The school operated a successful girls folk dancing program for more than a decade.[18]:479 Launched in the 1940s by Irish nun Sister Ann Mary, the program initially focused on Irish dancing later expanding to feature folk dancing from other European cultures with assistance of Sister Mary Leonita.[18]:479 In 1960 dancers from the program were featured during the Pacific National Exhibition.[19] That same year, the group was awarded the Melva Dwyer Cup at the folk dancing competition at the Yale–Cariboo Musical Festival.[18]:479 In 1962 the dancers were awarded the Norman Day Confederation Life shield, after taking the first three places in an under-18 folk dancing competition at the Okanagan Music Festival.[20] In July 1964 girls from the school were invited to Mexico to perform in a series of festivals and were called the "finest ambassadors ever to come from Canada" by Canadian embassy officials.[21] Funds for the trip were raised by the Knights of Columbus.[22] The same year the dance program was disbanded due to the lack of an instructor, following the transfer of Sister Mary Leonita, the group's leader, from the school.[23] Although the program and dancer won much praise, students reported involvement with the group to be accompanied by harsh punishment including being hit with a shillelagh or being badly humiliated when errors were made.[18]:484