Dozens of Fathers of Rosary Academy seniors showed up at the school dining hall, some as early as 5:45 a.m., to create one more cherished memory with their daughters prior to graduation.
A ROSARY ACADEMY DAD REFLECTS DURING THE ANNUAL FATHER/DAUGHTER BREAKFAST HELD ON MAY 19.
ROSARY ACADEMY SENIORS ENJOY BREAKFAST DURING A TRADITIONAL EVENT LEADING UP TO GRADUATION.
Held on May 19, the final day of the academic year, the Rosary dads cooked and served pancakes, delivered coffee and juice, bussed tables and emptied trash. Yes, it is called the father/daughter breakfast, but many Rosary moms were up late the night before decorating the dining hall, so it was a family affair.
ROSARY ACADEMY SENIOR ANNABELLA BARRETTO HAS A LAUGH WITH HER DAD DURING THE ANNUAL ROSARY ACADEMY SENIORS ENJOY BREAKFAST DURING A TRADITIONAL EVENT LEADING UP TO GRADUATION.
“Truly, it is the senior sendoff,” said Jim Watson, who came up with the idea for the pancake breakfast with his wife during the 2021-22 academic year, their daughter’s senior year at Rosary.
Watson’s second daughter is a junior at Rosary.
“We can pick any day and have a pancake breakfast, but I think what has become special is that it the girls’ last academic day on campus and we wanted to make that memorable,” Watson said. “Dads get to spend even those extra few minutes, whether they were in the kitchen this morning, or they are going to be emptying trash later today, just to be able to be in the room, to feel the energy, to see their daughter in this space one more time.”
Portraits of every graduating senior graced an entire wall in the dining hall, and after breakfast, the soon-to-be graduates went down the line, armed with Sharpies, to pen final messages on each other’s portrait.
Plenty of yearbooks were being signed as well.
Most of the seniors donned sweatshirts representing the colleges and universities they’ll be attending.
“I think the girls need to have a sendoff,” said Tony Mercado, who showed up on behalf his daughter Vivian, one of his eight children, all who have attended, currently attend, or will be attending Rosary or Servite High School. “It’s a big deal that they understand that they have all their dads’ support. Rosary is a wonderful place for the young ladies to grow up and find themselves within the tradition of their Catholic faith. There is no other place I’d send her.”
Senior Annabella Barretto, who is off to the University of San Diego on a soccer scholarship, said she hasn’t always been able to attend father-daughter events at Rosary because of her busy schedule, but she did attend the father-daughter dance for the first time this year.
“For me, personally, my dad plays the role of both my parents, so the father-daughter events are extremely special for my sister and me,” Barretto said. “Today I was so happy that my dad got to come out and serve breakfast and just be here. It’s super good that he was able to celebrate with us and he was able to see me and my friends.”
Dayna Sanders, mother of graduate Bridgette Sanders, said the impact that the Rosary fathers have on their daughters will last a lifetime.
“The way that these dads are showing up, these young will go out and choose partners of faith and of commitment and they will continue on and foster that,” Sanders said. “I always say, keep growing love. That is what I see.”