May 2015

I want to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Mark Botti for his dedication and service as our yearbook moderator. He has done a great job with this endeavor and we are most grateful for his work with our students. At this time, we are happy to announce that he is going to be co-principal of Intersession 2016 with Ms. Nancy Schaal.

Also, congratulations to Ms. Liz McAninch and students for their excellent work on the musical, The Wiz. There is an enormous amount of work that goes into any one of our productions and many students who work behind the scenes. Thanks to all of you!

We welcomed our incoming ninth graders to Mercy on Sunday, April 19th. This appears to be a wonderful and talented group of frosh and our enrollment numbers once again exceeded expectations. Our thanks to the admissions office, Ms. Michelle Ferrari and Ms. Marie Colón, for taking the lead in organizing the event. Appreciation also goes out to Mr. Mike Gutierrez, Mr. Sean Warren and all of the parents and staff who assisted in making this a productive and welcoming day. The Class of 2019 has landed!

We congratulate the Class of 2015 and we wish you all a relaxing summer. Anchors Aweigh will be back in September.

Sincerely,

Dorothy J. McCrea, Ed.D.
Principal, Mercy High School

3250 Nineteenth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94132

In This Issue

Alumnae

Announcements

School News

Upcoming Events

Alumnae

MERCY ALUMNA AIDS JAPAN'S EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

Anna Skovajsa '12 joined the U.S. Embassy in Japan and got involved in the Tomodachi relief program for the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. With a magnitude of 9.0, this was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded to hit Japan and the fourth most powerful in the world. She helped out by engaging with the children, talking with the citizens, visiting victims in their temporary housing, trying her best to cheer everyone up and letting them know that there was hope. In the course of her work, she met important people, including current US Ambassador, Caroline Kennedy.

Her message to women: Anything you set your mind to is possible; and never give up whatever hardships or challenges you encounter in life, because if you do give up, everything ends there. I could not believe that, at my age, I would be able to change and influence people. It has been a dream, this whole time and I am very excited for what the future holds!

MERCY GRAD PREPARES FOR DEPLOYMENT TO AFGHANISTAN

Lt. Diana Tsang '11, graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Diana will have 60 days to spend in Mexico, China, Las Vegas and home before being assigned to Ft. Lewis, WA as a Logistics Officer, where she hopes to prepare for eventual deployment to Afghanistan.

CLASS OF '85 CELEBRATE 30 YEARS

The Class of '85 recently met at the Southern Pacific Brewery in San Francisco to celebrate their 30th year reunion. Close to 20 girls attended, some with their significant others. Everyone had a great time "digging back at the past, laughing at our young selves, sharing stories of yesterday, along with the struggles, sorrows, and joys of today and along the way... all so good and connecting." Reunion organizer Revel Wolf (formerly Denise Garcia) adds, "We are bonded. We will forever have a sisterhood. We are Mercy girls."

ALL CLASS REUNION

Mercy High School, San Francisco welcomed over 75 alumnae from class years 1956-2014 at the All Class Reunion on May 2, 2015. The attendees were able to reminisce with old friends, enjoy photo booth fun, make new connections and tour the campus, including the 4th Floor!

The reception featured wine donated by Don & Sons, Nancy Cecchetti Sebastiani '72 and Hafner Vineyards. Former students walked around the halls and school campus, taking photos, learning about new projects from Principal Dotty McCrea and remembering their experiences in the new, familiar or transformed hallways, theatre and McCauley Pavilion.

Click here for a slideshow.

RECONNECT: 2015 Reunions and Events

Class of 1965 Golden Diploma Reunion

Save the Date! The Mercy High School Class of 1965 will celebrate their 50th graduation anniversary "Golden Diploma Reunion." Please mark your calendars. We look forward to welcoming you back to your alma mater.

DATES:

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Luncheon Committee: Anne Scully '65 and Joanne Sehorn Cooper '65

Luncheon at Original Joe's, San Francisco. A time to share memories, photos and celebrate!

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Committee Chair: Irene Eccher '65

Mercy Day Eucharistic Liturgy with the Mercy student body, faculty and staff, celebrating the founding of the House of Mercy by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland. The liturgy will include the Class of 1965 as honored guests and the 50th Golden Diploma commemoration followed by a campus tour, program and luncheon in Rist Hall. Invitations will go out in July.

Please email amagnusen@mercyhs.org for additional information.

Reunions and Connections

1975 (40 years)	Date:	Saturday, October 10, 2015
	Time:	11:30
	Location:	Rist Hall, Mercy High School
	Coordinator:	Mary Coyne '75
1995 (20 years)	Date	TBD
	Coordinators:	Joy Rodrigues-Guandique '95 & Lenie Santos-Ugaitata '95
2005 (10 years)	Date and Location	TBD
	Coordinators:	Ariana Angelo '05 Laura Nelson '05 Karlynn Lee '05

	Announcements

	Close-Up Immersion Trip to Washington Offered for Intersession Mercy High School is once again pleased to offer "Close-Up" as one of our Intersession Courses for 2016. Close-Up is a fully immersive trip to Washington, D.C., offering students not only visits to the historical and cultural sites of the nation's Capitol, but the chance to explore domestic and international issues with members of Congress and their staff, Washington insiders, and other leading policy experts. Additionally, our students room with students from other parts of the country, opening their eyes to the experiences of teens with varied backgrounds, and often promoting lively late-night discussions and ongoing friendships. As 2016 is a presidential election year, Washington, D.C. should be extra busy and exciting. Close-Up is a long-standing and well-respected citizenship education organization with over 40 years of experience bringing over 800,000 students and teachers to Washington, D.C. Although Close-Up is an expensive course (~$2100), we feel that it is a valuable experience for those students who choose to attend. We will hold an informational meeting in the Fall, with more information about the program and various fundraising options. Please contact Ms. Nicole Wong with any questions, or visit the Close-Up website at www.closeup.org. From the Business Office... RE-ENROLLMENT FOR 2015-2016 On March 13 an email was sent with a link to re-enroll your daughter for the next school term. If you have not re-enrolled your daughter using RenWeb, please do so ASAP or if you need instructions on how to re-enroll, the email can be be resent by requesting at lzermani@mercyhs.org. It is important to re-enroll your daughter in a timely manner so she is scheduled into her classes for next fall. Support Mercy High School as your giving choice for 2015! The collective support of alumnae, parents and friends has generated funds for Mercy's most critical need: tuition assistance. We are asking you to consider a Spring gift this year to help us reach our Annual Goal of $1,000,000 by June 30, 2015! We are at 87% of our goal. It doesn't take a large donation to have a big impact. Gifts to Mercy's Annual Fund, whether $25 or $2,500, create one of the school's most significant sources of support. Click here to make an online donation. If you have already made a gift to MERCY HIGH SCHOOL for 2014-15, thank you! Support the Parent Giving Campaign Support Mercy High School's campaign to replace all the existing seats in the theatre. We are currently at 32% Parent Giving. Our goal is for 100% parent participation at $200 per family, but any donation possible will raise our goal. Payments can be made online. Choose Parent Giving on this page. Thank you for all your support! You are truly making a difference in the lives of our amazing young women. Calling All Mercy Authors Are you an alumnae author who has written and published a book? No matter whether you've published a book of poems, penned a self-help book, written an academic textbook or authored a children's book, let us know so we can feature you in MERCY NEWS! Join our list of authors including Patricia Gwilliam Ziegler '67, Wild Company: The Untold Story of Banana Republic; Victoria Saitz '14, A Fairytale; and Gina Mazzetti '10, A Shout-Out for Dyslexics: The Emotional Side. Please email amagnusen@mercyhs.org with details. The Technology Department recycles used cell phones, laser toner and inkjet cartridges throughout the school year. Please have students drop off items in the Computer Lab, room 319.

	School News

	OVERNIGHT RETREAT IN LOS GATOS FOR JUNIORS AND SENIORS In late April, 39 juniors and seniors traveled to Presentation Center in Los Gatos for a 3-day, 2-night retreat experience. This contemplative retreat allowed upperclass students to step away from their usual routines of school and home and explore their identities, priorities, and spirituality. Through meditation, art, ritual, games, time in nature, and personal sharing, students gained new perspectives on their lives, deepened friendships, and developed a renewed awareness of God's presence. Emily Cano '16, a member of the Campus Ministry Retreat Team, described her first overnight retreat experience as "a great way to get out of the stresses of daily life and enter a sanctuary in which you get the opportunity to reflect on your own spirituality...I discovered so many things about myself!" Mercy faculty/staff members facilitated the retreat, with members of the Retreat Team offering personal reflection talks. CASA DE LAS MADRES RECEIVES A DONATION FROM MERCY AND RIORDAN Mercy High School ASB officers Gabby Jajeh '15, Ariana Massis '15, Rakeb Tessema '16, and Gina Antonoglou '15 met the Riordan ASB officers at Casa de las Madres to present a check for $2,630.00. The money was raised by the students from both Mercy and Riordan who supported the effort by purchasing a ticket and attending the Benefit Rally - Battle of the Avenues! Congratulations to both schools, but especially Mercy San Francisco for winning the trophy for the second year in a row! CLASS OF 2015 ACCEPTED AT TOP-NOTCH COLLEGES Mercy's Class of 2015 is venturing far and wide, as evidenced by their college acceptances shown on the above map. Some were admitted to top liberal arts colleges, such as Williams, Denison, Beloit, Austin, Amherst, Ithaca, Lawrence, Gettysburg, Earlham, Middlebury, Occidental, Santa Clara, Sarah Lawrence, Swarthmore, Simmons and St. Olaf. Our talented artists were accepted to prestigious visual arts schools including Pratt Institute, Parsons, School of Visual Arts in N.Y, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Savannah College of Art & Design. Others were admitted to top universities: Brown, Brandeis, Drexel, University of Oregon, USF, Syracuse, Pace, Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, and more. Many grads will attend the University of California, Cal Poly and the other California state universities. We wish the Class of 2015 great success in their travels and future endeavors! STORIES EXPRESSED THROUGH ART Story has long been an important part of human culture. Through story, we learn about ourselves, pass along history, and convey our ideas of the future. In the arts arena we exercise our storytelling muscle visually. The pictures we paint can reel the viewer into worlds of fantasy. Our drawings illustrate dramatic moments impossible to catch on film. We're able to fill drawings of ourselves with vibrant color that expresses even more than the many beautiful hues of our skin, such as rage or deep contentment. With our visual storytelling we can educate, entertain, explain and capture your attention. Collage shown above includes the following artists: 1. Mireya Napoles '15, AP 2D Design "Drunk with Power" 2. Louise Li '15, AP 2D Design, self-portrait 3. Chanelle Mosquera '15, AP 2D Design, Human Rights Illustration Project, "The Right to Education" 4. Jiaying (Ally) Wu '15, AP Drawing, "The Joker" FIVE NEW MEMBERS INDUCTED INTO MERCY'S ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME At the recent Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet and Awards Nancy Dito pointed out that she still is an athlete and that it all started here at Mercy. The night featured drinks and appetizers served by current student-athletes, tours of McAuley Pavilion, a fantastic dinner catered by Sweet Inspirations, a very moving student testimonial given by junior Quynh Tran, a Booster Club award given to outgoing president Joanie Dalton, and the induction of five new Hall of Fame members; Hazel Beck (contributor who worked and coached at Mercy from 1979 to 2006), athletes Nancy Dito '66, Joanne Hayes-White '82, Shelly Best '99, and Cheryl Chu '00. Thank you to all those who attended and to all of the current Booster Club volunteers. The next induction will be in 2017. If you would like to nominate someone contact Athletic Director Mike Gutierrez at mgutierrez@mercyhs.org. MARK BOTTI AWARDED GRANT FOR SUMMER STUDY Mr. Mark Botti, English teacher, has been awarded a grant by the National Endowment for the Humanities for a four-week summer program titled "Indigenous Literary Perspectives in Global Conversation." This will be held at the University of Montana-Missoula. Each of the 25 teachers selected will receive a stipend to cover their travel, study and living expenses. ELECTRA GEORGIADES '16 AT CARNEGIE MELLON THIS SUMMER Mercy Junior Electra Georgiades has been selected for the Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Drama Program for Theatre Production, Technology and Management, an intensive, top-ranked and highly competitive undergraduate conservatory program for high school students. Electra will spend six weeks gaining experience and knowledge in a highly-advanced theatre environment. She will work with college professors in classes such as Basic Design, Stage Management/Production Management, Lighting Design, Sound Design, Stage Craft, Technical Production, Costuming, Drafting and Dramatic Literature. Electra already has an impressive portfolio of work done in Mercy productions (paint design of scenery in Kids Called Crazy and design of Wiz head and Emerald City gates in The Wiz), but she states, "I will be working hard this summer to develop a portfolio that will prepare me for college applications next fall." MERCY RECEIVES AWARD FOR COMPOSTING AND RECYCLING The city and county of San Francisco's Department of the Environment honored Mercy High School with a special award on May 12 at City Hall. Mercy received the award for leading the way in composting and recycling. Tamar Hurwitz, the Environmental Education Manager, says we are now recycling and composting more than 75% of our total waste. Eleven students were selected to receive the award for their excellent participation and educational efforts. Mercy was also praised for its garden program. Also named in the award were: Enrique Silva, Victor Peña, Jennifer Kramer, Janine Nolfi, Maria Perez, Olivia Hernandez and Vince McGovern, as shown in above photos.

	Upcoming Events

	May 2015 Saturday, May 16: 6pm Visual & Performing Arts Red Carpet Awards Dinner Sunday, May 17: 1pm Art & Soul Exhibit May 20 & 21: 7pm Visual & Performing Arts Festival Friday, May 22: 7pm PAA Student Directed Performances Monday, May 25 Memorial Day Holiday - No Classes May 26-28 Final Exams - Special Schedule Thursday, May 28: 6pm Senior Celebration Dinner Friday, May 29: 9am Senior Awards Assembly Saturday, May 30: 10:30am Graduation Eucharistic Liturgy ____________________________________________________________________ Summer Rise June 22 - July 17, 2015 School and camp holiday, Friday, July 3, 2015 8:00 - 1:00pm FREE of CHARGE: Early Bird drop off at 7:30am Summer Rise is a program specially designed for incoming freshmen to Mercy High School. Our goal is to prepare students for the rigors of Mercy High School academia. This program also offers an opportunity to share knowledge and experiences and to meet fellow classmates while having fun. We will review the fundamentals of English and Math. English in Mind focuses on grammar, reading comprehension, creative and analytic writing, and the necessary skills for success in English. Pathway to Math focuses on the fundamentals of Math, pre-Algebra and Algebra. Liturgical Ministry Training Day August 30, 2015 10 am - 5:30 pm Mercy High School San Francisco It's not too early for Mercy students to plan to attend our annual Liturgical Ministry Training Day on Sunday, August 30. This full-day event offers participants the opportunity to assume a leadership role in our community of faith by learning more about the Catholic liturgy. Mercy students join young people from throughout the Archdiocese of San Francisco in training to be lectors, Eucharistic ministers, acolytes, bread-bakers, music ministers (cantors and choir members), liturgical dancers, and ministers of art and environment. This year's keynote speaker is pastoral musician Janèt Sullivan Whitaker, a prolific composer whose songs are regularly featured in Mercy liturgies. The day concludes with a Sunday Eucharistic Liturgy in which participants put their new skills into practice. For more information, please contact Dr. Carrie Schroeder at cschroeder@mercyhs.org, or complete this *form* to register now. Intersession 2016 Intersession will take place the week of February 29, 2016. Preliminary course offerings will be published on our website in June so that students and parents/guardians can discuss possibilities and make preparations during the summer to finance courses.