Among the 26 music videos in this year’s “Make a Joyful Noise” competition in the Diocese of Allentown, the entry by Notre Dame School of Bethlehem is a loving tribute to their former principal Donna Hopper, 61, who passed away last September after bravely battling breast cancer for several years.
Hopper was a teacher at Notre Dame School for 28 years and served as principal for the last five years.
The music video features a montage of pictures and videos contributed by the Hopper family, faculty, and students, showing Hopper’s enthusiasm and love of Catholic education throughout the years.
She’s pictured with students in classrooms, in the parish church and at numerous school events, while the song “Forever Young,” sung by Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, plays.
“‘Joyful Noise’ was her passion,” said Interim Principal Christine Borger, referring to the love and enthusiasm Hopper had for the annual musical competition in the Diocese. “She could belt out a tune on any day.”
In last year’s video for the competition, Notre Dame School students sang a parody of the song “Hard Knock Life” from the Broadway musical “Annie.” They sang, “We’re the ND Knights.”
The parody included references to “different tidbits about the school,” said Hopper in a 2024 interview, such as the “Golden Plunger” award, a girls-versus-boys weekly bathroom tidiness challenge, and Pastor Monsignor Thomas Baddick’s famous turkey chili, which Hopper said, “sells out in no time” at the school’s annual “Tricky Tray” fundraiser.
For this year’s video, “We knew it had to be a good one for her,” said Borger. “Monsignor Baddick suggested the tribute to Hopper,” she said, and the song, “Forever Young” with Hopper in mind.
“Donna can be best summed up with that phrase, ‘Forever Young,’ for her energy, her enthusiasm, her fun, her creativity,” said Monsignor Baddick.
It was Hopper’s love of music that inspired her to sing songs announcing snow days to Notre Dame students. One such song, a parody of the 1990 song “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice, is included at the end of Notre Dame’s music video this year. We hear Hopper rap, “No school, because there’s snow and ice, baby.”
A native of Allentown, Hopper was a 1981 graduate of Northampton Area High School and a 1985 graduate of Penn State University earning her bachelor’s degree in education.
She was married for nearly 36 years to husband Martin, and they have a daughter, Jenna Hess (married to Zachary) and granddaughter, Meredith Joan Hess.
In her obituary, Hopper is described as “unconditionally loving, a strong faithful servant of God, endlessly giving, and truly one of a kind. Donna’s vibrancy and love of life will live on through her family and all those she impacted.”
Monsignor Baddick said Hopper “worked very hard to help every kid to make it, not only in our school, but to make it in life.”
Of Hopper’s optimistic outlook, he said, “She would never say never, and it's fun to work with somebody like that.”
As a lasting tribute to the beloved principal, Notre Dame School has started a memorial fund in Hopper’s honor: https://www.ndbethlehemschool.org/support/donna-hopper-memorial
“Make a Joyful Noise” is a friendly online musical competition to celebrate school spirit and raise funds for schools throughout Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties.
On the “Make a Joyful Noise” competition’s website, https://www.weloveourcatholicschools.com/, each school has a fundraising page where anyone can watch a video, cast a vote for their favorite video, and donate to the school Jan. 26-Feb. 23.
The competition’s name, “Make a Joyful Noise,” is derived from Psalm 100:1, “Shout joyfully to the Lord,” though some translations say, “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.”
By Gia Myers
