both events are open to current middle school and transfer students interested in the visual and performing arts.
Who should attend and what to expect
Most events are tailored to current middle school students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades and to transfer students, giving them multiple ways to connect with the campus. The Open School Preview focuses on 8th graders who do not have a scheduled group visit through their middle school, while evenings such as the End Zone Rally and S.T.E.A.M. Academic Night welcome a broader mix of prospective families. Visitors can expect informative interactions with teachers and staff, opportunities to sit with students for lunch or enjoy performances, and a friendly setting to ask questions about academics, extracurriculars, and admissions.
To make the most of a visit, consider which event best matches your student’s interests—athletics, academics, theater, or visual arts—and plan accordingly. Each activity is intended to provide a clear, welcoming look at student life at St. Thomas. Whether you come to cheer in the Granger Stadium, explore a lab during S.T.E.A.M. night, or watch Stone Soup on stage, these events are designed to help families connect with the school community and imagine the next step in a student’s educational journey.