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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

Boys and girls swimming teams bring their trademark hard work to a season that is sure to go swimmingly... < Back Hot off the block Gabe McGuire '24 Dec 9, 2022 Boys and girls swimming teams bring their trademark hard work to a season that is sure to go swimmingly. The winter season is their time to shine, as, throughout the term, swimmers compete against MAPL schools in tough competition. The end of the winter season also holds “Easterns,” one of the most elite prep school meets in the nation. Led by Glenn Neufeld, the boys and girls teams are destined to succeed. “[We are] hoping to have a good season. The goal, as always, is to win the MAPL and Easterns. Last year the boys won Easterns, girls [were] second, so the bar is set pretty high, but that's what makes it exciting,” claimed Neufeld. Their previous achievements only set a standard for the team to surpass. “[We have had] no school competition yet; [we’re] looking forward to USA Junior Nationals this week and the Hill [School] dual meet. We have looked very solid in early season club competition,” said Neufeld. This solid precursor suggests a bright prospective season. Some key athletes to watch in the pool are “four-year senior boys Teddy Blake, Mason Green, Jake Thompson for sure, as well as PG Deniel Nankov who is representing Bulgaria at the World Championships in Melbourne next week. Girls to watch include Ingrid Janney, Ava Harrington, and Crystal Yuen who were all on school record-setting relays last season,” concluded Neufeld. With such a diverse, yet strong set of competitors, this upcoming season is bound to be record-breaking. Previous Next

< Back Qatari controversy December 9, 2022 at 5:00:00 PM Anish Shrestha '24 When I think of the World Cup, I imagine myself glued to my couch with my eyes fixed on the TV during a relaxing summer vacation (Shakira also comes to mind); So now, it's a bit odd to watch the World Cup during Thanksgiving dinner, to say the least. For soccer fans at Mercersburg, this month will be full of early morning and mid-class viewings of this rendition of the World Cup in Qatar. Ideally, I don’t want to have to choose between getting a good night’s sleep and waking up at 5:00 am to watch Messi’s Argentina face off against Saudi Arabia in what should be a routine win (it was not). Nor do I want the USA and Iran scoreline bothering me during APUSH. Beyond my entitled grievances with this tournament, there are far more severe consequences of hosting the World Cup in Qatar. For starters, to build the venues for the competition, Qatar imported thousands of foreign workers. Nearly 6,500 South and Southeast Asian migrant laborers lost their lives while constructing Qatar’s host stadiums. In contrast, the number of deaths to laborers at the South Africa and Brazil World Cups can be counted on two hands. Unfortunately, the deaths could have been prevented by adherence to humane working conditions on the part of supervisors and employers. Migrant workers faced passport seizure preventing them from escaping their brutal and hostile workplaces. Stadium construction and the World Cup, itself, were only possible due to forced migrant labor. Mistreatment of migrant workers has been widely reported for the past year or so, yet FIFA failed to revoke Qatar’s host status or even condemn its blatant violation of human rights. Unnecessary worker deaths were the truth that Qatar, FIFA, and the world have chosen to overlook for the sake of the world’s entertainment. If FIFA wanted to increase the popularity of soccer in Western Asia and the Middle East, why not host the tournament in Saudi Arabia, a nation that has its own developed domestic league and stadiums? Tunisia, Morocco, or Algeria would have all been much more fitting hosts, given their rich soccer cultures and histories. And this is not the first time FIFA has come under criticism for its World Cup planning. The previous host nation was Russia in 2018; Putin seized the stage and awarded medals to the winners at the finals. Less than three years later, Putin initiated a full-on invasion of Ukraine, an aggression that effectively banned the Russian national team from competing in this World Cup: not a good look for FIFA in hindsight. And despite its years of preparation for this World Cup, Qatar failed to impress where it matters most: on the pitch. In their brief stint in the tournament, the Qatari national team was humiliated as the first host nation in the history of the competition to lose its opening match (courtesy of Enner Valencia and Ecuador) failing to even win a single game. Why should a nation that has never qualified for the World Cup based on merit be chosen as a host nation to begin with? The motivation behind hosting this World Cup in Qatar seems to have been a purely financial decision for FIFA, not one born out of a love or even care for the game. The World Cup is heralded as a global event that unites people of different walks of life across the boundaries of race, culture, and creed, yet the Qatari games have been full of nothing but controversy and corruption. Previous Next

Caroline Hobbs '26 < Back They did what?!? Alumni reflect on change Caroline Hobbs '26 Last weekend, Mercersburg families and alumni arrived on campus to experience and celebrate the longstanding traditions of Step Songs and the bonfire during fall Family and Alumni Weekend. Even though these traditions continue today, many things have changed on the Mercersburg campus. Some alumni offered their perspectives on how Mercersburg has grown over the years. Mr. Phil Lloyd, class of ‘65, parent of ‘90 and ‘94, grandparent of ‘26 and Board of Regents member emeritus, 1994-2022, says he loved the changes in academic methodology, particularly that the school has switched from reliance on lecture-based classes to classes set around the Harkness table or dedicated to student projects. Lloyd noted that although there have been changes in the classroom, Mercersburg has always emphasized ideals of respect, community, and inclusion and that will never change. He says, “You walk out of this school a better human being.” Katie Stover ‘07 appreciates the community’s neverending kindness and hospitality. Nevertheless, she was shocked when she saw studnets playing and hanging out on the quad. When she was at Mercersburg, this was never allowed. She added that she had heard alumni talking about how the size of the dining tables had changed (and some that she spoke with were very thrown off by this!). Ted Smith ‘83 loves seeing the arts and sports facilities when he returns to Mercersburg, because they didn’t have such high-end facilities when he studied at Mercersburg, though swimmers like Smoth always had amenities that other sports did not. Smith observed how much more organized the 'Burg has gotten throughout the years. For Joie Xiao ‘22, the big change was that Mercersburg is now using social media platforms to showcase activities/traditions happening on campus. As a four-year dancer, she applauded the addition of the arts showcases during Family and Alumni Weekened and the development of more hands-on programs. Joshua Bowling ‘08, like Xiao, loved seeing the additions to the arts programs, especially the advanced studies art class, and the encouragement of all of the ways students can express themselves through art. Julia Maurer, class of ‘90 and Associate Head of School for School Life, loves how Mercersburg has always had such a strong community atmosphere and how strong the relationship ties have remained over the many years. Previous Next

Lisa Wei '26 < Back Able to do it all Lisa Wei '26 Feb 3, 2023 Grace Abel, Mercersburg’s Chinese teacher of eleven years, smiled as she recounted the path that led her to Mercersburg Academy. She came to the United States from Taiwan with her husband, Andy Abel, after his acceptance into a Doctoral program in Amherst, Massachusetts. “There wasn’t a big difference between living in Taiwan and in America because, in both places, we lived in rural locations with diverse communities,” Abel said. She moved to Mercersburg in 2012 after receiving the opportunity to teach Chinese and enroll her son in Mercersburg Academy. In Taiwan, Abel taught Chinese to university students. After she earned her education degree, she prioritized teaching in secondary school education. She was influenced by her advisor in graduate school, who thought that middle school and high school education was a more formative time in a person’s life than the university years. She taught Chinese at several schools in Taiwan and the US before coming to Mercersburg Academy. “I was a teacher in Nebraska, Massachusetts, and other states,” Abel said. “However, I found out that the public school system in America where I lived was very unorganized. There were specific systems that I needed to use to teach, which I didn’t like because I wanted to apply my ideas and knowledge from graduate school into my teaching.” Abel’s desire for more freedom in her classroom led her to teach at an independent high school in Seattle, Lakeside School. Eventually, she and her family moved back to Massachusetts because they wanted to live closer to her husband’s parents. There, they taught at Northfield Mount Hermon School. The couple spent time in central America where Andy Abel held a teaching position at a college. Abel said, “We wanted to move back to New England, so we searched for schools in the area. Originally, we didn’t even consider coming to Pennsylvania; however, there was an opportunity to teach Chinese here, so we came over.” Abel and her husband planned to stay at Mercersburg Academy until their son graduated from high school. “We thought that we would only stay for a while, but almost eleven years have passed,” she said. Abel’s favorite Mercersburg memories surround its many traditions. “In other schools where I taught, sports day was only one or two days. Here, at Mercersburg, Irving and Marshall Week is a whole week of activities, which gives students a break from school work and brings our community closer together. I like all school activities, which is why Step Songs is another tradition that stood out to me. I really love how the community gathers together to celebrate and cheer each other on, ” she said. Previous Previous Next Next

Shubhlean Kaur ‘27 < Back Brinson’s back: the director’s encore Shubhlean Kaur ‘27 Sep 12, 2025 For the 2025–2026 school year, the iconic Jim Brinson has returned as Director of Chorale and of the a capella groups Magalia and Octet. He also continues in his long-standing role as Director of Chapel Music. Beginning his 23rd year at the Academy, Brinson has consistently shown unwavering dedication to Mercersburg’s music department. Many are excited about his return as the director. When asked about his feelings toward returning, Brinson joked, “Exhausting!” adding, “This year has really reminded me that this is hard. But it’s the beginning of the year; things are always harder. I have faith that things will settle down soon.” In the past few years, Brinson had been working part-time, so the new school year has reminded him of the daunting quality of Mercersburg’s chaotic daily life, not just for students, but for faculty as well. Chorale and the a capella groups have experienced many ups and downs over the past couple of years due to a variety of scheduling conflicts, shifting leadership. The school employed different choral directors in each of the last two years. Consequently, students have become less motivated to join Chorale. However, music still plays a significant role in the life of the school, not solely for the singers, but also for the community as a whole, and maintaining this tradition remains a priority. Brinson said, “The school has asked me to build the Chorale program back up again to make people want to sing. I want people to know that they're welcome, appreciated, and valued.” Brinson aims to increase meeting days for a capella groups in order to produce efficiency during practice hours. Last year, the a capella groups had more than 20 singers in total, and Brinson plans to restore Octet’s to eight and Magalia to nine. To be more inclusive, Brinson plans on allowing upper middlers and seniors to audition for Magalia or Octet even if they are not enrolled in Chorale. By doing this Brinson hopes to promote more flexibility for students, specifically upperclassmen, who want to sing but cannot due to their busy schedules. “I have a good feeling with the Chorale kids. They want to be there. This is a good start,” said the ever-hopeful Brinson. Previous Next

Rhiannon Myhre '25 < Back Looking toward to-Morrow Rhiannon Myhre '25 Sep 22, 2023 This year, Mercersburg Academy is pleased to welcome Kristen Morrow, who comes all the way from Austin, Texas Mercersburg’s music department. One can find Morrow in the Burgin Center co-teaching choral and Band; she will also assist with Octet and Magalia, as well as serve as the vocal director and pit conductor for the winter musical. Morrow welcomed the school community at Convocation, leading the Chorale in a beautiful rendition of A Million Dreams from the hit film The Greatest Showman . It was evident from her first performance that Morrow will be a great fit, showing the same strong passion for the arts that has long characterized the music faculty. Morrow first came to Mercersburg because of her love for boarding school: “I have always loved the boarding school environment and I have taught at a wide variety of schools, including public schools, independent day schools, and boarding schools in the past. However, the last time that I was in the boarding school environment was about 15 years ago and I realized how much I truly missed it,” adding, “When this position came up I knew that it was the perfect opportunity to get me back into the boarding school universe and closer to my family and friends, so when I put in for this job it all just seemed right.” Morrow gave some insight into her musical background. “Growing up, my father was a music teacher. He taught band, chorus, and orchestra and all of those things while also playing the organ, the piano, and just all of the instruments… so that is what I grew up around. I have always had a love for music and so I personally started taking lessons around the age of five. Later in high school I was in the marching band, orchestra, choir, and it was all very eclectic, but it was always fun.” Previous Next

< Back Course Remorse September 16, 2022 at 10:00:00 PM Norah Copenhaver '24 Whether you are a returning student or a new student, you may have experienced stress and confusion when selecting your classes prior to an upcoming school year. The school often makes it seem like every student has control in choosing their classes to meet their own expectations and academic level. Despite this, you may have realized that this isn’t usually the case. Personally, in past years, I've found myself bored and restless in classes because I wasn't allowed the opportunity to choose my own academic path. When I attempted to select my courses, I was often met with an email along the lines of, “After discussing with your teacher, we don’t believe this class is right for you,” referring to my wish to take an honors or advanced studies course. At Mercersburg, we are encouraged to do our best and strive for greatness, but at the same time the school makes students feel like they aren’t aware of their own academic limits and capabilities. The notion that other people know more about what’s best for your academic load seems to take away from the individuality that’s celebrated at Mercersburg. Despite being a returning student, I know it can be difficult for new and transfer students, too. Coming in as an upper-middler, let's say you may have taken many APs at your previous school, but you are rejected or discouraged from taking honors or advanced studies courses. This makes it harder to demonstrate academic growth on your transcript across a transfer in schools. You may fight for your choice in classes and send a million emails back and forth, but many new students don’t know of that option. Course selections shouldn’t come down to battles over email with the Academic Office. I understand that the faculty and administration mean well and want to set students up for success in their classes. Obviously a tenth grader who barely passed geometry should not take honors precalculus. However, at the end of the day, the Academic Office should not have the final say in deciding someone's potential in a subject. Students, new and old, should be trusted to judge their own academic ability with minimal interference from the school administration. Previous Next

< Back Graduation caps, not cop caps April 9, 2024 at 4:00:00 PM Susanna Huang ‘27 Recently, Campus Safety has planned to adopt the carrying of firearms on campus, hoping to increase the level of security. Proponents of the measure say that we can never be too safe. Indeed, it is hard to argue against prioritizing student safety. However, there is also a population of students who question the necessity of firearms in the community. The presence of firearms may create an atmosphere of fear where students may become intimidated by the very people who are meant to protect them. Granted, the school has taken steps to facilitate conversations between students and Campus Safety, such as organizing friendly “ride-alongs” in an effort to shift the perception of intimidation. Although this effort is appreciated, it may present a forced relationship and come off as disingenuous to some students who may perceive these efforts as “damage control” on the part of the school. The school should have focused on training in de-escalation conflict resolution techniques to build an atmosphere of empathy and understanding before turning to carrying weapons. Prioritizing training for conflict resolution can build students’ confidence in campus security’s competence in preventing dangerous incidents from escalating in the first place. Establishing authentic community engagement can foster trust and connection between students and Campus Safety. A safe school community should start with these in mind before deciding to militarize Campus Safety. Building trust and relationships within the community is more effective in keeping the campus safe and should have been the priority to begin with, not an afterthought. Previous Next

Amanda Xi '25 < Back Keltner's Ammerman lecture Amanda Xi '25 Last Monday, the Mercersburg community gathered in the Simon Theatre for the annual Ammerman Family Lecture. “The Ammerman Lecture brings to the community speakers of national renown who have important perspectives on significant issues of the day and the capacity to help young people understand the relevance of such issues in their lives,” said School Minister Will Whitmore. This year’s speaker was Dr. Dachner Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. In his academic work, Keltner is a prominent researcher in emotional science with over 200 scientific article publications and six books. Keltner also hosts the award-winning podcast The Science of Happiness and worked as a scientific expert for the well-known Pixar animated film Inside Out in 2015. Whitmore said, “Dr. Keltner was selected due to his unique research and perspective. We believe our community can learn from him and his research on awe.” During his presentation, Keltner shared his studies about the science of awe and his recently published book, Awe . Additionally, Keltner discussed his list of the eight wonders of life, which included arts, nature, and religion. About his personal doctrine of the psychology of happiness, Keltner said, “We need to move beyond individualism and to start thinking about how we connected to bigger things than the self – that’s what awe is. It makes you aware of the fact that you are in a community.” The audience engaged with Keltner’s ideas at a high level by asking questions in the final minutes of the session and with several students staying after the program to continue the discussion. William Tutt ‘25 said, “ I feel like he was able to make me feel very interested in the subject. I was even lucky enough to see him after his speech and talk to him for a few minutes.” Dr. Keltner’s concept of awe also gave Justin An ‘23 a moment to reflect on his perception of reality; “His concept of awe is actually something we experience quite often in our lives, and I think many of us failed to notice its importance until now.” Day Kim ‘23 said, “ Although it is quite a cliché, even though we all know that many moments should be sought for, we don’t actively pursue them. It is important to be constantly be looking for something that interests and inspires you.” As his parting gift to students, Keltner offered three pieces of advice on the quest for happiness in life. “The first is to find one way to find peace when you are stressed out. The second is always find where your sense of community is, as well as friendship, and just cultivate that. The third is awe – which is to find your sources of awe and they will tell you what to really care about.” Additionally, interested community members met with Keltner during the first Block on Tuesday, just prior to his departure from campus. Previous Next

Talaina Jarrett '25 < Back One North redux Talaina Jarrett '25 Many changes have occurred this school year, and One North Coffee and Bake Shop has not been passed by in this trend. The coffee shop, a beloved haunt for the townspeople of Mercersburg and the students of the Academy, enters a new chapter. In early 2024, Lena Eckstine, the previous owner of One North, put the coffee shop up for sale. Three members of the Mercersburg Academy community, English teacher Todd McGuire and school archivist Doug Smith, as well as Matt Pixler, spouse of art teacher Kristen, jumped at the opportunity. “I’ve always liked One North for one thing, but I wanted to find a way to connect more to the community. One North is the business that incorporates our school and the community the most,” said Smith . Eckstine wanted to keep the coffee shop in the community and saw McGuire, Smith, and Pixler as the perfect option. Once the sale was finalized, the three men set out their plan for the new One North. Their first order of business was the shop's relocation. “We are moving back to One North, the original site and the namesake,” says McGuire. Currently, One North resides at the historical Irwin House (Archibald Irwin was the direct ancestor of two First Ladies of the United States). While cozy, the house is very small, so it cannot hold a proper kitchen. The limited kitchen space makes it hard to get food and beverage orders in a timely manner. The new owners wanted to resolve this issue. Their objective with the location change wasn’t just to return One North to One North Main Street but to obtain a space with a large enough kitchen with specific areas for the bakery, the coffee, and the food. “The move has been our focus, but what we have been working on is establishing a framework for a scratch kitchen, a bakery kitchen, and that has been our main goal. It has always been part of the plan to get new facilities and put together a kitchen. We have been working on acquiring equipment for it and expanding,” said Smith. For a week, the coffeehouse has been closed in order to move equipment to the renovated original location, but there will be a soft opening on Saturday, October 5. Still, Academy students are ready for the reopening. Yiting Sun ’25 said, “ I’m super-excited that there will be some familiar faces there and what new changes they’ll implement.” As for the location change, Elie Shimaoka ‘26 says, “ I think it’s going to be bigger, so I’m excited about that. ” No matter the differences, McGuire, Smith, and Pixler are adamant on keeping that cozy, homey feeling. “ There’s going to be nooks, and little study areas and a large study table. Better seating arrangement is in our plans,” said Smith. This intention aligns with some of the things that the students want to remain. Sun said, “I hope they keep the various types of seating and the environment in which people can either study or hang out or just enjoy a coffee and a sweet treat.” McGuire, Smith, and Pixler are up for the challenge and ready to do everything they can to make One North as great as possible. There will be a grand opening later this month, so look on the One North Instagram page for updates. Previous Next

Tiana Lee '25 < Back Bob the builder Tiana Lee '25 Sep 22, 2023 Between its flourishing, green landscape and beautiful buildings, Mercersburg is known for having a fantastic campus. This week, architects from the firm Voith and Mactavish visited the school. The primary purpose of the visit was to decide where and how the new STEM building will be placed. Also, with the evolving curriculum in mind, they sought to identify other aspects of campus that could be improved. Daniela Voith, a founding partner and the Director of Design of VMA said, “Generally, our outlook is to try and reinforce an existing architectural context. So, it’d be a beautiful building in itself but the whole would also be better.” During their visit, the architects met with various departments. Nikki Walker, the head of the science department, hoping for what the new STEM building would provide, said, “Areas to help students outside of class, group study areas, secure and useful prep spaces for labs, up-to-date hookups for water, gas, and electricity.” She added, “Some of these things aren’t glamorous, but they are what we need behind the scenes to allow for seamless delivery of information and hands-on activities for students.” Amy Kelley, the head of the math department, shared some of her wishes. “I hope it provides multiple spaces where the department and students can continue to work collaboratively and individually. Flexible spaces, lots of writable surfaces, that’s what I’m hoping for.” Of course, it will take a while for the change to occur. This is a huge project that not only consists of a new building but also remodeling other buildings, including Irvine Hall. “This is just a step,” said Julie Maurer, the Associate Head of School for School Life, “There will be more opportunities to intersect with the architects for other community members.” One of Mercerburg's values that the architects will especially focus on is the school’s welcoming community. Robert Douglass, a senior associate at VMA, said, “One of the things that we’ve been told a few times about is how Mercersburg is a welcoming environment and the importance of it being an inclusive place, so I think one of the goals of these projects will be to think about how the visions of these buildings can improve the inclusivity of the space.” Previous Previous Next Next