As another Valentine’s Day creeps up on Heritage students, everyone is in anticipation of the annual hunt for their paper heart, a tradition that has existed for over ten years. “It was originally only one person writing the names and cutting out all the hearts. Then it was passed over to LINK,” says Ms. Stephanie Bianchi, a LINK sponsor.
The meaning of the hearts is to make sure that everyone feels like they belong. As a mentoring group, LINK facilitates this as one of their many objectives to build community in HHS. “We want everyone to feel the love around Valentine’s day, because as teenagers, it’s often not the best holiday, or they interpret it to be a lame holiday,” says Ms. Bianchi.
And, it seems to be working. Charlotte Jones ’27 for example, says that, “I really like the fun of looking for my own heart, but also my friends’ hearts. It makes the day a lot more enjoyable, and I overall just think it’s really sweet.”
But, as Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday this year in 2026, a lot of students were wondering if the hearts will still appear. But rest assured, on February 13, your heart will be somewhere hidden in the school on either the second or third floor. However, Bianchi shares, “I think that it’s more enjoyable when it’s the actual day.”
So, regardless of whether students view Valentine’s Day in a romantic context or not, they will still have a reason to celebrate, which is that their presence is valued at Heritage, exemplified by the space their name takes on a paper heart. Let the hunt begin!