Alma Mater
Composed in 1955, the Alma Mater is regularly performed at the conclusion of major St. Edward events, including football games, rallies, and Masses. As part of the ongoing tradition that connects Eagles across generations, St. Edward students and alumni turn toward one another, raise their right arms, and point their index fingers to the sky as the following lyrics are sung:
Hail to the green and gold, Hail our alma mater.
Praise her with voices bold, With hearts that never falter.
Hail to dear St. Edward High, Keep her banners waving.
Loyal sons in unity, Everlasting praise we sing!
Fight Song
Our band often plays the rhythmic fight song as a rallying cry at sporting events:
On you mighty Eagles, You’ll have to fight to win a victory!
So fight, you mighty Eagles, And raise St. Edward’s green and gold on high!
And when the game is on the record, No matter what the final score may be,
With all your heart, with all your strength,You played the game and won a victory!
Our Story
The St. Edward story is told through this beautiful, original mural designed by local artist George Vlosich, owner of GV Art + Design.
1. Rose Stained-Glass Window at Notre Dame Cathedral: Notre Dame de Sainte Croix is a Catholic church in Le Mans, France, built between 1160 and 1260. It was the first site of the Congregation of Holy Cross.
2. Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C. (February 11, 1799 - January 20, 1873) was a French priest who founded the Congregation of Holy Cross in the aftermath of the French Revolution and created a religious community of priests, brothers, and sisters of Holy Cross who refer to themselves collectively as the Holy Cross Family. Pope Benedict XVI beatified Fr. Moreau on September 15, 2007, in Le Mans, France.
3. "Make God Known, Loved & Served": Written by Blessed Basil Moreau in Christian Education as the definition of zeal, a Holy Cross charism.
4. St. André Bessette, C.S.C., August 9, 1845 – January 6, 1937, from Montreal, was a lay brother and the first saint of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Known for his devotion to St. Joseph, his hospitality, and selflessness, St. André serves as a Holy Cross model for helping others.
5. Golden Dome: On August 5, 1841, a group of seven religious departed Le Mans and began a mission in the United States, where they founded the University of Notre Dame in 1842. The Golden Dome, a centerpiece on Notre Dame’s campus, was added to the Main Building in 1882 and was re-gilded in 2005. The Holy Family Chapel at St. Ed’s, which was dedicated in 2008, is also capped by a golden dome to showcase the school’s connection with the University of Notre Dame.
6. Log Chapel: The log chapel was originally built in 1831 by Rev. Stephen Badin as the first Catholic place of worship in Northern Indiana. It was given in 1842 to Fr. Edward Sorin, on the site where Fr. Sorin established the University of Notre Dame. The original cabin was destroyed in 1856 by a fire, and an identical replica was built in the same spot in 1906. The rebuilt cabin is still used regularly for Masses.
7. Horse and Buggy: This symbolizes the mode of transportation the brothers used as they journeyed from South Bend, Indiana to the current site of Lakewood, Ohio.
8. Cherry Tree: The cherry tree represents the grove of cherry trees that were on the property where St. Edward High School was built. Orchards and vineyards dominated the area when it was originally settled in the early 1800s.
9. Iron Workers: St. Edward High School was founded as a school for working class families on the west side of Cleveland. The Bishop dictated that the school would accept students with a range of learning styles and tuition was set at less than $100.
10. Locomotive: The train represents the tracks that run behind the school, creating the northern border of the campus. The tracks, nicknamed The Dummy, were laid in 1868, creating a passenger route between Cleveland and its suburbs.
11. 1949: This is the year St. Edward High School was founded.
12. Shield of St. Edward High School: (a) The wavy lines at the bottom represent Lake Erie. (b) The classic book in the upper-left corner, bearing the inscription Veritas, symbolizes the pursuit of academic excellence and truth. (c) The scepter represents that of St. Edward the Confessor, our patron. It also refers to Archbishop Edward F. Hoban, after whom the school is named. (d) The dove perched above the scepter suggests the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit in all the school’s endeavors. (e) The anchor of hope emphasizes the development and formation of Christian hope. The same anchor appears on the shield of the Congregation of Holy Cross. (f) The cross, superimposed on the entire shield, reminds us of our Christian beliefs and of our fundamental goal to live as Christ.
13. Hail to the Green and Gold: These words are the first line of the St. Edward High School Alma Mater, which was composed by band director Br. Leonard Leary, C.S.C., in 1955, and presented for the first time at the Fourth Annual Pops Concert in December of that year.
14. Science and Math Symbols: These symbols represent the school’s commitment to science, technology, English, arts, and mathematics, including courses in data sciences, engineering, film, and entrepreneurship. Also, St. Edward High School is the only Catholic high school in Northeast Ohio authorized to offer the highly-regarded International Baccalaureate (IB) Program, and has the largest IB Diploma Program in the state of Ohio.
15. Geodesic Brain and Heart: Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C. stated, “The mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart.” The St. Ed’s curriculum and co-curricular learning activities are thoughtfully designed to embrace this commitment to educating the whole person.
16. Music Notes: A nod to our exceptional Performing Arts Department, which includes opportunities to participate in theater, marching band, concert band, jazz band, orchestra, and choir.
17. Drone: A symbol of modern technology representing Nine Strands of Innovative Thinking, the drone is used in a variety of applications at the school, including within the Film, Performing Arts, and Engineering Departments.
18. Robotics: The St. Edward Robotics team focuses on the education, training, and development of engineering skills. Students learn design, modeling, development of robotic systems, website development, and business planning.
19. Eagle: On April 15, 1950, a ballot was given to the students at St. Edward High School asking them to vote on a new name to replace “Irish” as their nickname. The name “Eagles” was chosen, and a symbol of an Eagle became the official mascot.
20. City of Cleveland Skyline: Lakewood is part of the Greater Cleveland metropolitan area, bordering the west side of the city of Cleveland. St. Ed’s students provide a variety of outreach programs to help those in need in Cleveland and the surrounding areas, including a monthly community meal, food pantry, produce distribution, and a weekly outreach ministry, called Labre, that provides the homeless with food and other essentials, as well as compassion and friendship.
21. Teacher and Student: Represented by Suzanne Fairfield, Chair of the Social Studies Department, and her son Ian, Class of 2022, this image highlights the relationship between our caring, loyal lay teachers and their students.
22. Graduation: Edsmen raise their voices and fingers to the sky in solidarity as they sing the Alma Mater at graduation. All students are given a Holy Cross medallion, which has the St. Edward High School crest on one side and the Brothers of Holy Cross seal on the other. Gold cords represent honors and high honors. A red cord is worn by those in the Spanish Honor Society. A yellow sash represents National Honor Society members. IB diploma candidates wear a light blue cord
23. City of Lakewood Blueprint: Lakewood was incorporated as a city in 1911, but it wasn’t until 1945 that the Diocese of Cleveland negotiated for the 9.5-acre plot that would become the site of the new Catholic boys’ school on the west side of Cleveland. When the doors opened on September 6, 1949, 105 freshmen enrolled at the new school.
24. Oval E: The Oval E represents a tradition of excellence in St. Edward High School athletics. Since 1978, the Eagles have won 78 state championships and 11 national championships, making St. Edward the winningest high school athletic program in the state of Ohio and among the most distinguished programs in the United States.
Four Pillars
Written across the mural are the four pillars of Holy Cross for which we stand, including faith, excellence, relationships, and servant leadership.
