Notre Dame Academy scores a touchdown winning the game, the crowd is screaming, the football players are smiling, and Coach Nowak feels proud. Then a green-and-blue flag waves in the air as a sign of victory.

Mrs. Diane Conway, a neighbor and friend to English teacher Carolyn Brown created this symbol of unity for the students of NDA. She made the flag that is never missing from a Notre Dame football game, a flag that has been used for the past 15 years, and counting.

Mrs. Conway is no stranger to Notre Dame Academy. She has served on the school board, and her son attended Notre Dame Academy when it first became a school.

In making this flag, Mrs. Conway only added another touch of her talent and time to NDA.

“I think it is amazing that it is still being used today,” said the flagmaker.

“The flag is the largest form of school spirit that can be physically represented,” said Fan Man Mike Lagerman.

Hundreds of dollars can be spent making a flag professionally.  Notre Dame’s flag was a fraction of that cost, totaling about $60-$80 in materials with Mrs. Conway donating her expertise.

“Mrs. Brown went out and bought the supplies and I made it,” Mrs. Conway said.

Diane Conway has been sewing since she was a pre-teen, so making this flag was not a challenge to her.

“I had to figure out the dimensions of the flag but it was a fairly simple design that Mrs. Brown and I came up with,” she said. “Mrs. Brown knew what she wanted, and we came together and created something that has been used for many years.”

Football games would not be the same without the flag.  “It shows spirit and reminds people of our school spirit,” Senior Yunji Lee said. 

To Fan Man “the flag represents Triton Pride.”

“When the flag was first made, my husband and I went to see a game, and every once in a while we still stop by and see the flag at a game,” Mrs. Conway said.

It is the job of the students and Fan Man to make sure that the flag is always at the games.  “I have it with me at my house,” Lagerman explained. ” It’s really hard to fit in my car.”

Last year, fall of 2009, the flag enjoyed some minor repairs by Mrs. Donna Clement of the NDA staff.  

"With all the exposure of 14 years, little holes had appeared in the flag," said Mrs. Brown.  "I was scared we'd have to get a new one, but Mrs. Clement took a look-see at the problem, took the flag home over the weekend, and it was as good as new on Monday. . . . well, you know, after all these years, it has a little dirt and history ground into the fabric."

“The football games wouldn’t be as cool without the flag. It’s got to be there,” said Brett Mariani, a senior.

When the Notre Dame team scores a touchdown, the flag is run and waved up and down the track in front of the Triton stands.

“It’s not a set situation as to who will run the flag.   Whoever is going down to do the pushups, one of us will take the flag,” Fan Man said.