In 2003, Meghan Harrington Hartzler '08 walked into Cor Jesu Academy as a seventh grader unsure of what to expect. By the end of her shadow day, the decision was clear.

"I didn’t know anyone,” Meghan told her parents, “but everyone made me feel welcome.” That sense of welcome stayed with them. And over the next 22 years, it became the foundation of a remarkable family story.

The Harrington daughters are: Meghan Harrington Hartzler '08, Ann Marie Harrington Menke '09, Colleen Harrington '15, Maeve Harrington '17, Brigid Harrington '20, Kathleen Harrington '22 and Kerry Harrington '26. With Kerry's graduation this spring, the Harringtons completed a remarkable Cor Jesu journey: seven daughters, one school and a decision reaffirmed again and again.

What began with one daughter quickly grew into something more. As Meghan '08 and Ann Marie Harrington Menke '09 shared stories at the dinner table about classes, friendships and school traditions, their younger sisters paid attention. What they saw was something they wanted to be part of.

Across two decades, much has changed at Cor Jesu, from new academic spaces to the expansion of the chapel. But for the Harrington family, what mattered most remained consistent.

"Across seven daughters and two decades, what has remained most consistent about the Cor Jesu experience is the groundedness in Catholic faith and a call to excellence."

That foundation was not just taught. It was lived. Through the witness of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the dedication of faculty, the Harrington daughters experienced a formation that extended well beyond the classroom.

“We saw our daughters gain an example of obedience and service,” they said.

Today, that formation is evident in the paths each daughter has chosen. Three of the Harrington daughters serve in health care as a physical therapist, a critical care physician assistant and a pediatric nurse. Others serve through their professions and communities in accounting, marketing and journalism. Kerry, the youngest, hopes to follow in their footsteps as a nurse.

While each daughter brought her own personality and pursued her own interests, they shared a common experience shaped by Cor Jesu traditions. From Spirit Week and student leadership to First Friday Masses, Funderwear and the annual Father Daughter Dance, those moments became part of the rhythm of family life.

For JB Harrington, the Father Daughter Dance became one of the defining traditions of their Cor Jesu years. Over 22 years, he attended 22 dances, never missing one. One of his favorite moments each year was watching the seniors take the stage to lead the Cor Jesu cheers, a tradition he says captures the joy and spirit of the school. And at Kerry's senior dance this year, all six of her sisters returned to celebrate alongside her, a full-circle moment for a family whose Cor Jesu story has spanned more than two decades.

Having older sisters at Cor Jesu created an immediate sense of belonging for the younger girls, along with a built-in support system. Even as Kerry completed her years without a sister on campus, she carried with her the influence and encouragement of the six who came before her.

Now, as the Harringtons reflect on their final months as Cor Jesu parents, the weight of that journey is not lost on them.

“It has been a wave of emotion,” they shared, recalling moments at First Friday Mass, parent-teacher conferences and even Kairos returns that brought back memories of years past. “You find yourself wondering how 22 years could go so fast.”

And yet, even as this chapter comes to a close, the story is not finished. With two young granddaughters already part of the family, the Harringtons are hopeful they may one day return to Cor Jesu in a new role.

When asked what Cor Jesu has meant to their family, their answer was simple: acceptance, growth and faith in action.

From Meghan's first day in 2004 to Kerry's last day in 2026, each daughter found a place where she was welcomed. And from that foundation, each was able to grow into the woman she was called to be.

A moment that has stayed with the Harrington family happened years ago, when they arrived early for a parent meeting and found then-Principal Sr. Sheila mopping the cafeteria floor. When they offered to help, she declined. “I just wouldn't want anyone to slip,” she said.

It was a small act, but one that captured something essential: a community grounded in humility, care and a mission lived out in both big moments and small ones.

For the Harrington family, that is Cor Jesu. And after 22 years, it is a legacy that will endure.