< Back While we wait to eat October 10, 2025 at 12:00:00 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

< Back Randos No More September 23, 2022 at 12:00:00 PM Avallina Orfield '25 Last year saw the rocky launch of the return to normal Mercersburg Academy traditions. Semiformal dinners and family-style lunches were unregulated and intermittent due to COVID. I had gotten so used to my friend group that the thought of being forced to sit with random people from around the school exasperated me. Lunch and dinners were time to relax, and I didn’t want to spend that time staring into the vast dining hall, unsure of what to say to these people I had never met. When the traditions started to come back in full force, that’s what I found myself doing: sitting in silence with people who also ate quietly. My time to hang out with my friends was being stripped away, and my protest was closing myself off. I’ve come to realize that this was a horrible outlook to have, and family-style lunches and dinners are admittedly smart. Family-style meals rid Mercersburg of the ignorant cliques that typical high schools have, and are, in my belief, the driving force of the community on campus. They’re a chance to meet people, a chance to interact with the different faculty who work all sorts of jobs on campus, an opportunity to be with other students from every grade. I’m sure if you get an interesting table, the two-week rotation will upset you more than the fact you’re not eating with your immediate friend group. You’re bound to get a group of people where the table is really awkward, and you have to do those silly introductions: name, PGA, and favorite something. I agree, those are very awkward and I dread the introductory stage of every seating arrangement; but when that’s all under your belt, the fun starts. Maybe it’s not your biggest wish in the world to dress up every Monday night, and the “Never Wear the Same Dress Twice” Rule is wearing you down and you’re running out of options. Maybe you’ve never learned how to tie a tie and you don’t know who to ask, or the ties choke you and you wouldn’t want to be caught dead wearing one. This just means you haven’t hit the stage of enlightenment where you and your friends throw a pre-dinner party in someone's room and get dressed blasting music or have never had to run to the chapel to be the first group to take nice pictures. Take advantage of these moments, whether it is to borrow that one tie or dress your friend has, start a conversation, or ask some people about their lives and where they come from. Realize that there is so much more to these conventions than some lofty, restricting tradition. Previous Next

< Back You don't choose your family May 5, 2023 at 12:00:00 PM Fran Garcia '26 Family style meals are a longstanding tradition of the Mercersburg Academy community. These occur in order to bring together students and faculty. Some however disagree with the tradition for various reasons that include the anxiety of having to sit with people you might not know. Others feel it's a great way to meet new people and strengthen the community. It's safe to say the opinions are fairly split, but as one searches for the right answer, it becomes clear that traditions like these are needed. When asking students who object to the tradition, most of their answers fall somewhere along the lines of disliking having to sit with people they might not necessarily know and not being able to sit with their friends. Indeed, we all are challenged during family-style meals to branch out and meet new people. If it does come to the point that no one wants to participate in a conversation, it's helpful for table proctors to plan out a question of the day or find other ways to get everyone involved. Tables rotate every two weeks so disliking a table is not something you will have to deal with for long periods of time. Students who feel like they don't get a chance to sit with their friends at lunch seem to forget about breakfast, most dinners, and lunch on the weekends when you are free to sit wherever you please and even go off campus to local restaurants. Having a meal with the same people for two weeks is bound to make you meet them and start conversations. For many, family-style meals have even been the commencement of great friendships and relationships with faculty members. The essence of traditions like this are what make a community great by connecting to a long history of what has helped our school define itself. Traditions like this make Mercersburg feel more like home. Traditions that create this feeling are highly important as we are a school that is overwhelmingly residential. (Besides sitting down for a meal, the tradition also includes a practice of great teamwork when it comes to being in charge of taking care of the food or the plates.) As divided as opinions about this matter might be, it is clear that Mercersburg is dedicated to keeping this tradition alive in order to help us connect with our past and each other. Previous Next

< Back Exercise your opinions November 15, 2024 at 11:00:00 AM Maddie Stonebraker '27 At many schools, participation in a sport is mandatory. While this policy aims to promote physical health and teamwork, the requirement can overlook students' diverse needs and preferences. Rather than making sports mandatory, schools should offer more flexibility for students fulfilling their physical activity requirements. By considering alternative physical activities and offering options beyond traditional team sports, schools could make physical education more inclusive, enjoyable, and beneficial for all students. Physical activity can improve fitness, reduce stress, and promote mental well-being, all essential for students' development. However, requiring team participation can make sports feel like an obligation rather than a positive, enjoyable part of the school experience. Forcing students into activities they dislike or aren’t suited for causes resentment toward physical activity, potentially leading to a lifelong aversion to exercise. Instead, schools should focus on creating a physical education program that encourages all students to find an activity they enjoy and which would be more likely to foster a lasting commitment to fitness. One problem with mandatory sports policies is that they often don’t accommodate students with unique needs or interests. Team sports like basketball, soccer, and football may be enjoyable for some, but not every student is comfortable with competition, and not every student is physically suited to rigorous contact sports. For instance, students with physical disabilities, mental health concerns, or simply different interests may struggle to find a place on traditional sports teams. When students have the option to choose activities that align with their interests and abilities, they are more likely to participate enthusiastically and reap the benefits of physical exercise. Furthermore, making sports mandatory can add unnecessary stress for students who are already struggling to balance academic and extracurricular demands. High school students are often under intense pressure to succeed academically, and many also have responsibilities outside of school, such as part-time jobs or family obligations. When students are forced to add a sport to this already heavy load, they may feel overwhelmed, and mandatory sports can become just another source of stress. Additionally, a more flexible approach to physical activity could promote inclusivity by incorporating activities that reflect diverse cultural backgrounds. Not every student grew up with a love for traditional American sports; for many, soccer, cricket, or martial arts is much more accessible and familiar. Schools that offer a variety of options, including individual and culturally diverse activities, demonstrate respect for students’ backgrounds and make physical activity more approachable for everyone. Overall, while promoting physical activity is an admirable goal, mandatory sports requirements often fail to meet the diverse needs of today’s students. Schools should instead offer a variety of activity options that allow students to fulfill their requirements in ways that are meaningful and enjoyable, support students’ physical and mental well-being, and help them build healthy habits that last a lifetime. Previous Next

< Back Graduation caps, not cop caps April 9, 2024 at 12:00:00 PM Susanna Huang ‘27 Recently, Campus Safety has planned to adopt the carrying of firearms on campus, hoping to increase the level of security. Proponents of the measure say that we can never be too safe. Indeed, it is hard to argue against prioritizing student safety. However, there is also a population of students who question the necessity of firearms in the community. The presence of firearms may create an atmosphere of fear where students may become intimidated by the very people who are meant to protect them. Granted, the school has taken steps to facilitate conversations between students and Campus Safety, such as organizing friendly “ride-alongs” in an effort to shift the perception of intimidation. Although this effort is appreciated, it may present a forced relationship and come off as disingenuous to some students who may perceive these efforts as “damage control” on the part of the school. The school should have focused on training in de-escalation conflict resolution techniques to build an atmosphere of empathy and understanding before turning to carrying weapons. Prioritizing training for conflict resolution can build students’ confidence in campus security’s competence in preventing dangerous incidents from escalating in the first place. Establishing authentic community engagement can foster trust and connection between students and Campus Safety. A safe school community should start with these in mind before deciding to militarize Campus Safety. Building trust and relationships within the community is more effective in keeping the campus safe and should have been the priority to begin with, not an afterthought. Previous Next

< Back Taylor and Travis’s tale October 20, 2023 at 12:00:00 PM Max Friedman ‘25 In the past couple of weeks, social media has been abuzz over a sensational current event. It is nearly impossible to watch sports or scroll through Instagram without coming across this news maker. This occurrence has put two groups of people, both dedicated to their superstars, at odds. I am talking about Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift. The relationship between the two celebrities came out of nowhere. Suddenly, on September 24, 2023, you could not go anywhere without hearing the news of the relationship. Initially, fans appreciated the amount of media coverage being given, with the NFL itself making a statement in support of the relationship’s media coverage. However, as time progressed, voices of criticism emerged, arguing that the coverage has gone too far. I believe that the media coverage should be reduced or halted altogether: let the superstars figure out their relationship. Others, however, are fully on board with the constant exposure and believe that it is needed to prevent further relationships. We do not live in a perfect world. When celebrities have relationships, the press responds with a full-scale exposure campaign. However, the tabloids must be careful with their coverage of personal situations. The news blitz could create greater uproar than the relationship itself, and in that case, would be an over-the-top response to the relationship. The media coverage may all but force Taylor Swift to move in with Travis Kelce, caving to the intense pressure placed by the media siege. It is an incredibly difficult situation, even further complicated by the NFL’s clear alignment with the goals of the press and the race for revenue. In fact, the NFL recently made a deal with Taylor Swift’s agent to allow her to play in football stadiums during The Eras Tour , after having previously prevented her agent from accessing the stadiums—in exchange for free tickets, of course. The relationship between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift warrants coverage. There is zero question of that. However, the controversy lies in the extent to which the media is entitled to cover the relationship. For my part, I believe that the media is fully authorized to cover as it sees fit; when such a relationship happens, it must be discussed to the fullest extent possible. It’s simply strategic. The media has the NFL’s blessing, and until that is gone, they will continue to report on the relationship. As for Swift and Kelce, I wish them the best, and hope that they may find privacy once the coverage has run its course. All we can hope is that one day there shall be peace between the media and celebrities. However, today is not that day, and there is no end in sight to the excessive and invasive media coverage of the relationship between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. Previous Next

< Back Pocketing distractions September 19, 2025 at 12:00:00 PM Jiwon Chung ’28 Last spring, a new study hour rule was added to Fowle Hall and Tippetts Hall: the phone pocket policy. All ninth graders were required to place their phones in a pocket on their doors and keep the door open. Phones had to be in the pockets from the start until the end of the study hour, from 8 to 9 p.m. When students first heard the news, most complained about the new policy. The policy’s purpose is to help students concentrate fully on their work and be productive. Phone addiction is a common problem that students have experience throughout the world. The phone restriction shows that faculty notice, care about, and are seeking to address distractions that phones cause to students. Some academic work must be done outside of class time; however, students also need time for PGAs, dinner, and rest, consuming most of their time after school. Time for studying and working is limited, which is why study hours are necessary for most students. Phones encourage inefficient use of time during study hours, which is why faculty consider them a serious problem. As a ninth grader last year, I was not happy with the phone pocket policy. For forgetful people like me, remembering to place my phone in the pocket before study hours was a very common error that led to conflict between faculty members and me. It also felt unfair that only ninth graders were affected by the policy. Although I am a lower middler, no longer required to put my phone in a pocket, looking back I think about the policy. First of all, being able to finish without disturbance helped me concentrate throughout the hour and a half. Although phone use was prohibited, listening to music with Bluetooth AirPods (or any way that does not include physically interacting with a phone) was still allowed. Without phones, I wasn’t able to check notifications from Snapchat or Instagram; as a result, there was no need for me to wake up at 6 a.m. to finish the homework that I hadn’t been able to complete the previous night. There was time for processing while doing work, and I got more time for sleep Phone pockets are not just an unfair, strict policy that exists solely to control students. Instead, they provide opportunities for more diverse ways of studying, a better chance of long-term concentration, and a pure hour and a half for improving academic performance and skills outside of class. I hope more students who are required to put their phones in phone pockets, especially those who have had the same opinion as mine, are able to reflect on their performance during study hours and how efficiently their time may be spent. Previous Next

< Back Time to "Trump" the competition November 1, 2024 at 12:00:00 PM AJ Patel '26 In the upcoming election, I endorse Donald Trump because his policies on border security, gun rights, and economic growth align with my belief that competitive capitalism and private enterprise offer the greatest opportunities and highest living standards to the most people. Free markets—unlike systems weighed down by excessive government regulation—drive innovation and competition, create jobs, and improve prosperity across all sectors. By limiting illegal immigration and expanding the border wall, Trump's focus on the border prioritizes economic stability and safety for American citizens. This helps protect American jobs and resources from potential competition caused by unrestricted immigration. I believe it is important to prioritize opportunities and jobs for citizens of our country before anyone else; this is something that Trump and his Vice President, JD Vance, have consistently emphasized. Furthermore, I value Trump’s defense of gun rights. Trump’s commitment to upholding the Second Amendment protects personal freedom, ensuring individuals can protect themselves without unnecessary government interference. While I support the need for checks, Trump’s approach ensures that responsible gun ownership remains accessible for law-abiding citizens. Trump’s economic achievements reflect his belief in the power of free markets. His 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which lowered corporate taxes from 35% to 21%, encouraged businesses to invest, expand, and hire more workers. His push for deregulation reduced government burdens on businesses, creating a more favorable environment for entrepreneurship. In contrast, excessive regulation can limit growth and innovation, restricting opportunities for individuals and companies, alike. The outcome of this election carries significant implications for the future. If Trump wins, I believe America will continue on a path toward economic freedom, personal responsibility, and opportunity. His business background enables him to make informed decisions that foster job creation and strengthen the economy. Conversely, Kamala Harris’ proposed tax increases, such as wealth taxes and higher corporate rates, could reduce investments and slow economic growth, diminishing America’s competitiveness in the global market. While both candidates share common ground in their support for small businesses, Harris emphasizes targeted aid, such as tax cuts, first-time homebuyer incentives, and forgivable loans to support underserved communities and new businesses. However, this creates an uneven playing field, reducing competitiveness by encouraging over reliance on government assistance, which may hinder longer-term business prosperity. Trump’s leadership has shown tangible results. From lowering taxes to securing the Abraham Accords, he has enhanced the nation’s standing internationally. His policies ensure that American interests remain a priority in trade, diplomacy, and national security. Although his style may be criticized, his track record demonstrates a commitment to delivering on promises that benefit citizens and position the U.S. for long-term success. Previous Next

< Back Elected by default November 7, 2025 at 12:00:00 PM Amara Okoye ’29 It’s election season at Mercersburg Academy. Candidates are making their campaign videos, and students are getting ready to cast their votes. Everything seems normal except for one thing: you can’t actually run for vice president! Mercersburg’s current system for electing class council members, which automatically assigns the vice president’s role to the presidential runner-up, is fundamentally flawed. It creates a forced partnership while also reducing the vice presidency to a consolation prize. The first reason for a change is the need for more unified teamwork. If both the president and vice president ran together, there would be more unified ideas and less discord. In the current system, the president might have to work with someone whose ideas they oppose or with someone they aren’t familiar with. Imagine meetings with endless debates and very little progress. This structure guarantees increased disagreements within the class council. A more effective model would allow students to run as vice president, partnered with the presidential candidate. This would ensure that the team was aligned and could move forward from day one because students deserve leaders who can work well together. The current system also turns a position of distinct leadership into a consolation prize for getting second place, making it feel like a fallback rather than a genuine victory. This completely undermines the joy and accomplishment of winning the vice presidency. One whose goal was to become president might commit to being a good vice president, but the “win” would be less enjoyable because it resulted from their failure to reach the primary goal. Committing to something is much harder when you don’t want it. While the vice president may eventually come to love their role, the designated class deserves someone enthusiastic about the work from the very beginning. The current election system might seem convenient, but it creates issues that make the vice presidency feel like the second-best. By moving to a system that gives the vice president an independent vote, we can have a vice president and a president with clear, unified goals and a passion for their jobs. It’s time for Mercersburg Academy to adopt a more effective, unified class council. Previous Next

< Back Regarding the Regents November 4, 2022 at 12:00:00 PM Kevin Hang '24 It’s about that time of year… the Board of Regents school meeting! Was it as bad as the one last year? No! Was it any good? Absolutely not. But hey, at least the photographer got their diversity shot for the year! After the Board of Regents school meeting last spring, the school has learned a few things: 1) Follow a script. Some of the Q&A answers last year were…questionable. Make the script inconspicuous (have them all hold their stapled packets to refer to, also have them point out that a question goes off script). 2) Filter the questions. We need questions that will reflect well on board members and ameliorate the students’ impression of them. Off-the-cuff questions are a big no after last year’s school meeting. 3) Look diverse! Last year’s panel raised a lot of questions about the board’s degree of representation from the student body. A pre-prepared question about diversity, as well as younger board members almost had me believing in the change… However, one glance to the sides of the theatre revealed where all of the old, white, male, board members were hidden: out of sight, out of mind. 4) Privacy is key. Block off the Edwards Room and close down two classrooms to ensure that the board gets its privacy, but at the same time we should also encourage students to speak directly to board members while they are here on campus! In all seriousness, these are glaring issues that the board and the administration need to figure out. This is not an attack on board members themselves’ or a discredit to the work they do for the school. I am simply sharing a student perspective as to how this meeting looks year after year. It is hard to feel as though these people represent us when we never see them. I don’t care about a single one of their answers. I don’t care whether they were Irving or Marshall, or that they love pretzel pie, and I don’t care about their Mercersburg Moment. What I do care about is the impact of COVID on our campus and what’s being done to mend it. I care about what they’re actually doing behind the scenes, and not that awful “joke” that one board member made about obesity and nutritional values. I care about being able to ask the questions that matter, and I care about being seen. Yet the board seems to take every step they can to dodge us and then complains that we just don’t reach out to them. We need more two-way communication. While I understand they’re all busy people and this is a volunteer commitment for them, at least provide an email that students can write to or open school meetings to a real Q&A. Until concrete steps are taken to address these issues, the Mercersburg student body will never take them seriously. As Betsy Mitchell famously said last spring: It goes both ways. The student body deserves just as much respect as the board. This dynamic doesn’t have to be an us vs. them; we have to be able to work together, so that the student body's needs are met in a realistic way. Previous Next

< Back Outsider in my own house December 8, 2023 at 12:00:00 PM Elise Gao ‘26 With the Israeli-Palestinian conflict raging abroad, it has recently come to my attention how little teens know about world events. In the age of the internet, where information is more accessible than ever, it is ironic that people are less informed, or even worse, misinformed. It is easy to be misled by the overwhelming amount of information available on the internet accessible through a simple Google search, even if you only click on the first link that comes up. However, during the age of technology, people–especially younger generations such as Gen-Z–prefer to watch a twenty-second TikTok as opposed to reading a news article from a reputable source. To refresh your vocabulary: misinformation is false news, and disinformation–a more common problem nowadays–aims to deliberately mislead by leaving out crucial facts. Many people fall victim to the latter. According to Forbes , teens prefer to get information through social media–a medium in which disinformation runs rampant. Due to the short attention spans most teens have regarding the internet, they are more willing to trust the first source that pops up on their feeds, rather than check for credibility or explore the information presented on other news sites. More often than not, influencers become their news outlet–accurate or not–over actual, reliable news sources such as the Associated Press or the New York Times . Part of the problem also lies with the growing disinterest in current events. Notably at Mercersburg Academy, in a town in rural America very isolated from the rest of the world, students–myself included–are less inclined to look up current happenings so long as they don’t interfere with our day-to-day lives. However, I believe that global events do matter and that it is important to check on them every once in a while. Just as the pandemic of absent voters in the youth demographic is detrimental, so is their absence or lack of knowledge of world affairs. Contrary to popular belief, global occurrences do have consequences in your life. The Russian-Ukrainian conflict is driving inflation–in particular, gas prices. Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are rising due to Israel and Palestine’s ongoing struggle, possibly affecting some of your friends and peers. Educating oneself about the current situation is especially important with stakes as high as these. Once of age, your vote can help ensure that the agendas of those in power match the general populace. Since many of us can’t engage in voter activism, Mercersburg has held a brown bag lunch and offered resources to students interested in the topic, but the problem is that many people aren’t willing to inform themselves. So, students, I encourage you to spare some time to look up what’s happening in the world. Learn just a little bit about the world you live in, it’s quite a big place. Previous Next

< Back School spirit September 12, 2025 at 12:00:00 PM By Cole Piraino ’26 As I navigate the world of college admissions, I have observed that school spirit has been a point of pride at every school I’ve visited. Tour guides describe scenes of yelling at the top of their lungs, covered in face paint, in a jam-packed student section. These scenes entice me so much as to make school spirit a priority in finding my dream school. I long for such moments because spirit is something that Mercersburg now lacks. At one point in time, we witnessed similar scenes of passion. Irving-Marshall week used to be a time when the entire school showed up and showed out for their societies and the school. But the once-organized chaos has been replaced with pure organization. The over-regulation of where and how banners should be hung highlights this: who cares if we hang banners on the Burgin? So to those who appreciate the faculty involvement in the week and banner hanging: let the banners fall, bring back the chaos! I assure you, the original Irving-Marshall events did not involve faculty assistance in the use of duct tape. I don't want to sound self-righteous, but I pretty much blame everyone but the officers for the all-time low attendance in I/M week last year. Officers put in nearly a hundred hours each year, but when we show up to the gym in body paint, we’re always the odd ones out. Additionally, the varsity male syndrome of PG guys only showing up for their own Irving-Marshall events is now so contagious that it has spread to regular sporting events, too. As a lacrosse player, Coach Kerr has always encouraged or required us to attend the girls’ lacrosse games, emphasizing that we can’t expect them to attend our games if we don’t attend theirs. There are four hundred and fifty students in this school, but not even a hundred were willing to attend the boys’ soccer game under the lights last week: a perfect display of how people want support, but aren’t willing to give theirs to other teams. Furthermore, it is the same hundred students who you’ll see in the fish bowl on weekend nights, the same hundred in the crowd of Irving-Marshal week, and the same hundred who are there to experience the annual hypnotist or petting zoo. Our school spirit is at an all-time low. While seniors from my freshman year explain how their prospective colleges lack the community and school spirit that Mercersburg had when they were here, I doubt members of my class will say the same. We have no unified chants, we have no warcries, and we have no traditions or creativity coming from the bleachers. Last year, the Karux staff had to hand out cupcakes to convince people to buy their yearbooks. Now, the only purchases made from the school store are snacks instead of school merch. And heck! Nobody really reads the school paper! Previous Next