Mission. History. Values. Traditions. Fiesta. Adviser Groups

Transcription

1 The Mercy Tradition

2 History In 1945, Mercy High School opened its doors at the corner of Southfield and Outer Drive in Detroit. The Sisters of Mercy established the school to offer young women the opportunity to receive a value-centered education in an environment of academic excellence. As enrollment grew, Mercy relocated to its present 25-acre campus in Farmington Hills in Mercy is part of the Network for Mercy Education, a system of 69 schools sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. Today Mercy boasts over 14,000 alumnae. Patroness: Our Lady of Mercy Foundress of the Sisters of Mercy: Venerable Catherine McAuley Motto: Women Who Make a Difference Colors: Maroon and Gold Mascot: Marlin Mission Mercy High School, a Catholic college preparatory school for young women, fosters spiritual, intellectual, moral, physical, and cultural development. Enriched by students from diverse backgrounds, Mercy nurtures compassionate leaders committed to addressing human needs, working for justice, and serving the poor. Values Mercy Service Human Dignity Option for the Poor Justice Traditions Fiesta Adviser Groups Spirit Week Homecoming Ethnic Bazaar Christmas Assembly A-Ball Auction Kairos Heart of Mercy Sweepstakes Drive Baccalaureate Mass Honors Convocation Moving Up White Dress and Red Roses at Graduation All Night Party Alumnae Tea Golf Outing

3 College Prep College-Preparatory Curriculum Mercy offers a comprehensive program of study in liberal arts and sciences. Advanced Placement classes are offered in all academic areas. On average, 78% of Mercy students who take AP exams score 3 or better. Critical thinking and strong written and verbal communication skills are stressed. Group work and research are incorporated into disciplines to prepare students for the collaborative and dynamic nature of college and professional careers. A Typical Freshwoman Schedule Introduction to Theology (semester) English (American Literature) Math (Algebra or Geometry) Biology World Language (French, Latin or Spanish) World History Speech (semester) Design Foundations (semester) Elective (semester) Given the competitive college application process, Mercy continually strives to give students the needed academic edge to gain acceptance to superior colleges and universities.

4 Faith As a Catholic school, faith formation is an important part of a student s development while at Mercy. Mercy The four-year curriculum in Religious Studies provides a solid Catholic foundation with an emphasis upon morality, theology, and scripture. Beyond the classroom, Mercy offers students many opportunities to deepen their faith. The mission of the Pastoral Ministry Department is to strengthen the spirituality of the student body through the planning and promotion of Eucharistic Liturgies, retreats, prayer services, service projects, and special traditional Mercy celebrations. Spiritual Retreats Faith on Friday Community Service Eucharistic Celebrations Sacrament of Reconciliation Daily Morning Prayer Pastoral Team

5 Community Service A Comfortable Cup of Tea In the spirit of Catherine McAuley, a Mercy education nurtures growth of the whole person - spiritually, intellectually and morally. Students at Mercy schools participate in community service - a hallmark of Mercy values. (Sisters of Mercy of the Americas website). The Mercy Community Action Program encourages a commitment to volunteer service by using the greater community as a classroom. For the students at Mercy, 40 hours of community service completed over 4 years is a graduation requirement, but most girls go far beyond the commitment to share their time and talents with those in need. The Class of 2013 proudly put Mercy values into action by performing over 25,000 hours of service! That is an inspiring average of 140 hours per student. Venerable Catherine McAuley, the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, was known for her compassion at the House of Mercy on Baggot Street in Ireland. A comfortable cup of tea became a symbol to represent Catherine s warmth. Mercy High School continues the tradition of serving a comfortable cup of tea. Every spring, our Valedictorian and Salutatorian candidates gather for a congratulatory tea in our Baggot Street conference room and our Mercy Alumnae host Tea for Tuition to benefit our Tuition Assistance Program. Visitors often remark on the welcoming environment at Mercy High School, a tribute to honor Catherine s emphasis on caring relationships and hospitality. Our charity is to be cordial. Now cordial signifies something that renews, invigorates and warms. Such should be the effect of our love for each other. ~ Catherine McAuley ~ Cork Manuscript

6 Technology Incoming students are required to purchase the Mercy ipad package. Mercy was one of the first high schools in the Detroit area to implement a 1:1 computing program in Technology is deeply integrated into instruction and school life. Mercy students report that our technology helps make them self-directed learners. ipad All members of the school community use Google Apps for Education, facilitating instant communications and robust collaborations in the cloud. In 2012, 89% of all ninth graders reported using the ipad to collaborate with others on school work, demonstrating that they are learning vital media and social skills for the future. The ipad is sold and its apps are deployed through the Mercy IT Department, which also maintains Mercy s network. Design Foundations All ninth graders are required to take Design Foundations where they work in Mercy s new imac lab to create a web portfolio for their four years at Mercy. They also create a movie with professional grade FinalCut ProX software and produce projects that introduce them to animation, graphic design, photo editing and sound editing. Mercy s new HP lab, where each of 26 work stations has double monitors, hosts publications classes, as well as graphic design. Elective classes in video, theater and design are introduced to CAD software. iwizards ipad enthusiasts may apply to become members of the student-led iwizards. These students provide technical service and expertise and are exposed to further technology enrichment. Their major project is staging the tech orientation for each new class of ninth graders in August.

7 Athletics Athletics Athletic Facilities Teams Gymnasium Basketball Pompon Swimming Pool Bowling Skiing Mercy High School upholds a strong tradition of competitive athletics in 17 sports, including 4 club sports. All teams are eligible to participate in the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) state tournaments and 11 participate in the Detroit Catholic League. The Class of 2013 had 15 athletes sign to play college sports, 6 Catholic League championships and one state championship. Full-Size Track Eight Tennis Courts Soccer Field Two Enclosed Softball Diamonds Indoor Batting Cage Weight Room Cross Country Equestrian Club Field Hockey Figure Skating Golf Ice Hockey Lacrosse Soccer Softball Swimming/Diving Tennis Track Volleyball

8 Activities & Clubs Fall Play Forensics Team French Club French Honor Society GREEN Human Relations Council International Thespian Society iwizards Junior Classical League Just Peace Club Lore (yearbook) M-Hub Project (networking) Mercyaires Mercy Mimes Mercy Works Model United Nations National Honor Society Newsprint Pastoral Ministry Team Pro-Life Club Quiz Bowl Science Club Science Olympiad Ski Club Spirit Choir Spring Musical Student Government Spanish Honor Society Technology Club Tri-M Music Honor Society

9 Miami University Oxford Michigan State University Michigan Technological University Mount Holyoke College New York University Northern Michigan University Northwestern University Northwood University Oakland University Oklahoma City University Parsons the New School for Design Pennsylvania State University Purdue University Saint Anslem College Saint Joseph University Saint Louis University Saint Mary s College Seton Hall University Spelman College St. Edward s University St. Lawrence University The Ohio State University The Pennsylvania State University The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill United States Military Academy West Point United States Naval Academy Annapolis University of Arizona University of Buffalo University of Cincinnati University of Dayton University of Detroit Mercy University of Findlay University of Illinois Chicago University of Louisiana University of Massachusetts University of Michigan University of Nebraska University of North Dakota University of Notre Dame University of Rochester University of Saint Joseph University of Toledo University of Wyoming Villanova University Wayne State University Western Michigan University Wittenberg University Graduation Statistics Mercy was one of the first private schools in the nation to be named exemplary by the United States Department of Education and the Council for American Private Education (CAPE). 99% of Mercy graduates attend a four-year college or university. University of Michigan was the #1 school attended by the Classes of 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 and Michigan State University was the #1 school attended by the Classes of 2010 and % of the Class of 2013 earned college scholarships totaling over $14 million. Demographic Info Caucasian 65% African American 13% Middle Eastern/Chaldean 5% Asian 1% Indian 2% Multiracial 2% Hispanic 1% Unspecified 11% *Partial list of colleges and universities attended over the past three years. Albion College Alma College Aquinas College Arizona State University Ball State Boston College Boston University Bowling Green State University Bryn Mawr College Butler University Case Western Reserve University Central Michigan University Coastal Carolina University College for Creative Studies College of the Holy Cross College of Wooster Columbia College Chicago Daytona State College Denison University DePaul University Eastern Michigan University Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University Fashion Institute of Technology Ferris State University Florida Atlantic University Fordham University George Mason University George Washington University Georgetown University Grand Valley State University Hampton University Hillsdale College Holy Cross College Hope College Howard University Indiana University John Carroll University Johnson and Wales University Kalamazoo College La Salle University Lipscomb University Louisiana State University Loyola University Chicago Madonna University Marquette University Miami University

10 Tuition Assistance Mercy students come from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Families with financial need may apply for assistance through Mercy s Tuition Assistance Fund and Named Scholarships. Only registered students may apply; information on the application process is available at the New Student Information Meeting prior to registration. Transportation Quick Facts The school day is 8:00 a.m. - 2:35 p.m. Average classroom size is 25 Modular schedule Each morning, students from over 70 Detroit Metropolitan communities commute to Mercy. Bus service is available in some areas; carpooling is the most popular way to get to school. The Mercy building is open before and after school hours to accommodate early arrival and late departure needs. Enrollment in each grade averages 200 Students take up to seven classes per semester

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