Bauhinia Chen '26 < Back Caked up Bauhinia Chen '26 Apr 25, 2025 On Friday, April 18, the Nailed It! Cupcake Decorating Contest, hosted and judged by Student Activities Committee interns Ava Jones ’25 and Peyton Minor ’26, took place in the Simon Student Center. The event was inspired by Nailed It! , a comedic baking competition series in which amateur bakers vie for $10,000 cash prizes by typically abysmal attempts at replicating complicated cakes. “It was originally Ava’s idea, and we came up with it in our internship,” said Minor. “Honestly, once we got the idea… we just had to make a list of what we needed, so that included sprinkles, icing, food colouring, and construction paper.” “We loved watching Nailed It , and Peyton and I love MCing, so we just thought, ‘Why not?’” said Jones. “And we had a good number of people showing up. We baked the cupcakes and prepared the ingredients for decorating. We were kind of scared that nobody would sign up, so we really had to broadcast that this was going to be a fun thing that the school doesn’t usually do.” The cupcake decorating had a twenty-minute time limit, during which competitors frosted, sprinkled, and sculpted in a frenzy. Each team chose between the themes “Safari” and “Under the Sea.” “Winners were selected for each category based on looks and creativity,” said Jones. Michelle Zhang ’28 teamed up with Riley Choi ’28, Rachel Zhang ’28, and Lina Park ’28. “We got ‘Under the Sea.’ Personally, I [decorated my cupcake with] my idol Tralalero Tralala because he’s under the sea. He has a six-pack—so hot, so cool,” said Zhang. Mary Grady ’25 said, “My teammates were Gianna Anthony ’25, Talaina Jarett ’25, and William Tutt ’25. We wanted to do all the different parts under the sea. Like, we did different animals and wanted to mix it up. We used some construction paper on ours.” Nicole Leung ’26 said, “Bao Han Pham ’25 and Thanasi Akaras ’27 were on my team. We chose ‘Safari.’ Our specific theme was Dora the Explorer . One [of us] did the monkey, one did Dora, and one did a tree. We were so confident in winning because we are so creative. Every single cupcake here was creative, but ours was Dora. It’s different. [We knew] we’re gonna win.” Despite Leung’s optimism, her team ultimately placed second to the winning quad of Maddie Chu ’27, Ellie Yang ’27, Karin Sugiyama ’27, and Carrie Yang ’27 for the theme “Safari.” “We were so excited and so happy because we put a lot of attention to detail into our cupcakes,” said Chu. “Our overall theme was jungle adventure, so we decorated our cupcakes with bananas, grass, and trees. We tried to think outside of the box by using paper and mixing food colouring that was very concentrated, enough so that it was black, to colour the bananas. We also used little round pearls and sprinkles as eyeballs for our monkey.” The winners of the “Under the Sea” category were Keagan Killinger ’28, Emmie Kelley ’28, Zara Kimotho ’28, and Ally Snyder ’28. “I was so happy. It was a surprise because there were so many amazing cupcakes out there,” said Snyder. She cited “the detail on Keagan’s cupcake” as the reason for their victory. “It’s very aesthetic. You can see the ombre of the different colours. Instead of doing all one colour, we really tried to do different shades of colours,” said Killinger. “We took our time,” added Kimotho. “I thought it was very fun. It was really loud, but it seemed like everyone was having a really good time,” said Jones. “Everyone was going hands-on. We were intrigued by the designs.” Previous Previous Next Next

Tailaina Jarrett '25 < Back Trip was lit Tailaina Jarrett '25 Nov 15, 2024 For the past few years, students in the Advanced Studies: Literature and Composition course have been reading The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. The book explores many themes connected to slavery and racism in American history. As a way for the students to get a deeper understanding of these ideas, students in the class went on a trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture on November 6. Frank Betkowski, who helped design the course and chose the book, said: “In my mind, the trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture acts as a culminating experience to Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad . I think that while the novel is truly powerful, the museum helps to put the novel into context as the novel doesn’t just examine the Black experience during slavery.” This trip is a principal experience in gaining a deeper understanding of The Underground Railroad beyond the classroom and the students were grateful to get the chance to see the museum. Most students had never seen the African American Museum, and everyone was looking forward to something different. “I was just expecting a typical museum trip, seeing the exhibits and stuff. I don’t quite know what I was expecting but the trip surprised my expectations,” said Crystal Chiu ’25. There is always something new to learn. Whether it is the different figures in history or seeing all the artifacts throughout the museum, every aspect of the museum is impactful. “I learned about some figures in American history that aren't focused on as much as the big names like Rosa Parks,” said Olivia Glick ‘25. “It’s not that I learned anything new, it’s more of getting to see it. I got to see it laid out, walking through it and experiencing that was a new experience. Experiencing it in a class is one thing, but going out and seeing all the artifacts and videos that come with it was very moving,” said Min Ann Tran ‘25. The museum had several different levels which focused on different elements of African American history and culture, ranging from history on the lower levels to modern art and culture on the fourth floor. “I really liked seeing the maps and how [the nation] progressed with the free states and the slave states and how the states evolved,” said Chiu. Anne Sehon ‘25 added, “I think someone who was really trying to give every single sign and blurb attention, it would take them days to get through that museum.” This trip is not only impactful for the students but the teachers as well, no matter how many times they go. AS Lit teacher Kacie England said, “I can’t imagine teaching The Underground Railroad without having this experience. It’s probably the most powerful, well-done museum that I’ve ever been to.” Previous Previous Next Next

Riley Choi ’28 < Back Coolest spot in town Riley Choi ’28 Sep 26, 2025 The Irwin House Ice Cream Shoppe has officially opened its doors, bringing fun and excitement to town. Located in the space once occupied by One North, the shop has already attracted eager students. Owner Melissa Langford’s goal was simple. “Because ice cream makes people happy, and I wanted to serve the community and serve happiness, honestly,” she said. The shop's bright interior, with tables and chairs painted to look like sprinkles, reflects this mission. “The walls used to be brown and black inside; the bright paint made it look a lot better,” she added. Langford sources her product from The Chocolate Ice Cream Shop, a Wisconsin brand that uses dairy from a single, family farm, Sassy Cow Creamery. “They sent us like 10 pints of ice cream and every flavor was delicious, so that’s just really what I wanted, something that was really, really good on its own,” said Langford. Bruce Zhang '28 was impressed after trying the flavor, “This $&@! Just Got Serious.” Sheily Ramirez ‘28 reported, “The flavor I got was caramel apple pie and raspberry fassetti, the texture and consistency of the ice cream is really nice.” Sophie Oh ‘26 said, “It provides another space for students to go and hang out with their friends who aren't on campus, so it feels a little bit more like you're going somewhere to hang out. Maybe it’ll become the new One North.” Zhang '28 echoed a similar sentiment, saying, “It's a plus, because it tastes good while being convenient since it's close to school and is inexpensive.” Irwin House's offerings change weekly, with new flavors rotating in and out. Langford keeps two of the most popular flavors, “Yippee Skippy” and “Brownie Cascade,” to ensure favorites are always available. “You can taste the actual ingredients. It's not artificially made,” Langford said. Some students noted room for improvement. Ramirez '28 described the decor as “kind of empty” and even “creepy.” She suggested, “If they added more furniture, like some plants, had some music, and added more lights, it would be really nice.” Zhang ‘28 added, “They could definitely market it a bit more because I didn’t even know there was an ice cream shop until somebody told me there was.” Ramirez ‘28 proposed that the shop could become “a dessert shop and not just ice cream,” to add more variety. Despite possible improvements, students remain enthusiastic. “I've already gone five times. I love the ice cream," Oh ‘26 admitted. Previous Previous Next Next

Riley Choi '28 < Back Making History Riley Choi '28 Apr 18, 2025 The National History Day Club, newly established this year under the leadership of Jolie Zhu ’26 and Lisa Wei ’26, has achieved a major milestone: multiple projects from the club have advanced to the state-level competition. The History Department and faculty adviser Allison Stephens supported and guided the club’s students, who are now preparing to compete against some of the strongest history projects in Pennsylvania. “I’m really proud,” said Zhu. “For most of them, it’s their first time competing in the competition. It’s been rewarding to see how their projects developed.” The club’s success includes several standout projects. Susanna Huang ’27 created an individual exhibit on the Barnes Foundation and the legal battle over its relocation. “I’ve always loved art history. Visiting the Barnes Foundation over Thanksgiving inspired me,” said Huang. “Because of that, I think my favourite part of the process was researching my topic since it is something that I’m genuinely interested in.” William Shen ’27 and Preston Zhang ’27 created a website exploring conscientious objectors in war. “It’s a topic that really interested me,” said Shen. “In the fall, I did a project exploring the rejection of warfare by Christian groups in my religion class, and I felt that through this competition I could make a similar endeavour to look into the objection to military service in a broader context.” Zhang added, “I really enjoyed researching the Richmond 16. These men stood up for their beliefs, and their stories weren’t told enough. This project gave me a chance to share them.” Zhu and Wei started the club after having positive experiences competing last year. “We thought it was a really great opportunity to learn about history and share our research,” said Wei. “We wanted to bring that to the Mercersburg community.” A dvancing the club was no small task. “At first, we thought we could organize it like a normal club,” said Zhu. “But it turned out that we needed help with things like chaperoning and transportation, which the school didn’t provide for most clubs. That’s when we contacted Ms. Stephens and the History Department for support.” Wei adds, “We ended up getting sponsored by the history department to cover the hotel, the food, and the entry fees. That’s a really great way for students to be able to join this club without worrying about financial and logistical issues.” As they look ahead to their senior year, Zhu and Wei are already laying the groundwork for the club’s future. “We’re planning to train a junior next year who can take over after we graduate,” Zhu said. “And we’re working on hosting events and bringing in a speaker for a school meeting.” Their mission is to build a legacy. “We’d love to see more students getting engaged, and thinking creatively about the projects they are submitting,” said Stephens. “I think this year many of the topic submissions are related to what is going on in the world, and so it’s nice to be able to make that connection between that and history.” Rich Heffron, a history department member, believes deeply in that vision. “As a history teacher, I love and support any club that increases our students’ interest in history and encourages them to engage with the subject,” he said. “Studying and understanding history is central to a person’s understanding of themselves and their place within the world, and the National History Day Club is helping students understand just that.” For now, the future of the program is in question as federal funding of the program has been cut. The National Council for the Social Studies released a statement, saying, “Canceling this funding sends a damaging message about the value placed on humanities education and the importance of historical understanding in our society. At a time when informed civic engagement is more critical than ever, diminishing support for programs that cultivate historical literacy and critical thinking is a step in the wrong direction.” Previous Previous Next Next

Sophie Han '26 < Back "HANDS OFF" ... everything! Sophie Han '26 Apr 18, 2025 On April 5 several Mercersburg Academy faculty members participated in “Hands Off” rallies held across the country in opposition to the policies and rhetoric of President Donald Trump and businessman Elon Musk. Their decision to attend was driven by a sense of civic responsibility and a desire to live out their democratic values. English teacher Frank Betkowski, who traveled with his wife, learning services director Margaret Maciulla, to the rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., said, “As an educator, I am concerned about the attack on the truth. There’s a sort of misinformation, or perhaps lack of information, appearing on government websites–things as fundamental to our culture as the Smithsonian. As a citizen, I’m concerned about the attack on the Constitution. For me, it’s not a difference between right and left. It’s a difference between right and wrong.” Music teacher Ben Demerath echoed a similar sentiment saying, “I want us to think about the weight of why these protests are so heavy and vital. Because [Trump] was successfully reelected in spite of being twice impeached, disgraced, and convicted — he was still elected, even though he's using a campaign of hate.” Organizers anticipated around 12,500 attendees in Washington, D.C., but the turnout was closer to 125,000. “What was striking to me, however, was the relative lack of brown and black faces in the crowd,” Betkowski said, “I think people of color are frightened at this moment in history, which I think is unfortunate, but I understand why.” Science teachers Will Willis and Betsy Cunningham participated in a local rally in Chambersburg. “I was worried about how people driving by would react to the signs and the people,” Willis said. “But the happy honks, cheers, and thumbs-ups outnumbered the middle fingers and angry yelling by probably ten to one. It was really heartening.” Among the crowd of protesters, history teacher Allison Stephens raised a sign that read, “Save Education, Save Democracy.” Stephens explained, “Our Secretary of Education is working to dismantle the Department of Education as a federal bureau. If that happens, it’s going to create a lot of inequity. I worry for the attacks on educators and curricula—things that, in my opinion, are keeping students from learning what they need to understand our democracy.” Demerath contributed to the rallies in a different way—by writing protest songs. “As a songwriter, when I write about these issues, although I rarely do, I don't hold back. It’s moments like these when you have to write and speak truth through creative platforms and the power of expressional art.” He added, “Mercersburg Academy is a place that embodies that. In our mission, we talk about preparing Mercersburg students to lead and serve. I think what we do as educators and citizens is a great example for our community as well.” “If everyone sits idly by, the irony is that democracy could fail by [citizens] not exercising their democratic rights,” Willis said. “Politicians are supposed to serve the will of their constituents and the American people as a whole, so it's vital to add one's voice. It may seem naive, but individual actions really do matter.” Previous Previous Next Next

Alice Yoo ‘27 and Annie Wu ‘27 < Back A “boulder” new direction Alice Yoo ‘27 and Annie Wu ‘27 Nov 1, 2024 This year, Mercersburg’s Outdoor Education Program has created an opportunity for students to participate in competitive climbing events. Over the Long Fall Weekend, a couple of climbers traveled to Virginia to compete in the USA Climbing Youth Series as part of a series of qualifiers. Climbers must compete in a minimum of four events in order to qualify for regionals. While Mercersburg’s climbers have consistently trained during PGA time like other sports, they have not always had the chance to showcase their abilities in competition. Head instructor Pete Gunkelman said, “We have some students in climbing who actually selected Mercersburg Academy because of our climbing program and they had competed prior to arriving here.” Gunkelman continued, “Usually, we have one or two that are curious about it, but we had seven who are interested in competing as climbers, and so we decided to try to arrange for some transportation.” Students have been training diligently for competitions. Sean Flaherty ‘26 explained, “So for competitions, there are many ways you can train. The main part of it is just climbing; outdoor climbing, indoor climbing, doing pull-ups, hang board workouts–there are so many ways you can train for. But the main way is just climbing.” Assistant instructor Brooks Binau added, “Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday is mostly at the barn, where we're climbing inside and learning different techniques for outdoor climbing, or setting up anchors, or lead belay techniques. It’s more like a classroom-type of instruction and practicing on the wall. And then on Wednesdays, we do an afternoon outdoor trip, and on Saturdays, we do a whole day outdoor trip.” The program has increased its intensity to match climbers’ enthusiasm. Annie Wu ’27 said, “I think compared to last year we definitely went through the contents faster; fall term just feels a little bit faster. We [also] kind of play less ultimate frisbee compared to last year where we spent a lot of Wednesdays [playing] on the football field. We're more into climbing now and football has their practice there, so we can't use that place anymore. But this year we went to outdoor places more and explored some new places, like Reed’s Creek. We also tried more things: many people this year have done their first lead climb, first try to climb, or first lead belaying. People are definitely trying more new stuff.” Maybe because of the changes to the program, the students’ passion for climbing remains unwavering. Wu said, “We had one day to learn how to set routes, and then we also learned a lot of rescue stuff–like hall systems–which is really fun.” Flaherty commented, “Honestly, I just want to have fun with climbing. There's only so much you can do in the barn, and there's not a lot of climbing in Pennsylvania. Otherwise, I would be on the west coast. But I really just started to compete because I love climbing a lot and it didn't really matter where I placed because I just wanted to have fun.” Echoing Flaherty, Alex Eissenstat ‘25 said, “I mostly just want to have fun with it. I know that the routes that they set for the competitions tend to have a lot of fine, really technical moves, and I'm excited to see how far I can get!” For the rest of the season, the program will continue to send Blue Storm climbers to compete in various regional climbing competitions. Previous Next

Maddie Weiss ‘25 < Back Blowing in the new year Maddie Weiss ‘25 Sep 29, 2023 In the fall, two important Jewish holidays are celebrated, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. This year Rosh Hashanah was celebrated from Friday, September 15 to Sunday, September 17. The Book of Life is opened for ten days, called the Days of Awe, beginning with the blowing of the shofar. This time is dedicated to atoning for the past year's sins. These days are often spent at the synagogue with family. Yom Kippur, the day of repentance, happens 10 days later. It is considered the holiest day of the year. The day includes fasting to cleanse the body and attending services at the synagogue to reconcile with God. At the end of the day, the shofar is blown once more, and the Book of Life is closed for another year. Here at Mercersburg Academy, teachers and students alike celebrated. According to Max Friedman ’25, “On Friday, [school chaplain] Reverend [Will] Whitmore generously drove us Jews to the nearest synagogue in Chambersburg, and I was lucky enough to be able to go home Saturday and spend the day with my family." On Sunday evening, September 25 and Monday, September 26 services were held for Yom Kippur, where, after the final blowing of the shofar, Jewish students and faculty enjoyed a feast to break the fast begun at sundown the previous night. Many faith traditions help to form the fabric of the school, and holidays are celebrated as a community where the faithful, as well as those interested in learning and sharing, connect with faith and culture, even during the busy school year. Jewish Club advisor Jessica Doubell noted that, aside from blowing the shofar, her favorite part about the holiday is “spending time with my family for the celebration.” Previous Previous Next Next

Carrie Yang ‘27 < Back SDL(See) the diversity Carrie Yang ‘27 Dec 13, 2024 On December 4, a group of students and faculty from Mercersburg Academy attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) and People of Color Conference (POCC) in Denver, Colorado. Jamar Galbreath ‘05 of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion organized and led the trip, accompanied by Yonatan Weldeberuk, first-year teaching fellow in the history department, and Katie Shank, manager of donor relations at Mercersburg Academy. The workshops and activities provided Mercersburg’s participants with a transformative experience focused on diversity, identity, and belonging. Galbreath outlined the conference’s main purpose: “SDLC brings students from independent schools from all over the country, all over the world to come together to talk about issues like identity, social justice, belonging, and inclusion. The goal is to take an awesome group of students out to do some great learning and have a good experience.” Weldeberuk agreed, stating, “This conference is to give the students the best experience possible, to make sure it’s safe, and that they are connecting with people who have the same stories as them, people that might see things differently; where they can learn from each other.” A diverse group of students represented Mercersburg at the conference, including Talaina Jarrett ‘25, Ava Jones ‘25, Jessica Dang ‘26, Ellie Yang ‘27, Jazlyn Garnett ‘27, and Shubhlean Kaur ‘27. Jarrett, who attended the conference for the second time, said, “Last year, I was just absorbing the experience. This year, I wanted to dive deeper and find a greater appreciation for the activities we were learning about.” One of the highlights for Jarrett was an activity that involved designing an ideal school. “We talked about issues of justice and fairness. It made me realize that some issues at Mercersburg are not being handled in the best way, and I want to return and help address them.” The conference’s Black Affinity Space was a standout experience for several Mercersburg attendees. Jones, a leader of the Black Student Union (BSU), said, “Being in such a diverse environment and surrounded by people who have similar experiences to me was really powerful. The Black Affinity Space allowed me to feel truly at home. We shared our experiences of being African American in America, danced, and just connected with each other in a way I can’t do at school.” Jarrett shared the sentiment, saying, “I feel like the BSU community at Mercersburg is inclusive but not the same as being at SDLC. Being a part of a minority sometimes means we have to uphold a certain image, but here there's no judgment. There’s freedom to act the way we want, talk, dance, and sing the way we want.” Similarly, Dang and Kaur were equally moved by the conference and reflected on their connections to identity and inclusion. “I’m a part of the Gender and Sexuality Union (GSU), and the Asian Student Union (ASU) at school, and I wanted to learn more about diversity and how I can bring that knowledge back to Mercersburg,” Dang said. “One of the most meaningful activities was the silent movement, which taught me the power of silence in understanding and reflecting on others’ experiences.” Kaur added, “Mercersburg doesn’t have many South Asian students, so being around that community at SDLC was a really overwhelming but positive experience. I’m excited to bring what I’ve learned back to school and make our community even more inclusive.” Ellie Yang ‘27 emphasized her exploration of the word “sonder” - the realization that everyone has unique depths in their lives. “I think my goal now is to know people at those depths,” she said. SDLC also offered other benefits. Jones said, “I wanted to meet people from all over and I wanted to network because I am a senior and it’s always good to know people in different states and places.” Yang added, “I connected with people from boarding schools all over the country, and now we all feel like family.” Faculty members also found the conference to be valuable. “The POCC experience was eye-opening for me,” Shank said. “It highlighted how students can support each other and how faculty can better mentor them. One of the key takeaways for me was the importance of encouraging students to be their authentic selves, even if that feels uncomfortable at times.” Weldeberuk concluded, “Making changes in the independent school industry is a long road, but there are great people who are working every day to make that change happen. From DEI directors to faculty, heads of schools, students, and financial officers. Everyone is trying to make a change but it takes time. Every little step matters, the little things help amplify bigger steps.” Previous Previous Next Next

The boys and girls indoor track and field team looks promising this year... < Back On the right track Haris Yahaya '24 Dec 9, 2022 The boys and girls indoor track and field team looks promising this year. Though the group is less experienced than in previous years, they have a great team dynamic and will rely upon key players to help them win this year. Sydney Caretti, field events coach, said, “The team is looking for great friendships continuing and developing - the vibe in the Field House is competitive but also supportive.” Head coach David Grady said, “We have a largely inexperienced team this year. Many of the athletes are new to indoor track & field. The attitude of the athletes has been one of willingness to engage in the sport and to try a number of different events. We hope that the athletes will have a great experience and see significant improvement.” Both coaches mentioned the importance of the experienced leaders, such as Anne Sehon ‘25, Hannah King ‘23, and Erika Sowah ‘24. Grady said, “Senior Hannah King is the defending champion in the high jump in both the MAPL and PAISAA. She is the indoor school record holder in that event. Tenth grader Anne Sehon was runner up in the 800m in both the MAPL and PAISAA last year. She is the indoor school record holder in that event.” The Storm has their home opener meet in the Hale Field house on Friday. Previous Next

Sophie Han '27 and Susanna Huang '27 < Back Mixed MAPL results Sophie Han '27 and Susanna Huang '27 Apr 12, 2024 Last weekend was marked by several intense games for Blue Storm boys tennis, girls lacrosse, baseball, and softball teams competing with Mid-Atlantic Prep League rival Blair Academy. The tennis team has been training consistently. “We have been working on a lot of doubles and serves this week. I really hope we get to show what we practiced,” said Ben Cho ’24. About the team’s dynamic, Dave Nguyen ’24 explained, “The team is very united because we have the same goal: winning the MAPL [tournament]. That encourages us to practice a lot every day.” Regarding the match, head coach Matt Mehler said, “Our number one goal for this match is to win, of course. I also want to see our players relaxed in their matches. They play much better relaxed than in the nervous state.” Unfortunately, the team wound up on the wrong end of a 0-7 score. Despite the loss, Max Zhang ’26 put a positive spin on the match, “We lost, but we did identify the problems we had to improve upon, so we are hopeful of strengthening our flaws for our next match.” The girls' lacrosse team ended their game down 8-13. Despite that, the results were satisfactory for the team. “We want to improve daily, regardless of big or small. It’s going really well!” stated head coach Kristin Ahlgren, “We are having a great time, and the hard work is paying off.” After the game, Lexi Chepren ’26 remarked, “We all went into the game with a very good mindset. We worked hard on defense and targeted difficult and important parts of the game to try our best chances.” Scarlett McArthur ’24 described the remarkable bond the team established collectively, “We have a lot of awesome seniors and returning players who kept the chemistry in our team high by communicating during practices and games.” Nora Smith ’24 added, “We are currently focusing on the quality in games, such as valuing each player.” As the baseball team prepared for its double-header, head coach Josh Edgin ’06 said, “We have worked hard all week, [spending] time to get better. For this matchup against Blair, we want to win both games.” “We are confident going into this weekend. We have a good pitching rotation set to prepare for the games. Our main goal is pitching and defense to take some pressure off our offense, and have more quality at-bats as a team,” elaborated Thomas Davenport ‘24. The team won both games against Blair, 11-6 in the first game and 8-1 in the second. “We are very happy with the results, and we hope to maintain the steam we picked up throughout the last few weeks for our next match!” explained Thomas Marchesi ’24 after the victories. The softball team was also hard at work preparing for their game. “We feel ready to play with the stronger team. We are pretty prepared and aware of what’s coming up this weekend,” stated Allister Caretti ’26. “The team is doing so well so far. We are off to a brand-new start with the team bonding helping us,” said head coach Lauren Jacobs, “For the game against Blair, unfortunately, the weather made us stay inside all week. [However,] we are prepared, and we will stand firm for this game.” The softball team was blanked in the opener 0-5 and was also edged out in the second game 4-2. Despite the losses, the team is looking forward to the rest of the season. According to Pritz Pritzker ’24 , “ Something amazing about this team is there’s always an abundance of energy. Whether it’s a dugout dance party or a hype talk, we’re always ready for anything!” Previous Next

Tahir Hasanov '25 and Anderson Wang '26 < Back Free Mercersburg Tahir Hasanov '25 and Anderson Wang '26 Apr 4, 2025 Disclaimer: Satire edition Following a winter term filled to the brim with behavioral infractions, at 9 AM on Saturday, March 29, 275 students walked guard—a new school record. In response, students began an unprecedented protest which has now turned into an encampment. Dozens of students, led by student body president Taimur Rehman ’25, pitched tents on the retired football field. Exhausted from walking around the track, students demanded an end to the dreaded practice of guard, which they denounced as “a barbaric measure of oppression.” “Our demands are simple,” Rehman stated in a fiery speech to the gathered masses. “We demand justice! We demand reform! We demand the right to sleep-in on a Saturday morning!” The crowd erupted in cheers, waving banners and flags with slogans such as “No Guard, No Peace” and “More boring than watching developmental swim practice.” Among the students at the encampment was William Choi ’26: “I was given 188 hours of guard for letting in too many goals during our lacrosse game. Although we’ve underperformed recently, I don’t believe that justifies my harsh punishment.” Not everyone was there for punishment. Frank Bonsal IV ’25 (Holderness ‘26) was also spotted at the encampment. “I skipped the entire winter term, but for some reason I wasn’t given any guard. I just followed my friends and ended up here.” The administration was swift in its response. At precisely 4:00 AM, under the cover of darkness, Mercersburg Academy’s newly armed campus security guards were ordered to dismantle the encampment. Reports indicate that security, in full tactical gear, announced, “This is your final warning,” before confiscating camping equipment and escorting students off the premises. Wyatt Parks ’25 and William Feaste ’25 remained unfazed, chaining themselves to the goalposts and declaring themselves “the anchors of the movement.” Campus security proved to be no match for the pair, forced to retreat at the sight of them. The Mercersburg administration was outraged. In an unprecedented disciplinary measure, the leaders of the encampment were deported to none other than The Hill School. The official school statement described this as “a temporary relocation program designed to instill discipline and appreciation for Mercersburg values.” As the chief leader of the encampment, Rehman was the first to be deported. In his farewell speech, he said: “They may take our tents. They may take our signs. But we’ll never walk guard!” The administration, for its part, has remained firm. “Mercersburg is committed to maintaining order,” Head of School Quentin McDowell declared. “We respect our students’ right to protest, but actions have consequences. The Hill School has refused to house these rogue individuals, but who is Hill to defy the Blue Storm. There, under the new Dean of Students Coleman Weibley, they will learn valuable lessons.” Previous Previous Next Next

Matthew Orders < Back First Home Track Meet Matthew Orders Apr 14, 2026 On April 8th, 2026, the Mercersburg Academy Boys and Girls Outdoor Track teams opened the season with the first home meet of the spring. With over a hundred athletes competing for the Storm, the excitement and joy was high! Head Coach Nikki Walker explained, “ We did great in the meet and we dominated the day. Everybody showed up and did their best. They were happy to give their best effort.” Ben Doyka, sprints and hurdle coach, added, “I think that it was really cool to see everyone rally behind all of the Mercersburg runners whenever they were on the track. It's fun to see them all stand and line up along the track and cheer everyone on, tell them their time, yell for them from across the track. But I think one of my favorite moments was watching the hurdlers go and to see them in action. We've been training a lot at the beginning of the season, and getting to see them run their first races of the season was really fun.” As this meet became the first meet for some athletes on the team, some of the athletes participated in events they had not done before. Grant Wilkinson ’26 said, “I was lining up for 300 meter hurdles, a race I’ve never run before. Mark [Swetland ’27] hadn't either, so we were saying that we'd get through it together, and I got a personal record in the 300 hurdles too!” Assistant Running Coach Mariana Manzo explained, “Our athletes really went out there and tried out something different. Some of them are not interested in trying out the mile but really liked it, which was really great to see. Also, it was nice how everyone just adapted to the event they were put into without any idea what the event was. I appreciate their flexibility.” With a lot of people filling up the track, there were numerous highlights during the meet. Liam Beighley ’26 recalled his highlights during the meet: “I think it's a good start and the team looked very promising in both events as well. In the mile, I think Chris [Carbone ’26] did great. He stayed up with me for most of it and ended up matching his PR. I think a lot of the freshmen, like Kaden [Yang ’29] also did well. I think he also stood out in the meet. Siyuan [Wan ’27], I think he did great too, especially fixing his form over these last few days. I think he has a lot of promising potential.” Chris Carbone ‘26 added, “In the 1600 meters, we had a lot more competition than I was expecting. So it was nice to run in a better, faster field of runners. It definitely pushed me to run faster so I could feel very strong, controlled, and my form was also very good. It was a very strong and very fun race. Also, I was happy I got to run behind Liam because he's a really experienced runner.” As the outdoor season opened up again and brought strong passion and love of the track and field, Walker explained the Mercersburg outdoor track and field team’s goal: “I just want everybody to give their best every day, finding small improvements each week. And hopefully by May 9th, we are able to win the MAPL.” Previous Next