Celine Liu ’29 < Back Making a splash Celine Liu ’29 Oct 3, 2025 Last Saturday during Family and Alumni Weekend, the Blue Storm swim team held its annual intrasquad Blue/White Meet, an important, formative step for the team to integrate its many new members and build Mercersburg spirit. “It is certainly valuable anytime they get a chance to race competitively. It is a big part of team-building to prepare for the official start of the season,” said Head Coach Matt Hurst. “Today, the effort and energy were great, and they know each other’s names, as silly as that sounds, and they were legitimately cheering for their future teammates. There’s a healthy respect there.” “With the new students, we’ve focused on a lot of team-bonding activities in preseason—both in and out of the pool,” said Sophie Koroma ‘26. “We played different land sports, [there was] cheering, banner-making, some trivia and brain teasers… so we know our teams when it comes down to the meet…. We tally points throughout the course of the three weeks and ultimately have a winner.” Hurst sees this meet as an ideal starting point for the season overall. He explained, “From a depth perspective, I think we're stronger than we were last year. And from a talent perspective, our younger kids are a year older and more developed. And then again, our older athletes, our postgraduates, add an element of historical competition that is really going to bolster the roster in terms of excitement for our athletes’ performance this year. I think we’re in a good spot.” Early on in the season, dry land and pool practices have been dedicated to building a great technical foundation. The team has been focusing on developing well-rounded athletes in all four strokes, as later on they will focus on improving the one or two strokes they specialize in for their individual races in championship meets. The team has been training specific techniques, including underwater kicking. Xiomara Del Roasario ‘26 added, “ [It] accounts for 60 percent of any race. We're allowed to go fifteen meters underwater, so it's a huge component of racing in a 25-yard pool. We train with [Strength] Coach [Brian] Canida in the weight room three to four times a week to make sure we have good fundamental movement patterns, so that over the course of a long season, we can limit or eliminate our injuries due to physical strength.” Returning swimmers are already demonstrating excitement for the upcoming competitive season, especially with the school’s hosting of the Mid-Atlantic Prep League championship this year. Matt Krause ’26 explained, “We finished really well as a program last year [winning] the overall championship at Easterns. We knew we had a strong team coming back, and we’ve had some good additions through admissions and our postgraduate program with the Naval Academy.” The team now shifts from internal rivalry to external competition. With a reinforced roster and shared commitment to training, Mercersburg’s swimmers are prepared to bring their early-season energy into future successes in the winter. Previous Next

Maggie coors '25 and Tristan Paulette '27 < Back Five things you did last week Maggie coors '25 and Tristan Paulette '27 Apr 4, 2025 Disclaimer: Satire edition Last week Head of School Quentin McDowell P’25, P’27, P’33 sent an email to every Mercersburg student with the subject line, “5 Productive Things You Did Last Week,” followed by six more emails over the course of the next week reminding students to “PLEASE fill out the Google form!!!” Accompanying this demand were several images of students frolicking on the quad and playing shirtless Spike Ball—labeled with captions such as: “Mercersburg Academy students have TOO much free time!” In a closed faculty meeting—justified by the disappointing responses he received— McDowell proclaimed, “We have not had an efficient year at Mercersburg. Too many students have written that they simply ‘played Wordle,’ ‘read my endless emails,’ or ‘texted my mom in class.’ Not acceptable.” On April 4, 2025, at 3:47 AM, McDowell announced via email the first-ever Negative Head’s Holiday, intended to increase “classroom efficiency.” McDowell stated, “DOME [Department of Mercersburg Efficiency] has conducted an audit, finding unsatisfactory reports in every class, with the exception of AS: Chemistry and AS: Calculus BC. Because of this, we will be having a full day of class this Saturday to make up for wasted time.” DOME, also known as the ThunderDOMETM after the Academy’s “beloved” mascot, was launched in 2025 as a project to save Mercersburg’s plummeting ranking among top boarding schools in the United States. The agency quickly gained notoriety for its bold initiatives, including phone pockets and the new schedule which defied the English alphabet. These past atrocities pale in comparison to the Negative Head’s Holiday, which Olivia Glick ‘25 and Yael Hochberg ’25 described as “either groundbreaking educational reform or the opening scene of a dystopian YA novel.” To combat the rampant leisure epidemic on campus and make the day as efficient as possible, the Office of Student Life swiftly mobilized a squad of covert agents—aka Storm Spies—trained in the art of yelling through megaphones and judgemental clipboard holding to monitor their peers for signs of inefficiency during the Negative Head’s Holiday. One spy, Crystal Chiu ’25, broke her cover to admit, “I only did it for my college applications.” It is also rumored that the squirrels may have been in on the operation as they were seen supervising students from inside of trash cans, tiny GoPros attached to their little heads.. As students arrived in class Saturday morning, the effects of Negative Head’s Holiday were immediately apparent. Students were forbidden from asking “off-topic” questions, such as “Can you repeat that?” as these queries were deemed “interruptions to streamlined knowledge absorption” by Academic Dean Jen Smith ’97, P’23, P’24. Manika Dalai ’26, said, “Do you know what it’s like to be in class with Dave Holzworth for 75 minutes and not be allowed to interrupt him? His tangents had tangents.” If a student so much as glanced out the window or at a clock, an automated message from InformaCast stating “MBURG: Inefficient learning alert!” would appear on every screen in the vicinity. Meanwhile, the few brave souls who dared to whisper to a classmate were swiftly apprehended by Storm Spies and escorted out of the room. Rescued student Collin Jin ’25, recounted, “One second, I was asking to borrow a pencil, and the next, I was strapped to the back of Andy Brown’s golf cart speeding toward an unknown fate.” In addition, the entire school was required to attend two extra X-Block, described as “the best possible use of our community time.” Faced with unprecedented levels of forced productivity, students were quick to act in organizing a resistance. By lunch time, protestors—mainly consisting of depressed, over caffeinated seniors who barely even go to class on weekdays—voiced opinions held by the majority of the student body. Leading the charge was Frank Bonsal ’25, who was seen delivering impassioned speeches atop overturned recycling bins, calling for “the return of naps, free will, and the sacred tradition of procrastination!” History teacher Allison Stephens was seen cheering on the protestors. As the rebellion reached its peak, the administration realized they had gravely underestimated the student body's commitment to doing absolutely nothing. In a last-ditch effort to restore order, McDowell attempted to deploy the Storm Spies for one final crackdown—only to discover that the spies had all defected to slack off at One North and that Brown’s golf cart had been repurposed into a escape vehicle shuttling students to the Enchanted Forest. Finally, at 7:42 PM, a defeated McDowell sent one last email: “You win. School is canceled on Sunday. But don’t think this is over.” The students, naturally, ignored this ominous warning and celebrated by immediately resuming their most cherished activities—scrolling TikTok and tanning on Tippetts Beach. Previous Previous Next Next

Chloe Allis ’25 < Back Way off course! Chloe Allis ’25 Sep 29, 2023 Recently, two flamingos arrived in Franklin County. This is part of a larger surge of these southern birds to many northern states. Since Hurricane Idalia three weeks ago, American Flamingos have been found in ten states where they aren’t normally found. Many people wonder whether the two pink birds are mates, a mother and her young, or simply two unrelated flamingos—or “mangoes,” as Associate Dean of Students Coleman Weibley’s daughters call them. The flamingos currently reside in Long Lane Pond in St. Thomas, ten miles from Mercersburg. The strong winds and rain that hit northern Florida and other parts of the southeastern United States during Hurricane Idalia pushed the birds north. “I think it’s scary that a hurricane pushed these flamingos all the way up from the Caribbean,” said Devin Rotz ’25. Rotz, a local resident, has been keeping up with all of the news surrounding the flamingos on various community forums. “These birds aren’t native to anywhere around here, so that’s even more crazy,” said Rotz. Many Mercersburg Academy community members decided to visit Long Lane Pond to see the flamingos in person. Information Systems Administrator Will Dupuis has made an effort to pass by them every day on the way to work just to check up on them. “It’s pretty cool. It’s pretty unusual to see pink birds in Pennsylvania, especially big pink birds like flamingos,” said Dupuis. On one of his visits, Dupuis, a wildlife photographer, took photos of the flamingos on the water. How are these birds adapting to the Pennsylvanian wild? Well, a snapping turtle bit one of the flamingos a few days ago. The flamingo was in fairly poor condition and was then transferred to Raven Ridge Wildlife Center (RRWC), where it received adequate medical care. The RRWC has received daily shipments of various flamingo foods and dietary supplements, and the flamingo can now walk on its own. It is expected that the flamingo will make a full recovery. The other flamingo has remained untouched so far, but the RRWC is on standby in case of any needed assistance. Once healthy, both flamingos are expected to depart Franklin County by transport and make the trip back to Florida, where they belong. Previous Previous Next Next

Kate Sui ’29 < Back Erin McHugh Kate Sui ’29 Oct 3, 2025 Erin McHugh, originally from New York, previously worked at Chatham Hall, a girls boarding school in Virginia and has extensive experience in college admissions. Seeking both a new challenge and the opportunity to contribute to a school known for its academic excellence and international community, McHugh brings a wealth of knowledge and fresh perspective to Mercersburg. McHugh shared, “I’m impressed by how focused and driven the students are here. They really push themselves to achieve their goal, and the faculty here is equally dedicated to helping these students.” She described the school as feeling like home, saying, “Both the faculty and the students make this place enjoyable and welcoming.” As Mchugh settles in, she is eager to learn more about the community to better serve the students. “My goal is to get to know the seniors this year well and, over time, connect with all students, especially ones in younger year groups to help them find the best college fit,” she explained. With expertise in college admissions, a passion for guiding young people, and international experience, McHugh is excited to help students get ready for college and live their best lives for their next step ahead. Beyond her professional work, she enjoys traveling, reading, and music. Previous Previous Next Next

Caroline Hobbs '26, Adwoa Sankah '26 < Back Girls will be wives Caroline Hobbs '26, Adwoa Sankah '26 Apr 4, 2025 Disclaimer: Satire edition With the Hale Field House's impending transformation into an interim dining hall for the 2025-2026 school year, the number of participants in winter indoor track has been significantly limited. In an effort to ensure that everyone has a winter activity, the PGA committee has introduced many exciting alternatives, the most notable being the Tradwife Internship. The mission statement is as follows: “Our goal is to prepare female students on our campus for the looming political state of America by making them proper homemakers and mothers,” said the group's faculty leader, Dave Holzwarth, who promises that this program will be a life-changing experience. The four main focuses of this program will be cooking, cleaning, motherhood, and, most importantly, serving men. The assistant director and creator of the program, Ben Doyka, explained, “When creating our curriculum, I took influence mostly from The Handmaid’s Tale , Ballerina Farm , and The Secret Life of Mormon Housewives .” The leaders were also happy to announce that they will be partnering with the Conococheague Institute to study the history and reasoning behind why young women are tasked with these important roles. Participants will wear the Institute’s historical attire to ensure the most realistic experience possible. The faculty hopes to bring in guest speakers such as Nara Smith and her husband, Lucky Blue Smith, as well as world-famous podcaster Andrew Tate. While many female track stars are hesitant, most are eagerly embracing this opportunity. Sophie Koroma ’26 mourns her inability to participate in this PGA, commenting, “If I weren’t going to a D1 swimming program, my second choice would be to drop out and become a tradwife. Actually, being a tradwife was my first option, but I guess it just didn't work out.” Fellow record-breaker Ella Blanco ’26 adds, “I mean, I already broke a school record, now it’s time to be where I belong…in the kitchen.” She sounded particularly excited about the cooking segment of her studies. Madeline Chu ’27 sums up the reasoning behind this new activity well, saying, “Everyone can run, but not everyone can bake a nasty pie while rocking a baby to sleep. And I want to be the latter.” While initially created as an interim PGA for female runners, young women from other PGAs across campus are also planning to join the program. “Even though I came to Mercersburg as a basketball recruit, I will be leaving the team to participate in this opportunity. I think it will be more beneficial in the long run,” said Maddison Greenway ’28. She explains that her current cooking skills are limited to making ramen, and she is excited to finally "unleash her full potential." Antonina Sech ’26, originally a swim recruit, adds, “I look forward to this endeavor and hope we cover how to secure a sugar daddy.” Even GSSU leaders and active lesbians, Alice Morgan ’26 and Annie Mohr ’26, are interested in the program. Mohr notes, “I really think this would get us in touch with our feminine sides. We have drifted too far from who we really are.” PGA leaders anticipated pushback from students on this "controversial topic" yet they could not have predicted the response they received. Male-identifying students began speaking up not in protest but in hope. Joe Segal ’26 cried, “My truest dream is to be a trophy husband. I hope the school seriously considers introducing a program for us kind and curious men.” Simon Brennan ’26 commented, “I think this is an amazing opportunity for my girlfriend. She is already pretty good at making my sandwiches, but it’s time for her to focus up and learn how to clean.” Lastly, from his own unique perspective on women, Wyatt Park ’25 chimed in, “Well, maybe it will be more entertaining than watching women’s sports.” To maintain competitiveness and encourage hard work, participants will be invited to the Varsity Banquet at the end of each term. At the banquet, the MVP will be awarded the "Trophy Wife Trophy," which is a wife-shaped award. The most-improved future wife will receive the "Girlfriend Material Award." The Tradwife PGA isn’t just meant to create a competitive environment among students like traditional sports; it is designed to pit women against each other, breaking them down until they believe they are worthless—in keeping with the natural order of the species. Mercersburg has strayed too far from its roots as an all-boys school, and this program, alongside preparing female students for the real world, reinstates the long-lost tradition of women serving men. Previous Next

Sophie Han ’27 < Back Signed, sealed, delivered Sophie Han ’27 Oct 17, 2025 The Letter Writing Club, led by Asami Puff ’26, works to connect students with seniors citizens around the world through handwritten letters, creating a space where Mercersburg students can turn small acts of kindness into hundreds of messages filled with care. Faculty adviser librarian Julie Bell said the club began when a student approached her with the idea of bringing letter writing to campus. “It’s through a program called Love for Our Elders,” Bell said. “Every month they post new elders with a short description, and we would read each elder’s story before writing.” She added, “It’s really about sharing a bit of yourself with someone who might not have many people reaching out.” Club president Asami Puff ’26 said, “Taking over the club this year has been rewarding and eye-opening. It’s amazing to see how something as simple as a handwritten letter can make someone’s day. Seeing everyone come together with genuine care for the elderly has been incredibly fulfilling.” Puff hopes members “walk away with a deeper appreciation for human connection, especially the kind that doesn’t rely on technology.” Beyond leading meetings, Puff strives to maintain the spirit of connection that defines the club. “When you slow down to write, you think about what you want to say and how it might make someone else feel,” Puff said. “That thoughtfulness is what makes the process meaningful. It ’s not just about sending a letter but about taking time to care.” Vice president Christine Jiang ’26 described the club as “a very nice environment that is quiet, where everyone is working toward the same goal. Sometimes there are similar interests or commonalities [between the students and their intended recipients] – maybe they lived in a country or speak a language you know – and you connect over that.” Lily Hubbard ’26 said, “I always feel better after doing it. It’s kind of a distraction but also a good deed. You personalize it, such as if someone’s from the Pacific Northwest, where I live, then I always write to them and say, ‘I live there too.’” Piper Matthias ’26, who joined after a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event, added, “I wanted to keep doing it because it assured me that somebody was going to be happy on the other end. The most rewarding part is knowing that somebody reading this letter will feel cared about and loved.” Over time, the club’s letters have reached far beyond campus. “Jasmine’s grandmother received more than 500 letters after Jasmine nominated her,” Bell said. “Another elder asked his daughter to type letters to everyone who wrote to him, saying that if his wife were still alive, she would have happily handwritten them all.” Even as it grows, the club stays rooted in the simple act of handwriting. “Your brain works differently if you only use tech,” Bell said. “There’s a different way of thinking when you physically write.” Each meeting includes cards, stamps, stickers, and desserts—a reminder that connection can still exist off-screen. Looking ahead, Puff expressed her excitement for the future: “We hope to participate in MLK Service Day to honor Dr. King’s message of love and community. On that day, we plan to organize a larger letter-writing event.” “Anyone can join,” she said. “You don’t need experience or fancy writ- ing, but just sincerity.” Bell agreed, “We’d love for more people to see what this club is about. When you take the time to write to someone, you realize how powerful a small act can be.” Previous Previous Next Next

Audrey Hua '26 < Back Golfing girl power Audrey Hua '26 Apr 14, 2023 For years, Mercersburg Academy’s golf program has earned respect for the experience and competition it offers; nevertheless, it was missing a crucial link – a girls’ team. That was until spring of last year, when eight groundbreaking girls stepped up to form the first official girls’ golf team. This means that this spring marks one year of girls golf at Mercersburg. “We’ve been trying to form it since I got here,” Paul Sipes, co-director of athletics, said. “We started with a senior who really wanted to play competitive golf, then we got four more who could play on their own who were good.” Sipes continued, “It isn’t just about wanting to play; you have to be invested in getting better. You’ll see them hitting in the golf simulator during the winter, keeping their swing going, and they play in both the fall and the spring.” The girls on the team have playing experience ranging from two to five years. Doug Smith, head golf coach, said, “They’re young; we’re still developing, and we’re not quite where we want to be yet. But talent-wise, it looks great, and I couldn’t ask for more in terms of comradery. In terms of competitiveness, we’re a little ahead of where I thought we’d be right now. We have a really solid group of girls.” Smith added, “Right now, on average, our two best are Sihyeon Bae and Amanda Xi, but the other girls are just a notch behind. That’s our strength – we might not have the number one score in matches, but we have good depth throughout the team.” Looking forward at the season, Smith said, “The top three events for the girls right now are MAPL Championships, Swing for Cancer at Peddie, and State Championships in the spring. I like to schedule games with a few that we know we’re gonna be strong in, some that are really close, and some that are aspirational.” “What we’re looking at is adding competitive matches against schools in DC, and we could even host an invitational,” Sipes said. With such a small team, the dynamic seems to be essential to maintaining good play. “The heart of the girl’s team is their character, their personality. They’re super fun, super eager, and willing to work,” Smith said. “The vibe is always good,” Sihyeon Bae ‘24 remarked. Abby Yang ‘25 added, “We’re like besties, we’re like a squad.” Amanda Xi ‘25 said, “I think it was kind of the same last year. We were really close, and this year it’s a lot of the same people, so we kind of continued that friendship.” Kelsey Li ‘26 said her favorite thing about golf was simply, “Them.” Xi agreed, saying, “I like my team. I like practicing with the team, car rides with the team, and dubs with the team!” Smith ended on a positive note, “The team builds itself. Being known as a positive team, that we’re fun, we’re good at winning… Well, people want to be a part of that.” Previous Next

Adrienne Howard ‘26 < Back Bump, set, spike, repeat Adrienne Howard ‘26 Oct 4, 2024 Last Wednesday, the Mercersburg Academy volleyball team faced a tough match against local rival St. James School, resulting in a 0-3 loss. However, the team bounced back on Saturday during Family and Alumni Weekend with an impressive victory of 3-0 against MAPL foe The Hun School of Princeton. This Saturday, they will face Lawrenceville School. Identifying opportunities for improvement, Bella Levina ’25 stated, “The team dynamic can be intense at times, and we need more communication between the coaches and players.” Head coach Amy Lyman elaborated: “The biggest challenge is always to come together as a team. We have new freshmen on the varsity, and getting to know each other is a challenge.” Captain Alyssa Lee ’25 commented, “It’s definitely been a learning experience with a smaller team and younger players, but we’re getting better with each game. We didn’t get much of a preseason, which set us behind compared to other teams, but we’re learning a lot from each of our games.” Injuries have also been a significant setback this season. Lee noted, “We have a lot of shoulder injuries, but we’re working on creating lineups that allow players to heal while still playing in positions they can.” Allister Caretti ’26 applauded the team’s versatility, saying, “We have many players who can do a variety of things, so when others are injured, it gives other players opportunities to showcase their skills. However, we are always hoping for recovery and a healthy team.” Lyman stated, “We’ve had some tough losses, which has been hard. We’ve played some really skilled teams that are currently above our level, but the girls have worked really hard.” Lyman remains optimistic, however, noting, “I see progress in every match. You never want to peak too soon in a season, and it’s still really early.” Caretti added, “We have been playing some really tough teams recently, but we have been bouncing back in practices with a lot of energy.” Levina agreed, saying, “It’s good to remember that we are in this together, and we shouldn’t be too upset about our losses.” This year, Storm volleyball has expanded to include a junior varsity roster. While the program had only a varsity team last year, this has not always been the case. In previous years, there were both varsity and junior varsity teams. Lyman expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “I much prefer having a JV team because it is crucial to teaching skills, especially our new players. I don’t ever want to go back to not having a JV team.” Maintaining a fresh talent pool has also proved beneficial for the program throughout the season. “We have swing players [now] who have been great at filling in for games.” explained Lena Wilke ’27. Looking ahead, Wilke shared her thoughts on the remainder of the season. “Since many of us are injured, our focus should be on teamwork, having fun, and playing well. We often get caught up in trying to win games, which can kill the vibe. We should each focus on playing our best individually so we can come together as a team.” Caretti remarked, “We are doing a lot of good things, just not all the time. So my goal for the team is to be more consistent.” Lyman stated, “My number one goal as a coach is for the girls to recognize their potential and reach it as a team.” She added, “Each year, I aim to make it one step further in PAISAAs [the independent schools states tournament]. This year, my goal is to make it to the third round.” Previous Next

Crystal Yuen '24 < Back Hitting the quad Crystal Yuen '24 Apr 21, 2023 Being the center of Mercersburg Academy’s campus, the quad has always been a gathering place and a relaxation space for the school community. Many have read a book in the green Adirondack chairs, laid in the grass soaking in the rays, and some have even counted blades of grass. With its relaxed and open atmosphere, it is not surprising that in recent years students have rediscovered another purpose for the quad. With the weather becoming warmer each week, after a long day of demanding classes then exhausting PGAs, most spring evenings students typically flock to the quad and play Spikeball, vibe out with music and socialize with their friends after dinner. Roby Pong ’23 said, “I look forward to the time I can spend with my friends and the fun I can have before I have to focus and study for the rest of the night.” Whether it be tossing a Frisbee, singing along to the music, or laughing with friends, the quad is a place of inclusivity, entertainment, and friendly rivalry. Catherine Kidd ’24 commented that in these post dinner moments she has “made so many deeper connections with people.” Kidd continued on to describe the quad as “a beautiful space for people to fool around, a space where students can loosen up after a stressful day, and a space for many to release their stress and anxiety through friendly competition.” The quad is a symbol of togetherness in Mercersburg’s ever-vibrant community. It is the geographical center of the campus, but recently is also a sort of center for Mercersburg’s students and their friendships. Previous Previous Next Next

Paris Zhang '27 < Back Treat people nice-Lee Paris Zhang '27 Sep 12, 2025 Mercersburg Academy is pleased to welcome Steven Lee as the Assistant Head of School for Community and Culture in Student Life. Associate Head of School Jennifer Craig explained the reasoning behind the addition of the position. “I went to a conference three summers ago where there were a whole bunch of associate heads of school and there were two thirds of people at the conference who were people of color,” Craig said, “and most of them have come up as Directors of DEI but they all said that being named an assistant head or associate head of school gives you the role authority to actually implement programs. A Director of DEI often has to ask and collaborate and pull people in, but actually isn’t in the hierarchy of the association of the school.” Craig and Lee have been working together since June, before the school year started, in a series of student life-focused retreats. “The retreats were designed for the teams to address how they should work together on specific issues for the coming year.” Craig added, “Ms. Wrzesinsky and Mr. Brown led their parts of the retreat with the programs that they run. I am handing off a bit of that work to Mr. Lee.” Andy Brown, Dean of Students for Community Life, and Jo Wrzesinsky, Dean of Students for Accountability and Support, are both part of the Student Life Office. “My role is twofold,” said Lee. “On the one hand, I oversee the Office of Student Life and its staff, and the other part of my role is working with Ms. Craig and Mr. McDowell to create a vision of belonging, inclusion, and diversity for the school. This is a more strategic position of trying to imagine the future of Mercersburg.” In the area of DEI, Lee has ideas about how the Mosaic Mentors and DEI Director Galbreath can progress with the student unions to create a more inclusive environment for those in the unions and for the entire Mercersburg community. “In my last school, we used to do something called an Alliance Block Party; our alliances were versions of Mercersburg unions. In the fall and spring, I hosted a block party where all the alliances led a celebration. We actually had thirteen active alliances. And each of them got a set of tables and a budget, and they brought food from their culture. We had a DJ and a multicultural playlist, and the whole school was invited. It was a way for every single alliance to showcase their culture, but it was for the whole community,” said Lee. Galbreath noted Lee’s thoughtfulness. “I’m really looking forward to how we work to support and develop a really awesome holistic framework to help build community and belonging,” Galbreath said. Craig has a vision for Lee’s position as one of authority that can actually implement policies. “I think the biggest change that I hope for is that somebody with his lens and perspective and his training will have the role authority to ask the questions that need to be asked of a historically white and maybe even male institution,” she said. “His lens will ask questions of our policies. Is that really how we want to present? Is that really what we want to believe? How inclusive is it? Does it bring dignity to each student?” Apart from experience in the DEI field, Lee has worked at four independent schools before Mercersburg Academy, teaching humanities courses such as English and History. He also expressed an interest in the field of civic engagement. “I’m really excited to work with the civic engagement initiative. That is one of the reasons why I chose to come to Mercersburg. I've done a lot of work in the DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging) space, but I think the future is to merge the IB with civic discourse and civic engagement. In a lot of ways, they overlap a lot; the same skills and mindsets for DEIB work translate very well to civic discourse. I'm actually going to meet with Ms. Schoenberger and Mrs. Brown next Monday to talk about the extent to which we can collaborate by bringing those two programs together,” Lee said. Lee wants to promote a new model of engagement where the students confront questions like “what is equity and injustice,” “why does it exist in our world,” and “how can we as a society address them?” “In certain circles, there’s already a prescribed definition of engagement, and it's not that I think that definition should be dismissed, but I do think that it's better to give students agency: much less descriptive, much more connective inquiry,” Lee said. Previous Previous Next Next

Michael Zhang '26 < Back Unrelenting on the field Michael Zhang '26 Nov 3, 2023 Last Saturday, the Blue Storm field hockey team played against The Hill School. Hill has been historically a very tough opponent. The team lost the intense match 0-9, which dropped the record for the season 2-11. Despite the loss, the team maintained a high spirit with an optimistic attitude. Head coach Michaela Singer said, “The competition that we play is really difficult. But given the competition, I think the girls take what’s given and they play their hearts out; most importantly, they play really well.” Scarlett McArthur ’24 added, “We are working excellently together. We’ve improved a lot since the beginning of the season.” Players on the team foster a strong team dynamic among themselves and their coaches. Emma Diianni ’25 said, “We are very close with each other. We’re close with our coaches, which helps us on and off the field. We feel like one big family.” Lexi Chepren ’26 concurred, “Our team has come together with communication and is working together really well this season.” Maria Rihn ’24 added, “We acknowledge that we’re not the most skill-based team, but we’re always very supportive of each other. Compared to last season, due to the loss of many seniors the team consists of younger players. Catherine Kidd ’24 said, “We lost seven seniors from last year. Most of our players are either new to the sport or new to the team.” The seniors last year had more experience with the sport. “[Our seniors] played a faster game. We also had Division 1 athletes. This year, we have more newcomers,” added Chepren. “But it’s going very well. We’ve worked together really well, and we’ve had a couple [of] close games. It’s impressive how far we’ve come along.” Many new players were returning students who transferred from other sports. Singer said, “Diianni has stepped it up as our midfielder; she’s been a big part of the team. McArthur also started playing the sport this year for the first time as a senior and she has been a huge part of our defensive unit. And our new goalie Grace Beard [’25] has been phenomenal.” The team prepared rigorously to prepare for their match against Hill. “We watched some film of [Hill] in their games. During practice, we did a lot of defensive work,” said Rihn. The coaches also took the field in practice to elevate the level of play. “Because our girls aren’t quite at that [Hill’s] level yet, so playing against each other doesn’t prepare them,” explained Singer. The season hasn’t been without its challenges. The girls have admitted that this isn’t a season with many wins. “Trying to deal with the losses was difficult. But we try not to think about how we didn’t win with the score, but looking at what we did win personally in the match,” said Singer. Despite these challenges, the players are in high spirits. “We just want to put up some more points and continue having fun out there,” echoed McArthur. Kidd added, “We’ve been very good at keeping it [the team spirit] high. We’re having small victories within every game.” With one more game left in the season, the players remain full of excitement and energy. Diianni said, “We want to go out with a bang. We really want to let it all loose, and have our last game be the game that defines us, to show how much we’ve improved this season.” Previous Next

Chloe Allis ‘25 < Back Killing killer hills Chloe Allis ‘25 Sep 22, 2023 Last weekend, the Mercersburg girls and boys cross-country teams competed in the 27th Annual Ben Bloser Bulldog XC Invitational, a highly renowned, competitive annual race hosted by Big Spring High School in Newville, PA. This meet usually features over one hundred teams divided into 14 divisions. The terrain of the Ben Bloser XC course is known for its many hills. “It was really hilly but I think since we’re from Mercersburg we’re accustomed to that,” said An Yan ’26. The course is especially infamous for “Kill Hill,” a rather sizable hill right before the finish line. “It’s steep enough to where I probably could have climbed up it on all fours,” joked Leah Willis ’24. The boys ran well, finishing number 7 of the 24 teams in their division. Winston Watkins ’25, who finished 14th out of 172 runners, said, “I thought it was a little bit hectic.” Kaori Graham-Myrie ’24 broke out this year. New to the sport of running, he’s been hitting a lot of PRs (personal records) and has made a name for himself on the varsity team. “He’s new this year and he ran a huge PR. It’s great for our team to have Kaori step up like that,” said Rich Heffron, head boys cross country coach. “I thought it was really fun, there were a lot of people, definitely a great experience,” said Yan ’26 about the invitational experience. This year, the girls team also had a great showing, finishing 9th in their division of 22 teams. “I’m really really proud of how the entire team performed, both JV and varsity,” said veteran harrier Anne Sehon ’25. All the girls who finished the race hit new personal records, whether it be in the season, on that specific course, or even in their lives. Sehon, the top runner on the girls team this weekend, who placed 14th in her division of 160 girls, said, “I tied my lifetime PR on a course that is pretty hard.” Erika Tsowah ’24 as well as Willis improved by three minutes over their former hosts. Gigi Devlin had a two-minute improvement from her lifetime PR. “Gigi Devlin is now solidly on my varsity team. She trained really hard this summer so as a result, she’s running really well,” said Betsy Cunningham, head girls cross country coach. Training for these great results was no easy feat. Both Cunningham and Heffron have teams heavily composed of returning, upperclass runners. Because of this, both coaches have been pushing their athletes very hard in practice. “I’ve been pushing them a little bit more because I have older athletes who can now handle it. A lot of them worked over the summer so now I can train them really hard,” said Cunningham. Jake Cruikshank ’24 said, “Over my four years, the training has become exponentially harder.” Watkins added, “We’re more experienced now than we were the last couple of years. Heffron knows what we can do and he knows when to push us.” Both teams have lofty goals for the season but they look to be in very good shape for all of the competition ahead. “We’ve been building up and doing some hand-holding for the past few years. Now, we’re ready to hit the ground running. We’re really on track this year, hitting our milestones,” said Heffron. Looking ahead to the rest of the season, a lot of hard workouts and good competition is to come. “I’m really looking forward to MAPLs and just for the rest of the season and seeing what people can accomplish,” said Heffron. Cunningham concluded, “My goal is to make them into good athletes, but more importantly good humans and community members.” Previous Next