Lucas Chen '27 < Back Tip(pets) Lucas Chen '27 May 10, 2024 Sometimes called the first-ever friends of human beings, pets play an essential role in most people’s lives across cultures. They help combat loneliness, lower stress levels, and improve mental health, even in the Mercersburg community. Tippetts Hall is a pet-friendly dorm, and there are a total of six faculty pets. Among them, Riggie, Grace, and Ren are student favorites. Matthew Jacobs, dorm dean of Tippetts Hall, stated, “Pets definitely make it feel more like home. I know a lot of kids have pets back home, and having that experience here, being away from home, really makes you feel like you are feeling back home, being able to enjoy the pets and the comfort. It really just gives them the sensation of home away from home.” Riggie, a two-year-old Golden Retriever, is one of the two dogs, along with Reese, a mini labradoodle, belonging to the Jacobs family. Jacobs explained the joy he derives from his pets: “I think just having them be goofy together and always in a good mood cheers me up every time I see them coming home from work.” The students share similar feelings as the owners. Preston Zhang ‘27 said, “Riggie really likes to come inside my room a lot. One time, he took a tennis ball I had found in the Hale Field House. He grabbed that from my room, and I couldn’t get it out of his mouth; it was kind of funny.” Riggie is particularly loved for her friendly nature and her willingness to play with every student. The McKevitt family, also of Tippetts Hall, has two pets: a cat, Grace, and a dog, Diego. Both are five years old. Glenn McKevitt noted the students’ love for his pets. “Yeah, especially Grace. She is always outside; students stop all the time to pet her, and she’s really sociable. Sometimes, she ends up somewhere in the dorm, too.” Grant Kurmakov ‘25 agreed and commented, “Grace’s beautiful blue eyes caught me in a trance. Her striking gaze and adorable ‘meow’ took me back to my pets at home. Having her around Tippetts contributes to the dorm culture and she really makes my quality of life better.” Three-year-old, Ren, part Catahoula Leopard, and eleven-month-old May, part Beagle and part Pomeranian, are the two dogs of the Heffron family. Rich Heffron said, “The best memories are of them hanging out with our son, Jude. Particularly the older dog Ren. Whenever Jude gets upset, she will go over to him and put her head in his lap. Those are the wonderful memories, especially watching how the dogs look out for others.” Students are often willing to help out pet owners by walking them to compensate for missing their own pets back home. Clearly, students and faculty members think pets play a key role in creating a dorm culture and bringing positive vibes. Haris Yahaya ‘24 said, “Frankly, I think it has gone pretty well. It’s really nice interacting with the dogs on duty and the faculty, you know. I think it creates a better dorm environment overall.” In sum, these dorm pets in Tippetts Halls contribute to both the well-being of its residents and the dorm culture which ultimately enhances the boarding experience. Previous Previous Next Next

Erika Tso Sowah '24 < Back Green Teens Erika Tso Sowah '24 Oct 28, 2022 Mercersburg Academy’s Green Team is a student club focused on making Mercersburg more eco-friendly and sustainable. Each fall term, members of Green Team brainstorm new environmental initiatives to implement on campus. The club is composed of six co-leaders in charge of important decision-making. Each co-leader runs a committee, focusing on an issue they are passionate about, with student members of Green Team assisting them. Greta Lawler ‘23, co-leader of Green Team, said, “In addition to co-leaders, we also have a super strong group of dorm reps, who are responsible for expanding Green Team’s voice in the dorms and around campus.” Green Team is currently in the process of planning events for the year. Co-leader Andrew Leibowitz ‘24 said, “Right now we have a bunch of initiatives. One is creating a weekly newsletter to get Green Team info out. We feel that the school has historically been disconnected and uninformed with regard to school initiatives, so we want to make the Green Team more transparent. Another group is working on [the] Instagram account to help with that as well. One group is working to outline goals for our school centered around the UN goals for sustainable development.” Green Team has one prime sustainability goal they have decided to focus on this year. “This year, we’re focusing on energy and brainstorming ways to reduce Mercersburg’s energy usage,” said co-leader Cricket Tatone ‘24. The club also has several exciting events planned for the school year to increase school-wide student involvement. Emily Jiang ‘24 said these initiatives include “making Cheap Thrills a more frequent event, hosting a Green Team t-shirt competition, and sponsoring movie nights and gardening events.” Green Team is a club open to anyone who is interested in climate action and making Mercersburg more eco-friendly. Co-leader Devin Rotz ‘25 said, “Keep your eyes out for more activities for you and your friends to get involved with. It’s early in the year, but as the year progresses there will definitely be more activities and opportunities for everyone to get involved.” Not only can you make a genuine impact by getting involved in Green Team, but it’s also easy to join. Lawler explained, “Students can get involved in Green Team by reaching out to Greta Lawler, Grace Carter, Emily Jiang, Andrew Leibowitz, or Devin Rotz. Everyone is welcome at Green Team meetings, so if you’re curious and you hear a friend talk about going to a meeting, feel free to come and join! The Earth needs every one of us!” Previous Previous Next Next

The Blue Storm football team is off to a great start... < Back Teamwork makes the dreamwork Haris Yahaya '24 Mar 14, 2022 The Blue Storm football team is off to a great start. So far they are 3-1 in the season, their only loss coming against Maryland School for the Deaf in an away game. Two weeks ago, during Family and Alumni Weekend, the Storm played their eight-man rival Perkiomen School, winning 38-18. A stand out from that game was senior running back Ryan Maclnnis ’23, who rushed for five touchdowns and four two-point conversions scoring a career high 36 points and setting a school record. Head Coach Andy Brown commented on Maclnnis’ game, saying, “One of the reasons someone can have such a standout or record-breaking game like Ryan is because everyone else shows up and does their job. The linemen do their job, the quarterback makes the right reads, the defense stops the other team and gets the ball back to the offense. While one may get the accolades of a touchdown and stuff, it’s definitely a team effort.” The News sat down with Ma cInnis to ask him about the team and his football career. When did you start playing football? I started playing my sixth grade year going into middle school. I started out playing the safety and running back positions. What enabled you to play so well in the game against Perk? Honestly I don’t really know. My line just played really well. I had blocks and got to see the whole field. All I had to do was run. They opened everything up for me. What was your mindset going into that game? Honestly I was thinking about all the time I missed last year due to injury. I felt like I had a little bit of something to prove, and I felt like I kinda knew the team needed me to play my role to the best of my ability. So I came in with a lot of confidence, so honestly while playing the game, I wasn’t really thinking; I was just having fun. What's your favorite part of football? I think the bus rides back from a win, as well as the bus rides to a game, are so much fun. Everyone kinda just messing around, loud music, especially on the long road trips when it’s dark and everyone’s awake. Just good energy. Where does your passion for the game come from? I always grew up loving sports, always watched football and baseball with my dad, and as I got older, my love only grew. The teammates and coaches I've met have helped me to keep pushing that passion, kept inspiring me and motivating me to keep playing and always do better. Who is your role model? I would say my dad. Me and him are very alike. He kinda tries to push me to do the right thing and tries to make me think things through before I do them. He inspires me to be more like him, and not be as stubborn and as stupid as I can be sometimes. What are some areas of your game that you can improve on? For me a big thing I need to work on is, while playing a good team, just kind of hold back and not try to take over the game and trust that everyone will do their job. I missed making some short plays by jumping the gun when trusting my blocks, that just comes with some film study. Are you looking foward to anything coming up in the season? I enjoy every practice, I enjoy every game. Kind of don’t want the season to end but I look forward to every day, the coaches and players we have. It’s the highlight of my day every day. The Blue Storm is currently in a bye week and plays its next game away at Delaware County Christian School, ending its regular season at home against Valley Forge Military Academy. The Storm is looking to keep its momentum going into the Keystone Football League playoffs starting on November 5. Previous Next

The field hockey season has come to a close, and the Blue Storm put up a good fight... < Back Sweeping up the competition Max Friedman '25 Nov 4, 2022 The field hockey season has come to a close, and the Blue Storm put up a good fight. They accumulated a total record of four wins and nine losses and finished fifth in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League, both improvements on last season’s results,. Some highlights include shutouts against local rival St. James School and M Cup rival Madeira School, as well as a double overtime, shootout victory against MAPL foe Peddie School on senior day. Despite this season being head coach Grace Megaffin’s first at the school, she felt that the team had a “‘work hard, play hard’ mentality.” She said, “They are a cohesive team without divides between class years or positions. They were so fun to coach.” Megaffin also spoke positively about the team’s leadersghip. “Our three captains, Hailey Chepren, Cam Dotson, and Liza Webb, led a team discussion at the start of the season to create goals and expectations for the team. We ended the season fifth in the MAPL, which was better than last year, and I think it shows how strong their leadership was this fall,” said Megaffin. Megaffin noted standout performances by Vienna Horstmann ’23 and Zarreen Sorho ’23, two seniors who “were both thrown into roles on defense, midfield, and forward.” She said, “Their willingness to play positions they hadn't in the past was appreciated and admired by coaches and teammates.” Megaffin noted another standout senior. “It's hard to watch a Mercersburg field hockey game and not be blown away by Zareena Sorho's goaltending. She was new to field hockey and the position of goalkeeper when she started her freshman year, but you'd think she's been playing her whole life.” Zareena Sorho notched three shutouts on the season and credited this to the team’s composition. “We work together really well on the field. We have good chemistry off the field and we are just grinding away right now. It's awesome,” she said. Her favorite game was a close 2-1 loss to Foxcroft School. She said, “There was a lot of good hype and trash-talking emotions towards both teams and it was just really hype and exciting.” Megaffin gave the full summary of the fairy-tale finish of the team’s intense victory over Peddie: “Cameron Dotson scored two goals, but Peddie responded with two in the fourth quarter. We had 13 players, it was a surprising 70 degrees, so they were exhausted by the end of the second overtime period. Hailey Chepren scored the game winning goal in a shootout and Zareena Sorho made the save to make the difference. It was an incredible display of heart and hustle from the senior class.” Zareena Sorho also spoke about the win over Peddie, “It was a nailbiter for sure, but we came out with the win! It was the longest field hockey game ever, that's for sure.” Overall, the season was a resounding success, an improvement over the year prior, and another proud chapter in the Blue Storm annals. Previous Next

Sheily Ramirez < Back MAPL Track & Field Sheily Ramirez At last Saturday’s Mid-Atlantic Prep League track championships at The Lawrenceville School, both the boys and girls indoor track teams earned fourth-place finishes, closing out a season defined by adaptation, resilience, and steady improvement despite unusual training conditions. This winter, the team did not have access to its indoor track as the dining hall was relocated to the Hale Field House while Ford Hall was under renovation, forcing athletes to train outside or find alternative spaces. That lack of a consistent facility shaped much of the season’s preparation. Head coach Betsy Cunningham said, “We did about as well as possible given the circumstances, without having a facility for indoor training and with such a cold and snowy winter.” Bauhinia Chen ’26 added, “The training that we did this season was honestly not ideal because we didn’t have our regular track, and it’s also been the coldest year I’ve experienced here. So, I think given the subpar training we had, I’m glad I’m still able to sustain a good level of performance that I’m happy with.” Several athletes delivered standout performances despite the challenges. The boys 4x400 relay of Eric Cittadie ’26, Arnav Rao ’26, Gustavo Santana ’26, and Imangali Zhakan ’26 broke the school record with a time of 3:33.18, and Zhakan won the 800 meters in a close finish. About the MAPL meet, Cunningham said, “The goal was to score as many points as possible. This often means having a different strategy than you might if you were trying to run a fast time. The field events usually perform as usual, which means jumping or throwing as far as possible to make finals…. [M[any athletes post[ed] personal records across several events.” Zhakan said, “Admittedly, the goal was to win, and I did, but I was unhappy with how the race played out. But overall, I built a lot of grit and resilience this year by training without an indoor facility.” Emily Wallace ’29, who placed fourth in the 55-meter hurdles, set a personal record. “I wasn’t completely satisfied with my MAPLs performance, but I still placed well, so there was improvement,” Wallace said. She added that a memorable moment came late in the meet. “During the last few races, the team was lined up along the banked curve, and everyone was cheering and supporting one another.” Teressa Nyarko ’26 added, “I feel as though my performance at MAPLs was a direct reflection of all my hard work throughout the season,” she said. “Seeing everyone finishing hard and ending with a smile reminded me of the beauty of track.” Looking ahead, Cunningham said the team will shift its focus at the PAISSA meet toward personal records rather than points. After a season shaped by compromise and adjustment, the teams will look to finish strong with a renewed focus on individual progress. Previous Next

Bauhinia Chen ‘26 < Back Mercersburg mogs the competition Bauhinia Chen ‘26 Jan 26, 2024 Last weekend, Director of Global Programs Justine O’Connell led students of the Model UN program to the Columbia Model United Nations Conference and Exposition (CMUNCE). For the past two years, the trip has been used for the professional development of Mercersburg’s Secretariat, the team of student leaders within the school’s PGA. Members were selected after an application and interview process last spring and convened during the early days of fall to prepare for the winter season, during which they led the other student delegates. The primary purpose of the trip to CMUNCE was to foster the leaders’ growth and hone their skills. O’Connell said, “Their charge is to return to campus with more experience, knowledge, and strategies and create at least one PGA session where they lead the training session. This peer-to-peer training is powerful because Model UN is mostly an individual endeavor. Having the Secretariat help the other delegates creates a sense of team which, in my opinion, only makes us stronger.” This year, the Secretariat consists of five members: Secretary General Kevin Hang ‘24, Deputy Secretary General Gabe McGuire ‘24, Director of Finance Zoe Shykind ‘24, Head Delegate Abi Bam ‘24, and Head Delegate Zoe Duffy ‘26. Tahir Hasanov ‘25 traveled with the team as a sixth delegate. O’Connell noted, “He has been a great addition to the delegation.” The trip was a fruitful and enjoyable experience for the students. Duffy said, “My committee was definitely challenging but super fun! I gained a lot of experience doing new things. For example, this year, I sat in a crisis committee on the Hunger Games. This was very different from anything I have ever done before. It was great to talk to current Columbia students about the school, admissions, and their interests, as well as improve our skills.” “The trip was fantastic,” Hasanov said. “Here, hundreds of students from several schools come together. It's a great way to improve your debating skills, meet new people, and have a great time.” McGuire said, “It was tiring because we were always engaged in thought, movement, and our practices. But I think it was a great experience for all of us. It provided the Secretariat with an opportunity to see what it’s like to compete at a high level.” He also commented upon how interesting it was to learn from actual delegates, “I got to hear personal responses from the delegates representing Spain. It was interesting to hear how my perspective differed from a real delegate, which was surprisingly really similar.” At the conference, McGuire won Best Delegate in his committee, while Hasanov won a Verbal Commendation in his. Previous Previous Next Next

Simon Brennan '26 < Back No -i- in team Simon Brennan '26 Nov 15, 2024 This season, Mercersburg’s Blue Storm football team demonstrated its resilience, unity, and unwavering commitment when faced with challenges on and off the field. A brand-new coaching staff, led by Head Coach Jamar Galbreath, and the addition of new players required a period of adjustment. The players pulled together and built a team dynamic centered on resilience, teamwork, and a shared determination. "Despite our record [1-6], the team did incredibly well this year," Galbreath shared. "In a season of a lot of change and adversity, the team did an excellent job of living up to a culture of being excellent community members, embodying a ‘next man up’ mentality, and being ready to play at a moment’s notice." Team members explained that the season was about more than just the score. Germany Johnson ’25 reflected on the team dynamic that developed, noting, “We had good chemistry and energy off the field.” For Johnson, the team’s dedication to helping less experienced players learn and adjust was crucial. “No one ever lost confidence, and everyone played to the best of their ability the whole way through,” Johnson added. For Jacob Bershatsky ’28, the experience of being part of the Blue Storm was quite unique. “I’ve played on a fair bit of sports teams, but none had a dynamic like this. I felt like we were all one big family looking out for each other,” he said, emphasizing the importance of the spirit of family and friendship. Max Friedman ’25 added, “From the freshmen to seniors, everyone came together to make this team awesome.” The team's composition has changed since last year. It now consists mainly of seniors and a few underclassmen. Captain Wyatt Parks ’25 stated, “This interesting dynamic puts a strain on captains to try and raise spirits and push everybody.” Despite the record, Parks expressed pride in his teammates’ progress and accomplishments, stating, “Linebackers like Reed Warner [’25] and running backs like Germany Johnson and Frank Bonsal [’25] had games where they put up crazy numbers. Although football is hard, [we] don’t let scores define how [we] individually played.” Jerry Wei ’25 echoed this sentiment, noting, “Football isn’t about wins and losses; it’s about learning resilience, discipline, and forming connections that can last a lifetime.” The football team, however, was bombarded with injuries across the season. Regardless, Warner appreciated the mentality and strength of his teammates, especially players like Wei, August Parks ’27, and Billy Quick ’25 for stepping up and substituting for their teammates despite having limited experience. Warner added, “Football isn’t an easy sport; everyone who made it to the end of the season, especially for [our] starters, truly worked hard.” Wei's reflections captured the overall sentiment among the players: “This season has been a blur of different challenges and incredible growth for the football team. From the first day of preseason, everyone on the team has shown a commitment to each other that goes way beyond the field.” While the record may not fully reflect the hard work and dedication, the season stands as testament to the team’s growth. In the face of adversity, the players built strong bonds. The team left the season with strengthened values and the relationships they’ve built along the way. Previous Next

Anne Sehon ‘25 < Back OPINION: Physical Education Anne Sehon ‘25 Jan 19, 2024 Mercersburg Academy’s Curriculum and Requirements webpage states, “Mercersburg’s Physical Education program is designed to meet the minimal standards of at least one hour of vigorous activity four days per week.” For those participating in non-athletic PGAs, this is too often not true. According to Mercersburg, its students have to “pass Physical Education each term through engagement in the PGA program and successfully complete all human development and health programs as required by the school.” But do all PGAs really meet the standard of one hour of vigorous physical activity four days per week? Under the Pennsylvania Code of Law, Title 22, Chapter 4, § 4.23(c)(8), Mercersburg Academy seems to be in violation of the Commonwealth’s high school physical education requirements. If the webpage that outlines the Academy’s curriculum to the public eye is accurate, PGAs are supposed to be, if not a place for enough physical activity to meet the law’s education requirements, at least an outlet for physical activity. However, it seems clear that non-athletic PGAs are not in the gym four days a week, as the Academy’s website would lead one to believe. The arguments that typically arise are ones of “lifting equipment is physical” and “the dancing in the musical is enough,” but, to me, the “physical fitness” outlined in Pennsylvania state law can not be met simply by dancing in an ensemble and lifting stage equipment, and it certainly can’t be met by doing neither. Mercersburg needs a physical education class for those who do not participate in athletic PGAs like team sports, dance, gym internships, MOE programs, and strength and conditioning. Building strong habits related to physical activity and wellness are vital for our lives beyond high school, and many, many studies show that working out is beneficial to mental health and academic success, as well. I’m concerned for my peers who can’t complete a once-a-term walk to the barn and back without complaint, and I’m concerned about the facade my school puts up to potentially hide that. If a student does not participate in an athletic PGA at least one term per year, it seems they ought to participate in a term course that meets state physical education requirements – it could be a dance course, something related to being in the gym, or a general intramural physical education course, as many public schools have; it should be something more than what is available at the moment. Because of the amount of time PGAs take up, it’s understandable why non-athletic PGAs can not take the time out of their schedules to go to the gym as a group, which is why course offerings could be a strong alternative. If not solely for the sake of physical wellness, if Mercersburg seeks to be the civically-minded institution that it hopes to be, it can begin with adherence to educational law in entirety. Previous Next

Daniel Liu '25 < Back New family (part 3) Daniel Liu '25 Oct 4, 2024 With many faculty members joining the school this fall, The Mercersburg News is profiling new faculty and continues its series of introductions. Joining Mercersburg as Assistant Director of Summer and External Programs, Ben Doyka ’17 is among the newest faculty members. At the Academy, Doyka serves in many capacities. “Over the summer when everyone leaves, we bring upwards of 1500 people onto campus over [the] course of 8–10 weeks. In the fall, aside from coaching and advising, we're working on getting some marketing things set up,” explained Doyka. “It's a lot of planning, and in the spring, the planning gets taken up to another level because every month that goes by, we're that much closer to campers being on campus.” Beyond his Mercersburg commitments, Doyka said, “I love to read. When I was in school here and in college grad school, it was a lot of academic reading. But now that I'm finally, for now, done with school and academic reading, I love to read for fun.” On weekends, Doyka can be found rooting for Philadelphia and TCU sports teams. Doyka added, “I watch football until my eyes bleed.” Coming from a background in business and having worked in two boarding schools before the Academy, Tia Afa serves as Associate Director of Admissions. Afa explained, “My role is to attract, attain, and enroll admission-appropriate students [from] around the world. I am primarily responsible for the junior boarding schools.” As a new faculty member and mother of a new student, Afa said, “I think I’m just excited to experience everything for the first time because it’s new. I’m super excited about that – to witness them and be a part of them and get more immersed in the community – and to get through one full admissions cycle.” During Chinese teacher Grace Abel’s sabbatical this fall, Nancy Ni has joined the language department in both Chinese and Spanish. Having formerly taught at Broadfording Christian Academy and Hagerstown Community College in Chinese, Spanish, and English as a Second Language (ESL), Ni brings valuable experience to Mercersburg. Despite having taught locally, Mercersburg is Ni’s first boarding school. “I am really excited. I’ve never worked at a boarding school before, so I never really had dorm duties or PGAs and stuff like that, so I’m doing LMC for this fall and I have dorm duties as well, just to get to know more people and just see the boarding school schedule. And [I’m] also excited to teach,” said Ni. When she isn’t working, Ni keeps busy: “I also love to do photography, taking pictures, biking, and walking outside. Anything outdoors.” Chaz Macklin, Mercersburg’s Technical Director of the Burgin Center for the Arts, can be found behind the scenes of any artistic performance. Macklin comes to Mercersburg with years of experience in theatre. “I started in College Station, moved up to Temple, and then I ended up in Waco, Texas with Waco Civic Theater,” he said. In his position, Macklin is a jack-of-all-trades. He attributes this to his experiences in Texas, “I was their technical director, resident designer, show technician, and master electrician. I wore a lot of hats, all at once. And every Saturday I would have work days where I would teach students from five-year-olds all the way into their sixties on how to build, how to paint, how to create the physical side of the theater that isn’t the acting side.” What excites Macklin about Mercersburg is the opportunity for student growth. “Being it my advisees or my students in PGA, I just see so much creativity and such a positive community [that] I haven’t seen before.” Macklin continued, “ That immediately drew me in, and it’s something that I’m excited to settle down, make roots, and watch these kids become adults and go on to do these amazing successful things.” Outside of school, Macklin enjoys playing video games and spending time with his dog. Macklin said, “I’m currently going through my next run of Baldur’s Gate and God of War. I just got through the Portal series and the Bioshock series. [I’m a] Big video game lover. I spend my time playing with my little German Shepherd Lola. I call her little, even though she’s giant and 75 pounds. But she’s a sweetheart.” For those interested in Game Club, Macklin also plays Dungeons and Dragons. To that end, Macklin said, “I can’t wait to see all that the future has to hold with me in Mercersburg and everything that Mercersburg has to offer.” Previous Previous Next Next

Alex Eissenstat ‘25 < Back An affinity for belonging Alex Eissenstat ‘25 Feb 3, 2023 Mercersburg Academy is home to over 400 students from different backgrounds, all with unique life experiences. This diversity is a wonderful strength of the Academy, but it can also make students with less represented identities feel isolated and unable to connect with others who hold the same identity. To alleviate this, the Academy has established affinity spaces for several identities represented across campus: Black, LatinX, Body Image, Deafness and Hearing Loss, Neurodivergence, LGBTQ+, International Student, and First Generation/Low Income. Each group is run by an adult leader who either shares the group identity themself or is picked based on their familiarity with the issues associated with that group identity. Director of Library Services and Affinity Space Coordinator, Alexandra Patterson, explains, “[affinity spaces] provide a space to talk about one's identity with others who hold the same identity.” With affinity spaces available, students can find ways to connect with others who share the same identity in a space that feels more comfortable with those who have more understanding of the issues a student may be facing. Jamar Galbreath, Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), said, “There are shared experiences among identities, particularly among non-dominant identities that can make us feel isolated. Affinity spaces are a great way to connect over those shared identities.” Affinity spaces meet periodically throughout the year, and the identity of the members remains completely confidential. This results in the spaces being more comfortable for students to join and partake in. Patterson, affinity space leaders, and the DEI office hope to continue to meet the evolving needs of the student body, and to always have spaces to meet the needs of all student identities. Mercersburg Academy is home to over 400 students from different backgrounds, all with unique life experiences. This diversity is a wonderful strength of the Academy, but it can also make students with less represented identities feel isolated and unable to connect with others who hold the same identity. To alleviate this, the Academy has established affinity spaces for several identities represented across campus Director of Library Services and Affinity Space Coordinator, Alexandra Patterson, explains, “[affinity spaces] provide a space to talk about one's identity with others who hold the same identity.” Each group is run by an adult leader who either shares the group identity themself or is picked based on their familiarity with the issues associated with that group identity. Affinity spaces meet periodically throughout the year, and the identity of the members remains completely confidential. Please consider signing up! Previous Previous Next Next

Michael Zhang ‘26  < Back A big red L Michael Zhang ‘26 Jan 26, 2024 This past weekend, the Blue Storm basketball teams played home games against The Lawrenceville School. Girls and boys teams defeated the Big Red, 58-41 and 65-61 respectively. A convincing victory on the girls side elevated the team’s season record to 9-5. Lily Crounse ’25 said: “The team is showing up and giving it our all. We've had some tough losses, but overall I think we're doing pretty well this season.” The girls team this year has quite a different feel. Allister Caretti ‘’26 commented, “The team is a lot more healthy. I think everyone’s more excited to be in practices and matches.” The team welcomed the addition of Adilynn Rinker ’27 and Nia Henley ’24. Madison Goodhart ’24 said, “Adi is super athletic and has improved a lot over the season! Nia is very talented and a great addition to our team, and we can’t wait to see her back on the floor after her concussion.” Recently, the team has been working on their ability to organize quickly under pressure. “We’re working on our rebounds and reducing our turnovers, as that has been what’s lost us games in the past,” said Caretti. Specifically for their game against the Big Red, the girls team “watched a lot of films, and analyzed the systems they used,” said head coach Paul Sipes. The biggest challenge for the team has been “sickness and injuries. It feels like we can't catch a break sometimes,” Crounse shared. Despite these difficulties, the rest of the season looks promising. Sipes said, “There’s a chance that we could win out the rest of the season.” The team hopes to place high in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League and state tournaments. The boys victory over the Big Red brought the team’s season record to 12-5. Assistant coach Richard Mahoney said, “The team’s doing really well. Although we’ve had a few hiccups, we work through it.” The team is much improved from last year. There are better reserve playersHead coach Sean Crocker said, “We are also better at defense this year.” The team welcomed new talented players that are receiving lots of playing time. Mahoney said, “Erik Oliver-Bush [‘24] is a great defender and goes out and plays really hard, he pushes [his] teammates to work hard. And both Thaddeus Lee [’25] and Dominic Schmidt [’24] are phenomenal players [who] bring a lot of energy to the team.” Unfortunately, Joe Segal ’26, another new member of the team, won’t be able to play for the remainder of the year due to recent injury.” During practices, the team has focused on defense while incorporating strong offensive tactics. In preparation for the game against the Big Red, Lee said, “We spent the whole week preparing for it. We watched their films and talked about how to play against them.” The coaches are trying to take advantage of the team's height advantage. Adrian Rios ’25 said, “We are preparing ourselves by making sure we are all on the same page and focusing on ourselves.” However, the season hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Several injuries have hindered the team from reaching its full potential. Lee added, “We’ve also struggled with bouncing back from hard losses this year. We’re working on putting it behind us and focusing on the next game.” Despite occasional setbacks, the team is trying to “play as a unit, playing the best basketball together as a team,” said Crocker. Simon Brennan ’26 said the team is hungry to “win MAPL. We feel like we have a really good chance this year.” Previous Next

Maddie Weiss '25 < Back Brewing up a storm Maddie Weiss '25 Dec 8, 2023 Amid the flurry of essays, projects, and homework, many students try to find an escape from the stressful atmosphere of work and grades. Romanticizing study through playlists, food, and friends is common. One North offers all of this. Located a few blocks off campus, One North is a cozy cafe with drinks and pastries, where students can briefly escape their busy lives with a sweet getaway. One North promotes a healthy work-life balance, encouraging students to be productive while enjoying the company of friends. The menu at the cafe offers a wide range of food and drinks, with fresh pastries on display every week. Many students visit the cafe frequently. Leah Willis, '24, a barista at the cafe, says, "About half of our orders are from Academy kids during the school year," adding, "Saying hello to people I know when they come in is my favorite part!" Students' connection to the cafe further connects Mercersburg Academy to the local community and encourages them to make new friends in a fun change of pace from campus life. Many students have favorite orders, the most popular being lattes, hot chocolates (especially during winter), and sandwiches like turkey, bacon, avocado, and Caprese. Avery Liu, '25, says her favorite order is the mango chiller and the turkey-and-swiss panini pressed, a good mix of sweet and savory. While some students think One North is better for catching up with friends and socializing, others are committed to their academics. Celia Kerf, '25, says, "It's easy to focus on your work in One North because other people around you are also focused, and it motivates you. Sometimes it's also nice to go there for lunch with friends when you want a break from the dining hall food." Though newer students may have yet to learn this, One North used to be located across the street in the building on the square currently under construction. Some faculty and day students may remember their earlier times at the old One North. Renovations are currently being made to the building and will be completed by the end of this school year; plans are for the cafe to move back in. One North contributes to its community by sourcing local products and goods. There are many things to look at, from books to mugs to packaged pastries! Whether you're a coffee lover or not, One North is worth a try. Previous Previous Next Next