2009 - 2010 SCHOOL YEAR

HEART of MERCY

Rachel Yaldoo '10 and Registrar Mrs. Colleen Rozman were awarded the prestigious and heartfelt HEART of MERCY Award on February 1, 2010 to kick off Catholic Schools Week. Students and staff praised and applauded both of them for their uplifting spirits and everlasting loyalty to living out the Mercy Values.

RECORD BREAKING Art Awards

Vibrant acrylic painting by Portfolio Finalist Kelly Gillikin '10	Intricate self-portrait drawing by Sylvia Swierszczyk '10	Gorgeous landscape photograph by Stephanie O'Neil '11

A record number 17 students won an astounding 42 awards in this year’s Regional Scholastic Art Awards competition. Mercy artists captured either gold key, silver key, and/or certificate awards in mixed media, apparel design, painting, ceramics, glass, and digital photography. The winning pieces go on display at the College for Creative Studies. Special congratulations to Seniors Sarah Colbert, Sarah Donegan, Tara Ellis, and Kelly Gillikin. Their portfolios made finalist status and will compete in New York City for talent scholarships. Want to read the newspaper article featuring these talented Marlin artists? CLICK HERE to read Farmington Observer article.

Caroline Auffenberg ’11: Certificate in Photography

Sarah Brooks ’10: Certificate in Mixed Media

Erica Canavan ’12: Silver Key in Drawing

Sarah Colbert ’10: Gold Key in Art Portfolio

Sarah Donegan ’10: Gold Key in Photography Portfolio; Silver Key and 3 Certificates in Photography; Certificate in Painting

Tara Ellis ’10: Gold Key in Art Portfolio; 3 Silver Keys in Fashion; 2 Certificates in Painting; Certificate in Drawing

Kelly Gillikin ’10: Gold Key in Art Portfolio; Gold Key in Photography Portfolio; 2 Silver Keys in Photography; 2 Certificates in Painting

Celeste Gonzalez ’12: Silver Key in Photography

Mary Haapala ’12: Silver Key in Drawing

Alexis Jakubiak ’10: Silver Key in Drawing

Elise Jelonek ’12: Silver Key in Drawing

Erin Kirkland ’10: 3 Certificates in Photography

Stephanie O’Neil ’11: 2 Silver Keys and 2 Certificates in Photography

Emily Reamer ’10: Certificate in Photography

Samantha Saroki ’10: Certificate in Sculpture; Certificate in Photography

Michaelene Sartori ’10:  2 Certificates in Painting

Sylvia Swierszczyk ’10: Silver Key and 2 Certificates in Drawing

HONOR ROLL

CLICK HERE for honor roll of students from first semester FALL 2009.

ART + TECHNOLOGY

The Mercy art department has applied for a grant from the Workshop on the Impact of Pen-Based Technology on Education. For this contest the Art Department Chair Ms. Susan Smith needed to create a four minute video explaining art and technology integration at Mercy High School. Judging for this contest occurs through YouTube ratings and views until December 18th. You can help by viewing at the link below and writing a positive review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV46YBoODbc. Definitely some amazing VIDEO ART!

THREE-PEAT! Marlins swim to another STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!

It was a race to the finish at the D2 State Swim Finals with the Marlins being victorious for a third consecutive championship. Mercy edged Holland by 4 points winning the last relay of the day in an absolutely exciting ending. Coach Dunworth said, "I think this is the best meet victory I’ve ever had because we’ve never gone down to the last relay to win a meet.” CLICK HERE to read more.

Dedication of Mercy's New Science Facilities

Celebrating Women in Science

CLICK HERE to get the science scoop on Mercy's newly renovated labs and classrooms.

Student Successes . . . APPLAUSE! APPLAUSE!

Charlotte Morrow '10 attended the weeklong National Junior Classical League Convention held at the University of California this past summer. The NJCL is an international organization of secondary students who study the language, culture and literature of ancient Greece and rome. She was the only delegate from Michigan and was elected as the NJCL National Historian for this school year. In doing so, she became the first representative from Michigan to be elected to the National JCL Board since 1993 and only the third national officer ever to be elected from this state. Since she currently is President and Historian of the Michigan JCL she created an impressive state scrapbook which she presented at the National Convention to 1,300 student delegates. Now as the National Historian she will help plan next year's Convention and has been furnished with a Mac computer, printer, and 30" monitor to be used to put together the NJCL Scrapbook.

Lauren Richards '10, Shannon Carpenter '11, Diana Jasser '11, Kathryn Carolyn Kemp '11, Meghan Ronayne '11, Samantha Wenson '11, Mary Haapala '12, and Elaina Weber '12 were all recipients of the 2009 Scholastic All-Catholic Award.

Lisa Carlson '10, Lauren Richards '10, and Grace Ward '10 have been named Commended Students in the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program in recognition of exceptional academic talent. Commended students placed among the top 5% of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2010 competition.

Alexis Jakubiak '10 was named an Outstanding Participant in the National Achievement Scholarship Program. She scored in the top 3% of more than 160,000 Black Americans who requested consideration in the 2010 National Achievement Program when they took the 2008 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Regina Gilmour '10 was selected as a winner in the 2009 National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Awards in Writing. NCTE Awards recognize some of the best student writers in the nation.

TABLETS are 1:1

2009 - 2010 brings Mercy full circle in its Tablet 1:1 Computing Program. With Tablet PC's in every staff and student's hand, Mercy has worked every year to realize a data projector and screen in every classroom.

Apple Distinguished Educator

English and AP Government Teacher Mr. Larry Baker was selected as an Apple Distinguished Educator and attended the premier professional development program sponsored by Apple and Full Sail University. He networked with other visionary ADE's of the present and past, learned about Apple products and applications for the classroom, and embraced the Challenge Based Learning concept which emphasizes the teacher's role as a guide and uses tecnology to tap into global resources.

2009 AP SCHOLARS

117 students took 165 Advanced Placement Exams in May 2009. We salute these girls who have earned the honorary distinction of AP SCHOLAR in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the AP Exams.

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CLICK HERE to check out all the amazing awards from last school year 2008/09.