On Thursday, April 19th, Padua had the freshman uniform sale. Incoming freshman came to Padua for measurements and to order their future uniforms. Flynn & O’Hara was the major company selling clothing for the sale, and many employees were there to assist with the measurements, including shoe fittings. The Flynn & O’Hara workers thought the biggest sellers would be kilts, polos, and knee socks. Polos are necessary for our uniforms. About three polos are sold for every skirt. All of the sales with polos, skirts, socks, tights, sweaters, manpants, gym uniforms, and shoes add up to about two hundred and fifty dollars. The sales however, do not only happen at Padua. The Flynn & O’Hara employees have worked with various schools, but they say Padua is different. The workers stated that Padua girls are very polite and nice, not to mention it is an all-girls school. The enrollment is also different than other high schools in the area. Padua’s enrollment has stayed steady while others have had a downturn.
The incoming freshman class is going to be larger in number than some of those in the past. The future Pandas were lined up at the uniform sale with their parents looking nervous, but excited. Kelly Weidle, an eighth grader at St. Joe’s middle school in Aston, Pennsylvania, said she’s very excited for Padua and she is going to buy all of the uniform pieces. She has a sister at Padua, junior Shannon Weidle, but unfortunately she cannot receive hand me downs because of the new uniforms have taken place of the old ones. Although the incoming freshman cannot wear the old uniforms, they can still buy “man pants,” as they will hopefully always remain a tradition at Padua. Uniforms are worn at St. Joe’s, but not all incoming freshman have had the experience of wearing a uniform. Lan Ho, an eighth grader at Gunning Bedford middle school in New Castle, Delaware, says this is her first time wearing a uniform. She is also excited for Padua, even though it will be different because she cannot wear her own clothes. Her mom said she is very happy she does not have to pay for regular clothes anymore, because now she can just buy a few polos and skirts for her daughter to wear all year. Although high school will be a new and possibly scary change with new uniforms, classmates, and teachers, incoming freshman should have nothing to worry about. The uniforms are just a small part of the exciting Padua high school experience.