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Sophie Han '27 < Back Oh, word! Sophie Han '27 Oct 13, 2023 Known for its range of performances under soft lights and its comfortable cafe-like atmosphere, Spoken Word has become an opportunity for students to come together and enjoy a shared love of art. On Saturday, October 7, spectators and student performers convened in the Edwards Room for a night of poetry, music, short stories, and snacks. Michele Poacelli, the English department head and Writing Center Director, has worked with students to host Spoken Word in recent years. “You don’t always know what the kids can do, especially since there are not many chances to show them during day-to-day life of the school, so the most exciting thing about it [Spoken Word] for me is to see all the brilliance and spectacular magic the kids can do…My favorite part is always when the crowd is supporting the performers and friends on stage because they all recognize how nerve-wracking it can be performing in front of an audience, and it’s just very heart-warming to see how the community is understanding and supporting each other like this,” said Poacelli. Spoken Word brought a variety of performers to the stage, encouraging people to share their talents with a supportive crowd. “Judy Ma’s performance was the first dance that we ever had on our setlist, and I think it worked out incredibly well. It was super awesome that she had the courage to sign up for something completely new. I hope this can empower more people to be creative with their performances,” said Kevin Hang ‘24, one of the emcees. Mikahel Martinez-Arocho ‘25 said, “Singing is not what I usually do in public, and I was really nervous. So singing in a small and safe space like this with my friends cheering for me was honestly much better than any other platform I can imagine. And honestly, as I got through the song, I got more comfortable with it, so I forgot how nervous I was when I was at the most emotional part of it and just sang.” One of the audience members, Carrie Yang ‘27, said after the show, "Spoken Word depends on the wellbeing of the community, support, having the courage to perform, and the warmth of the audience to keep the performers going. And the overall atmosphere of coziness and comprehensive set up of the room inspired me to join Spoken Word for next season.” Previous Next

< Back Lights, Camera, No Action? January 27, 2023 at 5:00:00 PM Anish Shrestha '24 On our highly driven campus, anxiety naturally rises when discussions of college come up during lower-middle year. References to early decision, the CommonApp, and SATs are all tossed around apprehensively. Yet one word (or two actually) currently dominate national headlines: affirmative action. Recently the Supreme Court heard the cases SSFA v. Harvard and SSFA v. UNC , and now the future of affirmative action lies in the hands of a predominantly Republican-controlled court. Legal analysts are already forecasting the program’s imminent demise by the next application cycle. If you’re worried about what this might mean for you as a prospective applicant, I’m certain your college counselor can advise you better than I ever could; I’m here to discuss why affirmative action requires revision and how it is indicative of America’s systemic pattern of socioeconomic and racial inequality. As the plaintiffs in the Harvard and UNC cases, Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) has acclaimed nationwide attention as a nonprofit representing predominantly Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. Under Executive Order, John F. Kennedy established "affirmative action to ensure that applicants are treated equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.” Whereas affirmative action was intended to grant total equality irrespective of race or color, the students in the case feel that they’ve been wrongly denied in favor of other underrepresented minorities. In supposed alignment with the original principles of the civil rights movement, SFFA argues that “a student’s race and ethnicity should not be factors that either harm or help that student to gain admission to a competitive university.” In layman’s terms, their allegation is the same affirmative action used to protect the equality of all minorities is now pitting opposing racial minorities against each other for spots at elite schools. Completely repealing affirmative action would detract from decades of progress in racial, gender, and socioeconomic representation in higher education. Considering that there is a historic correlation between socioeconomic status and race, one could say that the two go hand-in-hand. As a consequence of xenophobia and systemic racism, issues like redlining and city funding deficits have prevented generations of people of color from accessing quality education. Affirmative action has simply been used to paper over the cracks. What we really need, however, is to reform affirmative action to rest on the grounds of socioeconomic status as a whole and not entirely on race. If need-based admissions take precedence over race-blind admissions, then college campuses stand to benefit from a plurality in the student body that feature all kinds of walks of life crossing race, creed, and political orientation. Even with government measures such as the No Child Left Behind Act, public schools are still struggling to bridge the gap between underprivileged and upper-class education. With the plethora of educational opportunities available in public, private, charter, boarding, and home schooling, a universal education system is seemingly impossible. Nonetheless, we still must invest more in public education to level the playing field for the sake of equity and the future of the nation. That being said, affirmative action (as it is) only puts a measly bandage on the nation’s deep wounds caused by the systemic oppression of minorities. It’s about time we have a serious conversation about the equity of the American education system from K through 12 rather than just about the end product of the college admissions process. Previous Next

Andrew Lebowitz '24 < Back Mercersburg's pride fires up at festival Andrew Lebowitz '24 Last weekend, students and faculty volunteered at the Pride Franklin County Festival at Wilson College. Founded by the Franklin County Coalition for Progress, the event focuses on bringing awareness and empowerment to the LGBTQ+ members of Franklin County and celebrating Pride yearlong. Along with raising awareness and celebrating, the Mercersburg Academy also volunteered, which had its benefits. “Our volunteering mainly consisted of directing traffic and telling people where to park, but it led to us meeting many people. It was endearing to see so many people of all ages deciding to come out and participate in the event,” said volunteer Corbin Kelly ’24. Director of Community Engagement Emily Parsons said, “The best was how willing our students were to do the work. Some helped at a face painting booth, but most of us were parking attendants for several hours. I appreciate the way our students just jumped in and did what was needed. In Community Engagement, our jobs are rarely glamorous but always important. I'm so happy that our students could see that.” The volunteers also learned some things that aren’t well known within the community, especially specific to Franklin County. Kelly said he learned that “Sheetz supports gay people officially.” Elliot Cole ’24 echoed Kelly. “I learned that there was a lot of support for those in the LGBTQ community all around me that I didn't realize before.” Parsons said, “I also learned that Wilson College is doing a lot of great work on their campus regarding the LGBTIA+ community.” The Franklin County Pride movement is pushing forward with no signs of stopping, planning numerous events in the near future. Gigi Devlin ’24 said, “I would definitely go again, it was a fun and easy experience where I can help the community and make a difference.” Kelly said, “The event was very entertaining and the showing of people really made me happy.” Previous Next

Sophie Mielke '25 < Back Down the rabbit hole Sophie Mielke '25 May 10, 2024 For this year’s Spring Scenes, the Stony Batter Players performed Alice in Wonderland , adapted and directed by Matt Maurer. The familiar story follows Alice, a young girl who follows a rabbit down a rabbit hole. When she emerges from the hole, she finds herself in Wonderland, a place full of strange creatures, talking flowers, and a queen obsessed with croquet and decapitation. The Friday night show was performed in the Boys Garden to give the audience the Wonderland experience. “I really wanted something that was going to work outside,” said Maurer. Unfortunately on Saturday, it rained, causing the play to be moved to the Hale Studio Theatre. “We had such great weather all along that we hadn’t really rehearsed it in the Hale. Everybody figured it out. Everybody just realized we had less space, and nobody got hurt,” said Maurer. Grace Beard ’25, played the ever-grinning Cheshire Cat: “I think it was definitely more playful than outside because you could hear the laughter…we could tell that the reaction of the audience was positive.” She was grateful that it rained on the last day as opposed to the opening night. “Everyone kinda let their guard down a little bit,” said Beard. Another challenge the group faced was the large swarm of honeybees that took up residence in the Boys Garden during rehearsals. While looking for a hive, the swarm settled on a branch right above the cast. Will Dupuis, the Technology Department Systems Administrator, who is also a beekeeper, was able to remove around 40,000 bees from the garden. The bees removed weighed several pounds. “It ended up being nothing, but at the time it freaked us out. That was a temporary setback,” said Maurer. Maurer and the cast worked hard to produce a play that would entertain and amuse their audience. Tech crew was essential in making the props for the actors; then it became the actors’ job to bring them to life. “Some of the ideas were mine; some of the ideas were theirs [the cast],” said Maurer. “A lot of the action, in this version, is described in the narration, which helps.” The main props used were blocks painted like chess pieces. The cast maneuvered these blocks to create settings such as the rabbit hole. “It was a process to learn how to act the characters,” says Margaux d’Arabian ’25, who played the Mouse, the Duchess, and the King of Hearts—her most memorable moment in the show perhaps being the Duchess’ horrible lullaby. Beard ’25 agreed. “One of the harder parts was trying to figure out different directions I could take the character.” Since the story is older and minor characters often have short, nonsensical lines, a lot of interpretation fell onto the actors. “I tried to really amplify the attitude of the character,” said Beard. The play was received well by the community. It was an enjoyable way to close out Stony Batter’s performances for the year, with laughter and a little bit of madness. Previous Next

Maggie Coors ‘25 < Back Nailed it! Maggie Coors ‘25 Nov 13, 2023 In the past year, Barbara Gamboa ’26 has started her own manicure business on campus. She creates nail art for her friends and peers, and her services have become very popular lately. Sofia Martin ’26 got her nails done last winter by Gamboa. “I really loved them and they lasted a really long time! I can tell that Barbara knows what she is doing. She has all of the tools and materials that she needs to do whatever you ask for,” said Martin. Gamboa takes her business seriously. She taught herself the proper ways of doing nails to make them look professional and last for multiple weeks. “She adapts to people's schedules and the prices are reasonable,” Cyn Carter ’25 said. Her customers trust her to use good quality materials and to make their nails look nice. She is a committed nail artist now, but doing nails started as a fun, bonding activity for her. Gamboa says, “I mean, I have always done nails my whole life, not as a business but just painting me and my mom’s nails on the weekends to get prepared for school each week. We would sit on the floor and give each other mani-pedis and then after lay in her bed and put on a movie until I had to go to sleep. This was a usual thing that we did, like our little Sunday routine.” “I really enjoy doing nails and it’s a fun way to be able to bond with people because I feel as though I’ve gotten closer with people due to having the opportunity to do their nails. I feel really lucky that people trust me with this and that I have made friends from this,” said Gamboa. “I will definitely be getting them done again in the future, I have so much fun talking with her and hanging out while she does my nails!” says Martin. “I feel like the best part about getting my nails done by her is that I just feel more comfortable,” says Carter. Nail art went from a fun weekend activity to a business idea when Barbara arrived at Mercersburg and realized that her creativity and skill were profitable. “What got me to do it as a business was coming to boarding school honestly. I had thought about it over [the] summer thinking that I would be able to do girls in my dorm's nails, but I didn’t automatically connect it to having my own business,” says Gamboa. She now has regular clients and tends to get very busy around dances and semi-formal school events. “I even trusted her to do my prom nails!” Carter exclaims. Her business is going very well so far and she plans to keep it running for her entire time at Mercersburg Academy. Gamboa says, “Honestly, I don’t know what I want to do with my business in the future. I think I would really enjoy continuing with nails. I do know for sure that I will continue with my little business at school though.” If you are looking to get your nails done on campus, Gamboa’s business is definitely worth checking out! Previous Next

< Back While we wait to eat October 10, 2025 at 4:00:00 PM Riley Choi ’28 It is very exciting to see all the construction and renovation happening on campus, especially in the new dining hall. We all know that a brand new dining experience is coming, and we appreciate that the school is investing in a better future for all of us. We also understand that big improvements mean we have to deal with some temporary changes. However, the current dining setup in the field house is more than just an inconvenience. It significantly affects our daily lives. The problem isn't just that the way to the dining hall from the classroom or even from the dorm is too far. The real issue is the quality and choice of the food we've lost since the move. The yogurt section, which many students relied on for a healthy and quick meal, is completely gone from lunches and dinners. Vanilla ice cream, a simple comfort food that everyone enjoys, has disappeared. Even the different sauces that made a boring bowl of rice taste better are mostly missing. They were the basics that made our mealtime something we could count on. Some might say that this situation is only temporary. But for us, this “temporary” period will last for many months, which is a huge part of our school year. It feels like all the planning went into the new building, but little thought went into how students would actually eat and live during this time. For the students who live on campus, we can't just go home for dinner. The dining hall is pretty much our only option, and when the options are so limited, it affects our health, our happiness, and our ability to focus. We know the field house isn't a real kitchen, but we believe there are some simple solutions. Is it truly impossible to bring in another food section for yogurt? Can vanilla flavor just be added in for an ice cream machine? Surely, providing a few more bottles of sauce is an easy fix. We are asking the school to get creative and show that they care about our experience now, not just in the future. The opening of the new dining hall is something we are all thrilled about. But we need the school to remember that we are living and learning here today. Please don't let our well-being get lost in the construction. Let's make sure that while a new building is going up, our school spirit doesn't go down. Previous Next

Arts Oct 17, 2025 Say it loud: Fall Spoken Word Kate Sui ‘29 Read More Oct 17, 2025 Cutting creativity Ethan Shi ‘28 Read More Oct 3, 2025 Homecoming: Arts take the stage Rachael Zhang ’28 Read More Sep 26, 2025 Unity in paint Amy Ye ‘29 Read More Sep 26, 2025 Amy Wilson: In the Wild Blue William Shen ‘27 Read More Sep 12, 2025 Brinson’s back: the director’s encore Shubhlean Kaur ‘27 Read More Sep 12, 2025 Recruiting male choristers! Claire Chow ‘26 Read More May 16, 2025 Won’t “Chiu” look at her go! Sarah Ali ’25 Read More May 16, 2025 “Graduation Ball”: one last dance concert Maddie Mamoudis '27 Read More May 9, 2025 Our Chapel: An Enduring Memorial James Coors '27 Read More May 9, 2025 Taking art beyond the classroom: Yuma Matsuo Madeline Chu '27 Read More Apr 25, 2025 "Save the music" charity concert Rachael Zhang '28 Read More Apr 25, 2025 Fake it till you make it: seeing love theater Janie Miller '26 Read More Apr 18, 2025 Community Chorus: Mozart's Requiem Audrey Hua '26 Read More Apr 18, 2025 B-Mo returns to the "Burg Ava Guzic '25 Read More Apr 4, 2025 From tendus to twerking Elizabeth Orders '25 Read More Apr 4, 2025 MASQed avengers Derrick Park '25 and Alice Yoo '27 Read More Jan 24, 2025 Art in the Big Apple Maggie Coors '25 Read More Jan 24, 2025 Taking a Gamble Rachael Zhang '28 Read More Jan 17, 2025 Seussical to the stage! Tristan Paulette '27 Read More

Features Oct 17, 2025 Signed, sealed, delivered Sophie Han ’27 Read More Oct 17, 2025 Not so cooked after all Bauhinia Chen ’26 Read More Oct 3, 2025 David Stephenson Kate Sui ’29 Read More Oct 3, 2025 Catya Bookhammer Kate Sui ’29 Read More Oct 3, 2025 Erin McHugh Kate Sui ’29 Read More Sep 26, 2025 Coolest spot in town Riley Choi ’28 Read More Sep 26, 2025 Alyssa Colen Maddie Stonebraker ’27 Read More Sep 26, 2025 Jessica Dobrin Maddie Stonebraker ’27 Read More Sep 12, 2025 Treat people nice-Lee Paris Zhang '27 Read More Sep 12, 2025 Civic-minded Christine Jiang '26 Read More May 16, 2025 Clothing & communing William Luo ‘27 Read More May 16, 2025 Ron(knee)-slappers! Michelle Zhang ‘28 Read More May 9, 2025 Craving crêpes? By Sophie Han '27 Read More May 9, 2025 Pour Mental Health Ariel Xu '28 Read More Apr 25, 2025 Caked up Bauhinia Chen '26 Read More Apr 25, 2025 All aboard! Christine Jiang '26 Read More Apr 18, 2025 Making History Riley Choi '28 Read More Apr 18, 2025 "HANDS OFF" ... everything! Sophie Han '26 Read More Apr 4, 2025 Free Mercersburg Tahir Hasanov '25 and Anderson Wang '26 Read More Apr 4, 2025 Five things you did last week Maggie coors '25 and Tristan Paulette '27 Read More

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