< Back Fetter is better October 28, 2022 at 6:00:00 PM Taimur Rehman '25 John Fetterman and Doug Shapiro are the Democratic candidates for this year’s Senate and gubernatorial races in Pennsylvania, respectively. Fetterman is the sitting Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania and is fairly different from your typical Senator. Fetterman prides himself on being a man of the people and a progressive, with some of his main focuses being the legalization of marijuana, criminal justice reform, raising the minimum wage to $15, and having a right to attainable health care. This is not the only reason that I believe Fetterman is the obviously better candidate. Fetterman’s Republican opponent, talk show star Dr. Mehmet Oz, used to be a highly respected and brilliant cardiac surgeon but decided that promoting pseudoscience and alternative medicine for large payouts was a better usage of his time. The Democratic choice for governor, Josh Shapiro, is the state’s attorney general and focuses his platform on LGBTQ+ rights, workers' rights, election security, and reproductive rights. His opponent, State Senator Doug Mastriano, a former US Army Colonel, is a far-right and rather radical choice for the state. Mastriano’s platform focuses on eliminating mail-in voting, severely restricting abortion rights, and propping up the coal and natural gas industries. Shapiro’s political career started right after he left Georgetown Law, when he ran for the PA House of Representatives. Shapiro’s tenure as attorney general has been one of effectiveness and action, in which he’s done good work for Pennsylvanians. Mastriano on the other hand, has done little as a State Senator, with a majority of his time spent opposing bills and being banned from committees for leaking confidential information. Mastriano’s Ph.D., which he frequently flaunts and uses to buttress his claims, is now being called into question. Mastriano is claimed to have falsified information and made assumptions during the writing of his thesis. Pennsylvania needs to decide whether its loyalties lie with the far-right or whether it wants to take a step towards true leadership with the election of Shapiro and Fetterman. While both Shapiro and Fetterman have problems of their own, the election of Mastriano and Oz would be a step backward for Pennsylvania, and fundamentally endanger many of the rights of Pennsylvanians. So this November at the polls, consider what you want to be the future of the Commonwealth and decide whether your loyalties lie with the betterment of the state or with a mere political party. Previous Next

< Back Health is wealth September 29, 2023 at 12:00:00 PM Rhiannon Myhre I remember getting sick my first time away from home. I felt like I was going to pass out in class, so I walked myself to the Health Center. The school’s policy is to treat less severely ill students with temporary relief. In my experience, I was handed cough drops and told to go back to class after being examined by the nurse on duty, per school policy. It is bizarre that if we feel sick, we are essentially told to suck it up because we might be faking it. In what world do we honestly deny someone rest when they feel like they want to crawl in a hole? In fact, since “the plague” contaminated campus, I’ve heard countless testimonies from fellow students that the Health Center wouldn’t check them in because they “didn't have a fever.” They then proceeded to lightly medicate these kids and send them on their way. This doesn’t seem right to do to students who are already having enough difficulty having to take care of themselves while being sick away from home. Over the course of my time at Mercersburg, I would say that I have learned the system and have my sick routine down pat. This consists of naps in my free period, comfy clothes as I push the school dress code, and lots of water. However, I still think that the inability to rest in our own rooms is just wrong. School policy states that students feeling ill may not miss class and rest in their own rooms due to the potential misuse of such a policy. Thus, sick students have to drag themselves throughout the day no matter how bad they feel, which only spreads more disease around campus. Being sick should be a valid excuse to miss appointments. Getting rest so we can perform at our best is more important than attending required meals or events when we feel terrible, just so we don’t get points. Overall, I would say that our campus sick policy could use some work and while I understand that the school doesn’t want students to stay in their rooms and abuse the sick policy, the idea of a room retreat does have some merit, and it would be helpful for all of us coughing, wheezing, and hacking students and the others we will potentially infect. Previous Next

< Back Power of 1000 Amy Li ’28 On October 9, 2026, the Women in Focus: 1,000 Women Challenge, a fundraising segment of the With Full Hearts capital campaign, completed the initial phase of collective philanthropy supported by alumni, parents, faculty, and friends. Former Board of Regents president Denise Dupré ’76 proposed the challenge as a precondition for her $10 million gift to fund the Alumnae Commons at Ford Hall, the heart of Mercersburg Academy’s campus. Dupré hoped that “this approach would have a ripple effect in the community; that everyone who might participate would be uplifted to be a part of something greater than any individual.” “Whether that’s a $5 donation or a $5,000 donation, your participation is what matters. And giving the best gift that you can is important to us,” Chief Advancement Officer John Richardson stated. Chief Development Officer Carolyn Yeager felt the challenge gave equal recognition to all participating women. “Everyone has a seat at the table.” Throughout the process, Richardson also observed, “We actually had some of our male alumni making gifts in honor of women in the Mercersburg community.” Barbara Burgin, wife of former Head of School Walter Burgin ’53, who passed away in 2025, was one of the women honored in the memorial donations. Head of School Quentin McDowell knew Dupré had organized a similar challenge at Dartmouth College and admitted he was initially intimidated by the stakes. “$10 million is a lot of money,” he said. Nevertheless, McDowell added, “I was really confident that we would hit our mark.” By the end of June, 650 donors had made a pledge. Participation picked up after outreach resumed in August, and once the total reached 700 or 750, the Advancement team believed it could reach 1,000. This momentum was possible thanks to 45 committed volunteers, who kept the campaign going by calling, texting, and emailing potential donors along with the efforts of the school. FLIK Independent School Dining was proud to contribute to the 1,000 Women Challenge to recognize the many women whose talent, leadership, generosity, and care help the Mercersburg food service thrive. FLIK’s female dining hall staff members were the final donors who brought the challenge to a powerful climax. Their gifts were special because they contributed to the renovation of the kitchen workspace, which had not been fully renovated in roughly 50 years. McDowell thought their inclusion was especially meaningful: “They are the most important people on that wall, the people who are here serving us every day and taking care of us.” Upon learning that the goal had been reached, Dupré said, “I am filled with joy and gratitude that so many of the Mercersburg community stepped up to join the effort, as this is about tomorrow. It’s about the next generation of leaders. It’s about paying it forward.” Richardson said this campaign is an important “learning moment” for the Advancement Office on “how to further outreach and philanthropy of those connected to the school.” Mercersburg Academy became coeducational in the 1970s, but women had ties to the school long before then, including mothers who sent their sons and women who married into the community. Dupré, whose 1976 reunion class had the most participants in the challenge, said Mercersburg “changed my trajectory.” Asked what that turnout said about the community, Dupré answered, “This is who we are. Period. Full stop.” Previous Next

< Back ’27 sweeps Founder’s Day Carrie Yang ’27 and Lucas Chen ’27 On October 13, 2026, Mercersburg held its third annual Founder’s Day. The day commemorates the school’s founder, William Mann Irvine, in a series of grade-based student competitions including trivia, lip sync, relay races, and the highly anticipated tug-of-war. Head of School Quentin McDowell explained the design behind the new tradition: “Founder’s Day meaningfully connects our current students with alumni, parents, and friends of Mercersburg that have contributed to building the school we enjoy today. It also helps inspire students to consider how they can—when someday called upon—support causes that are important to them.” The afternoon competition draws inspiration from the Field Days once organized by Irvine but reimagines the tradition through competition between different classes to generate broader student involvement. This year, Founder’s Day featured important changes. Student leaders introduced new competitions and expanded the awards to include a second place award and the Spirit Award. Dean of Students for Community Life Andy Brown explained, “The additions were intended to help keep everyone motivated throughout the whole competition,” as well as “[to] emphasize sportsmanship as competition intensified.” Student Body President Finn Mauro ’27, who helped plan the event, noted that finding balance was one of the challenges organizers faced. “We had to find athletic events that people could do, but also for people who aren’t as athletic and that will engage everyone in the community,” he said, adding that the new awards were intended to give every grade something to compete for. Ultimately, the Class of 2030 took the Spirit Award, the Class of 2029 finished in second place, and the Class of 2027 snatched the coveted belt. A fan-favorite event, lip sync, returned to headline Founder’s Day. The performances did not disappoint. Chase Ruch ’28 identified Kellen Greene ’28’s backflip as his favorite moment. Jerry Sun ’27, whose electrifying dance moves impressed a panel of judges, noted that his class performance was no overnight success. “We spent Sunday and Monday night practicing for more than two hours. We also worked with Paris Zhang [’27] and Jillian Remeikas [’27], who really helped us organize and choreograph the entire dance. Overall, it was the result of a collective effort,” he said. The afternoon’s events culminated in a tug-of-war among the grades. Chelsea Shaver ’27, who served as “the anchor for the [senior] girls,” said her favorite moment was when her team regained momentum from a losing position and won against the class of 2028. For many, school pride was a highlight of the event. Pedro Magalhães ’30 said, “Even though we are separated by grades, it’s nice to see how we can still come together and have a fun day.” Nicholas Zhou ’29 embraced the competitive side of the day. “I’m looking forward to beating the senior class and having a wonderful time with my peers,” he said before the competition. Though the class of 2029 did not achieve that goal, they finished as runners-up, a marked improvement over their last-place finish last year. The experience of Founder’s Day differed depending on where each class stood in its Mercersburg journey. Grade Dean JD Bennett described the ninth grade’s experience as one of “discovery,” something “fresh.” Senior Grade Dean Tim Kerr encouraged his students to make the most of their final experience: “It’s just trying to squeeze out all the juice from every event that we’ve been doing, because it’s the last time that we’ll do that here.” As Founders Day becomes a formal tradition, it may continue to evolve. McDowell noted that though he hopes it remains a day of reflection and competition, he believes “natural evolution is important.” Brown similarly hopes the event stays “student-centered and student-designed,” allowing future generations to continue shaping what has already become a celebration of Mercersburg culture. Previous Next

< Back Stage to studio, technique to expression Jada Bao ’28 Oct 16, 2026 Mercersburg’s Director of Dance, Kelsy Rupp, began her lifelong dance journey in a theater seat at just two and a half years old. Watching her older cousin perform in The Nutcracker , young Rupp leaned over the edge of her seat, pointed directly at the stage, and said, “I wanna do that.” That spark ignited a passion that carried her from early childhood classes at age three into serious training by age ten. Throughout her youth, Rupp established herself as a remarkably athletic performer. Known in ballet for her powerful turns and jumps (often stepping into energetic roles like the Spanish Chocolate soloist or Marzipan in The Nutcracker ) and later in modern dance companies recognized for their physical intensity, she built her early career around raw strength and dynamic movement. Yet, as she launched her career, her understanding of dance evolved. While pursuing her undergraduate degree at Radford University and performing professionally, Rupp discovered that her true creative passion was moving from the center of the stage to work behind the scenes. Recently, her focus has shifted toward choreography, expression, and guiding young artists as an educator. Rupp’s draws her teaching philosophy from what she wishes she had experienced as a young student. Her approach prioritizes compassion, meeting dancers wherever they are in their skill levels, and fostering an inclusive studio environment. “I pride myself on being able to teach a multi-level class,” Rupp said. “My ultimate goal is that they leave with a love for dance as an art experience rather than just trying to be great technicians.” Moreover, Rupp introduced body consent early in her teaching career. Recognizing that dance instruction often involves physical adjustments, she understands that every person's body is their own, and they have the right to decline; therefore, she always asks permission before making corrections. Above all, her primary goal is to ensure students leave the studio with a sense of safety as well as a deep appreciation for dance. Rupp’s perspective on the craft has also evolved since her high school days as an assistant. While her early career concentrated on strict technique, she now places greater value on creative voice and individual expression. Reflecting on her youth in rigorous settings, Rupp’s advice for her students and her younger self is "It's just not that serious." Recognizing that dance originated as a universal form of human communication and community celebration, she encourages dancers to stay true to themselves and give up perfectionism. Even as a seasoned dancer, Rupp often tells her students about embarrassing moments throughout her dance journey. One such was surviving a stage fall, and another a high school Nutcracker incident in which a 30-second quick change left an earring inside her pointe shoe, piercing her arch mid-performance. Rupp brings a rich trove of experience to the Mercersburg community. She reported having engaged in post-show traditions like hunting down local Chipotle spots with her former touring company and drawing artistic inspiration from groundbreaking choreographers like Kyle Abraham and German dance-theater legend Pina Bausch. Today, Rupp balances her ongoing personal artistic explorations with leading the school’s dance program. For her, dance remains an ever-evolving language rooted in empathy and bringing people together through movement. Previous Next

Ben Pham '27 < Back Buzzing with excitement: Del Toro returns Ben Pham '27 Last weekend, Mercersburg Academy buzzed with excitement as Academy Award-winning actor Benicio del Toro ’85 returned to his alma mater. Best known for his iconic roles in Traffic, The Usual Suspects, and Sicario , del Toro brought personal stories and thoughtful advice to campus for current students. Del Toro shared candid reflections, saying, “For every success you see, there [are] so many rejections and doubts. To survive all that, I think I developed short-term memory—because you have to turn the page and move on.” Originally a business major at the University of California-San Diego, del Toro enrolled in an acting class because it seemed “easy.” Instead, that class sparked a lifelong passion for acting that would shape his life and career. Returning to campus, del Toro reflected on Mercersburg's impact on his journey: “[While] I’m looking at the campus, and I'm looking at this ecosystem where I grew up, I thought about myself here. Because of Mercersburg, I got the tools to become an individual—[to] have my own thoughts, my own ideas—and later, when I left Mercersburg, everything came into place.” Science teacher Jim Malone coached del Toro on the varsity basketball team during his time at the Academy. Malone recalled the actor’s days as a student-athlete: “He was a real leader. He was a happy kid. He was a fun kid. He was a responsible kid. I coached him in basketball, and his senior year he was team captain—he led the team on the scoresheet and in the lockers. [He was] a great student of the game.” Regarding del Toro’s most recent return to Mercersburg, Malone said, “He's stayed in touch. I’m always delighted to spend a few minutes with him when he's here.” Del Toro’s visit extended beyond being interviewed by school archivist and Film Studies teacher Doug Smith, with a special screening of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , a film featuring fellow Academy Award winner and Mercersburg alumnus Jimmy Stewart ’28, followed by a Q&A session. The movie was appreciated by the Mercersburg community. Shine Jo ’25 said, “I love the movie. I feel like his expressions are just priceless. You can't have that good of an expression Jimmy Stewart has, and even though the movie is black and white, it still had so many emotions and colors. Benicio and I talked about the hat, which meant a lot in that movie, representing his whole emotional journey throughout the movie.” Many students were left with lasting impressions and lessons learned. Maddie Weiss ’25, who interviewed del Toro for her senior capstone project, said, “He said some really insightful things. He constantly said throughout that he always loves an underdog. I think the film he showed really reflected his humbleness and how down-to-earth he is.” His presence was also felt through more personal interactions throughout the day. Director of Capstones JD Bennett stated, “What I've enjoyed the most is watching him interact with students. He's been so patient and so gracious; he must have posed for 500 photos today. He was signing autographs when he met with Stoney Batter. How engaged he's been with everyone has made the day feel really inclusive.” Jo added, “I'm going to a big college, and he also gave me a lot of advice on how to meet people, and that it's okay to be alone sometimes, just not lonely. It was a lot of life advice, especially from someone so experienced.” Weiss echoed the sentiment: “As someone who's going to NYU Tisch next year and studying at the same studio he did [the Stella Adler Studio], what he told me about his experience there just makes me even more excited.” Previous Next

Audrey Hua '26 and Bauhinia Chen '26 < Back 7/11? More like 24/7 Audrey Hua '26 and Bauhinia Chen '26 Disclaimer: Satire Edition On Monday, March 31, Mercersburg Academy announced that the True Blue Cafe will be open 24 hours daily, Monday through Sunday. This change reflects the unprecedented increase in student demand and is a decision meticulously made by administrators, faculty, and staff. The True Blue staff was overwhelmed by the number of orders. "We're completely overloaded," True Blue staff member Jessica Saunders said. "I took the 2 am shift because I thought it would be easy, but it’s honestly been like a zombie apocalypse — the students just keep spawning." "I've never seen so many of us packed in one place," Derrick Park '25 said. "It's like the Enchanted Forest after first check-in." Another True Blue staff member, Frankie Jones, complained about their inability to keep up with the orders. "We've started frying our burgers in the grease we wipe off tables — it saves so much time,” he said. Dean of Student Life Andy Brown and Head of School Quentin McDowell discussed the crisis and announced a novel solution: True Blue Interns. "We were looking for a way to alleviate the burden of our lovely True Blue staff while also allowing students to engage positively with the Mercersburg community," McDowell said. "So far, it's been really successful," Brown said. "We’ve had a record number of applicants. In fact, we've included a section for students to check their alternate choices - including Student Council President and Mugwump - in case they don't get in." "I screamed when I saw the email," Reed Warner '25 said. "I was on my twenty-fourth cookie of the night and I literally just stopped and said, 'Oh my God, I got a True Blue internship!'" Max Friedman, Head True Blue Intern, described the process. "On top of academic prerequisites, the application requires a personal statement, culinary research paper, graduation from a food science summer course with full marks, and four 1000-word supplementary essays. The first round of winnowing is then followed by two seven hour interviews with Mr. McDowell.” Amid the exclusive list of admitted interns, one student managed to outshine the rest for the coveted Head True Blue Intern. Next year, Friedman will pass the torch to Duc Nguyen ‘26. "They usually only let in current seniors in Cum Laude with an 106 average who will reject an Ivy," Nguyen said. "I was really surprised when they accepted me, a junior who only has 52 APs and 1439 service hours." This year, the acceptance rate for True Blue Interns is projected to drop to 3.2%. Due to roaring demand and the rigor of the internship, a new position will be added in the coming school year: the True Blue Intern Intern, which will provide the opportunity to train under a real True Blue Intern. This position is set to offer a gateway into the True Blue Intern position for applicants who missed the mark but displayed promising potential. Previous Next

Jack Lewis '25 < Back The 'Burg responds - or doesn't Jack Lewis '25 As tensions increase due to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian war, students at school campuses across the globe are attempting to understand how to respond. However, many believe one notable absence has been Mercersburg Academy, where the dialogue has not been as prominent as on many other campuses. Students reported a lack of discussion or activism, highlighting an engagement gap. Many feel that formal coverage has been limited, as it mostly occurs during informal conversations among students in classes. “After the attack on October 7, our school did a good job of trying to create open discussion, such as brown bag lunches. However, since then, it seemed to fade away,” said Gigi Devlin ’24. “The school hasn’t been doing anything to promote conversation, and also, students don’t really want to have the conversations because they seem too scared to talk with people who have different opinions.” Taimur Rehman ’25 noted, “I think we are fairly detached from the world as a school, but it is our responsibility to be citizens and engage with the world. We could engage more and bring in different perspectives, but overall I am not completely sure what the best response would be.” Others suggested that a quieter but more educational approach toward building awareness and discussion on campus is necessary. “As an academic institution, our school shouldn’t have the obligation to respond to a global conflict. Education on the topic is important, but besides that, it is no longer in the school’s hands,” said Devin Rotz ’25. “I think administratively, there could have been more of a response. I understand we do definitely have two very different demographics on either side,” said Olivia Glick ’25. “I don’t think [the administration] needed to come out and say what they specifically support; there just needs to be more of an acknowledgment of the situation.” For some, the response has been adequate. “I feel the heart of the conflict is within the government and things that we as a school cannot control. My teachers have done a good job of informing us about the protests and overall conflict, without persuading a certain belief,” said Avery Liu ’25. Looking ahead, seniors bound for college next year are contemplating how the Israeli-Palestinian war may impact their college experience. Devlin speculated, “I assume that, unless the universities respond to the students’ claims, which I do not think will happen anytime soon, there still will be protests.” “I totally think it will affect my freshman year of college. It is a little bit scary, seeing what is in the news,” Corbin Kelly ’24 noted. “I see students being… arrested for protesting, but at the same time we see these protesters affecting life on campus.” “I think college should be a place for activism and a place to find a safe space; however, I do think the current integration of students and non-student protests that are most active have polarized the issue more than it would be if it were just students alone,” Gabe McGuire ’24 said. Kelly remarked, “I think Mercersburg’s response could be analyzing how our school prepares students who are going to the college campus’ where these conflicts are playing a large role in student life.” Mercersburg’s campus is experiencing a response to the Gaza War, represented by varying levels of engagement, awareness, and discussion. As seniors prepare to attend college this fall, it is important to encourage attention to the current dynamics on campuses nationwide and abroad. Previous Next

Andrew Lebowitz '24 < Back Judge John Jones Andrew Lebowitz '24 On Friday, September 16, 2022, the Mercersburg community witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime event: the installation of Quentin McDowell as the school’s eighth head of school. Students, faculty, staff, parents, and members of the Board of Regents were introduced to the ceremony’s main speaker, Hon. John Jones ‘73. Since graduating from Mercersburg, Jones has attended Dickinson-Law School and been named one of its “top 25 most influential graduates.” In 2002, Jones was appointed by President George Bush to be the District Judge for the middle district of PA. Jones has spoken on two other occasions at Mercersburg Academy, once at commencement in 2006 and next as the 2009 Cum Laude speaker. For the Induction, Judge Jones was an extremely easy pick. “Judge Jones is an exceptionally dedicated and decorated Mercersburg Academy alum that I have known for many years,” says McDowell. “He has served as an important mentor for me during my time here, particularly as I moved into elevated administrative roles. Judge Jones is also in academia himself as the newly appointed president of Dickinson College, which only added to the appeal of having him speak at this important ceremony for our school.” Board of Regents member Tom Hadzor ‘72, who introduced Jones at the installation, said “A federal judge hopes to have one monumental case during his or her tenure, John had two.” Jones was the deciding judge for Blair v. Shippensburg , a case in which a student sued the school to stop enforcing a speech code. He ruled in favor of the student and issued an order for less restriction of free speech. Another important ruling was Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District , in which Jones sided against the school boards required teaching of “intelligent design” in the Dover public school, calling it an unconstitutional breach of the establishment clause. Lastly, in Whitewood v. Wolf , Jones reversed Pennsylvania’s legislative prohibition of same-sex marriage. During his speech, Jones praised McDowell: “Quentin brings humility, joy and an essential optimism to everything he does. It is those who lead with passion, sincerity, and focus who will achieve greatness, Quentin McDowell my friend, possesses these traits in abundance.” With the final words of his speech, Jones celebrated the new head of school and looked towards the future: “Let me echo the high praise from Quentin's former boss and predecessor now. Our new head of school has all the tools that will lead him to greatness as Mercersburg's eighth head of school. I cannot wait to see all the success that he achieves in the years ahead as well as the impact he will have on so many of you and so many young lives. Those who attend this phenomenal school will have the great good fortune to experience an exemplary role model and truly inspirational leader. Congratulations and Godspeed my friend.” “I thought Judge Jones did a wonderful job with his remarks and, if I had to pick what I thought was the most impactful, I would say that I greatly appreciated the way he wove the history and historical figures of Mercersburg Academy into his speech. The acknowledgment of the dedication and determination of those that have come before us is really important to me” stated McDowell. Emma Dilalla ‘24 said “He projected a lot of love for McDowell and for the school. Judge Jones knew five out of the eight heads of schools, and he believed McDowell fit the characteristics of all of them.” History department chair Allison Stephens’ Advanced Studies: United States History class had the chance to hear Jones’ thoughts on democracy prior to his address to the school. “He explained his overall career. This made me develop a further understanding of the legislative branch and the balances the system holds. What stood out most to me was his approach on how people latch onto public opinion too easily. It worried him how many people follow different political types without further questioning,” says Ruby Shang ‘24. “It was important to me to take advantage of the opportunity to meet with Judge Jones,” said Stephens. “The students are just now starting to learn the principles of the constitution and the reasoning behind its structure. In this hyper political time, having Jones talk about the need for non-partisanship on the bench was particularly salient. I hope that we will be able to have him return to campus later in the year.” Previous Next

Paris Zhang '27 < Back Weathering winter disruptions Paris Zhang '27 Coinciding with the scheduled return to school on January 7, 2025, a snowstorm swept across the country with Mercersburg in its direct path. Additionally, just before the snowstorm’s arrival, the town of Mercersburg experienced a serious power outage that took out power and water for days in different buildings on campus. As a result, students, faculty, and staff had to adjust to the unforeseen weather conditions. “One of the hardest parts of this snowstorm is that it comes the day after we just had a massive power outage that took out many of the electrical systems across campus,” said Head of School, Quentin McDowell. Andy Brown, the Dean of Students, explained that the power outage resulted from an issue with the “electrical source off-campus.” “Unfortunately, that had some consequences as far as sending too much voltage through the lines, which impacted some of our systems on campus and our off-campus housing for faculty. So we had some faculty members without heat or briefly without water,” Brown noted. Leah Long ‘96, Latin and Art History teacher living in faculty housing, said, “We got really lucky and didn’t have any electricity or heat problems.” Unfortunately, this was not the case for all. For students, the main challenge was returning to campus safely, as many flights, both nationally and internationally, were delayed or canceled due to the heavy snow. According to Lena Wilke ’27, “I had to fly back to school on Sunday, even though classes started on Tuesday, because my flight got canceled for Monday. We thought the other flight on Tuesday would be canceled, so I woke up at 3:30 in the morning on Sunday, which was literally awful. There was no other flight, all because of the snowstorm, and it didn’t even snow that much.” Similarly, Eric Cittadine ’26 said, “My flight got canceled, so I came a little bit late, and I missed classes.” Other students who had to travel internationally, like Luana Colell Navarro ’27, said, “Because of the snowstorm, I stayed in Spain for three days. My flight got canceled. I just got here on Thursday. My schedule changed a lot because of it too.” McDowell recognized the challenges: “I think anytime you have a weather event, there are so many things that go into planning for that. This particular weather event happened to coincide with the return to school, so it becomes much more complicated, meaning that we have to think about transportation, making rearrangements, and trying to open dorms early for those who try to get here before the storm starts.” Even though the situation was complicated, the school was able to make transportation arrangements to assist. Brown said, “I was very thankful for Ms. Ecton and everyone in our office for assisting in student arrivals based on any delays or cancellations due to the flights and changes caused by the weather.” Apart from transportation obstacles, the power outage that shut down Irvine Hall—where math, science, and language classes take place—also prompted changes in the school schedule. Classes had to be relocated to spaces ranging from the Irvine Memorial Chapel classroom to the Aquatic Center classroom. “I had to walk in the cold at 8:40 in the morning in 16-degree weather to the pool. I had to do honors chemistry class in the lobby of the Aquatic Center, which was really odd. Very weird learning environment. The Irvine shutdown had a really big impact, making me walk extra distances in the cold weather,” Wilke said. Reflecting on the decision, McDowell said, “You only have your own perspective, so I think you make the best decision you can in the moment with the information you have. It's easy to look back and say, ‘Oh, you know, we could have delayed the start of school. We could have been a bit more flexible with the schedule.’” Wilke agreed: “There's not much they could do about the weather. There's not much they could do about Irvine shutting down. When it comes to classes, I feel like Tuesday should have been a half-day, or classes should have started on Wednesday. Because so many people weren’t here, I would have traveled on Tuesday if there were no classes or if it was a half-day. I just didn’t want to miss a whole day of classes. They should have done better scheduling.” The main reason Mercersburg Academy kept its original schedule, according to McDowell, “was to create some normalcy, to have kids back in the class, and get them to do the normal things that we do at school. Therefore, we didn’t just have a bunch of students who came back and then had to sit around waiting for school to restart. I’m happy with the way we approached this particular storm, given all the circumstances. We’ll always stop and say, ‘How can we approach things differently?’” Despite various difficulties, students could walk on safe, snow-free roads, attend their lessons, and enjoy the new dining hall food. A large part of that effort was attributed to the academy’s staff. “We have a fantastic building and grounds crew that keeps all the paths and roads clear and safe for us,” Brown said. “All of our snow crew are here at 5:30 or 6 o’clock in the morning to start plowing roads, salting, and doing all the things they need to do. They even prepared the campus before the weekend started, knowing the snow was coming. But the weather can be really hard to navigate, right? I guess it’s really unpredictable,” McDowell stated. Mercersburg Academy’s new catering company, FLIK Independent School Dining, according to Brown, “was able to make all this change in the midst of a snowstorm. We were super thankful for FLIK.” Reflecting on these events, McDowell said, “I’m always grateful to our community when we have something external that disrupts or interrupts the flow of our community and school day, whether it's a power outage or a snowstorm. I'm always amazed and impressed at how well our students and our adults adjust and try to make the best of it. And I think that’s really what life looks like, right? Making the best out of difficult situations.” Previous Next

Audrey Hua '26 < Back ChatGPT (great for punishing teachers) Audrey Hua '26 Since November, one of the biggest questions on everyone's mind has been: What is ChatGPT? This AI chatbot has the ability to write essays, debug code, create poems, and give slightly terrible relationship advice. However, it raises a major question for schools like Mercersburg: can students use ChatGPT? “I think we're still in the beginning stages of thinking about what it could mean to use ChatGPT in the classroom,” Alexandra Patterson, Director of Library Services and English teacher, said. “It’s such a new tool that we are exploring how it works, and it’s hard to create regulations for something you don’t understand.” Michele Poacelli, Writing Center Director and English Department Head, added, “I feel like right now the best approach is to be both curious and playful, before rushing to be like in some kind of state of alarm.” It seems a popular misconception that using ChatGPT always means plagiarism or cheating, but that is not the case. “I think right now there’s a lot of fear surrounding it, because people aren’t really familiar with the tool,” Tech Integration Specialist Nicole Brown said, “[but] the thing is, it can be a very useful tool.” Several teachers actually have expressed their interest in using ChatGPT in their classes. “What ChatGPT does really well is generate a list of themes or topics to think about,” Patterson noted. “It provides this framework,” said Brown, “so I can use it to get [the students] started, like a scaffold.” Poacelli described it as a ping-pong match: “You come up with an idea, and you volley off [ChatGPT’s ideas], and then you come up with ideas to refine [ChatGPT’s ideas].” There are many ways ChatGPT can be used in assignments to help a student’s learning, and teachers are “navigating what those boundaries look like,” Patterson said. Currently, expectations for using ChatGPT are subject to the school’s policy on academic honesty. “Fundamentally, if you're using something that includes information that you do not know that you are passing off as your own, that's a problem.” Jennifer Smith, Dean of Academics, clarified, “Just like any other resource, if you’re using ChatGPT and not citing that you used it, it’s definitely academic misconduct.” Justine O’Connell, Head of the Conduct Review Committee, said, “It's important for students to ask questions if it doesn't explicitly say, [so] ask your teacher before you start to use [ChatGPT].” Students have been testing the benefits and limits of ChatGPT. “I think that ChatGPT is great for logical thinking, and could give great evidence,” Cocona Yamamoto ’23 said; “However, I believe that it is lacking when it comes to lateral thinking, or when thinking out of the box.” Hongyu Jasmine Zhu ‘23 said, “The few times that I have interacted with ChatGPT, I dared the bot to render an excerpt of a Chinese short story into English as a literary translator. The results were to my surprise. Its choices of diction, syntax, and cadences, while no match for a professional literary translator… seemed well beyond what Google Translate is capable of.” Many students also voiced thoughtful concerns. “ChatGPT is a dishonest method for students to cheat and get ahead of other students that actually put in the effort,” said Sean Flaherty ‘26. “It discourages learning and encourages shortcuts for a better grade.” “AI is becoming smarter and more dangerous at the same time,” Emily Tan ‘24 said. “I think it’s kind of scary that AI is so advanced right now, but I guess this might help people work much more efficiently in the future,” said Samuel Zhao ‘24. Poacelli affirmed that there would be institutional thought put into next steps concerning ChatGPT. “Wherever the school lands on this, it will be after a lot of vetting and a lot of conversation and a lot of different perspectives being brought to your question.” Previous Next

Andrew Chang '26 < Back Al-i ever needed to know Andrew Chang '26 Last Tuesday, Wajahat Ali, the author of Go Back To Where You Came From , took the podium during the Class of 1969 Global Engagement Lecture after the unexpected cancellation of another speaker. The Class of 1969 Global Engagement Lecture’s mission is to shed light on unique world issues and perspectives that might not be addressed at school. As a passionate advocate of the BIPOC community, Ali shared the story of his upbringing as a first-generation Pakistani-American in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. He shared his journey navigating bigoted and uneducated attitudes during his adolescence, including comments such as, “Why is your skin so brown?” Shanuka Navaratne ‘25, who identifies as BIPOC, said, “His details about parental academic pressure, white validation and cultural ignorance were very relatable.” Throughout the lecture, students laughed, sat in silence and reflected in response to Ali’s stories. “As soon as Ali walked on to the stage with a smile, I knew the speech was going to be a lot of fun,” said Masha Levina ‘25. Kelsey Li ‘26 said, “He was very effective using his humor to captivate the young students. I appreciate the way he was able to bring up deeper topics without talking down to us.” Dawson Hastings ‘23 added, “I thought the speaker wasn’t scared to shy away from things that make people uncomfortable, and he was able to tell jokes while staying respectful.” However, Ali’s lighthearted mood soon shifted once he shared his experience as a Muslim American after the effects of September 11, 2001. Tahir Hasanov ‘25 later said, “As a Muslim, I understood how he felt and how he was being discriminated against.” John Yuquilima ‘26 also felt he was “able to relate to the discrimination the speaker experienced.” Mercersburg’s community had the opportunity to speak to Ali after his lecture, a time during which he shared invaluable advice with students. Dawson Graditor ‘26 said, I learned thatmost people set their goal on mastering one topic, but it is totally reasonable to expand your interest and pursue other categories.” Ali said, “Your life can always improve,” an optimistic parting message to those in the Mercersburg Academy community. Previous Next