Valedictorian and Salutatorian Finalists
The Class of 2008 is more than great! CONGRATULATIONS to these superb senior students who were finalists for the ultimate recognition of Valedictorian and Salutatorian. (Back row) Shannon Landsberg, Amanda Popiela, Margaret Love, Amanda Rahie, Helen-Marie Berg, (front row) Gina Rotundo, Leann Arcori, and Elizabeth Hagemeyer.
This distinction considers not only academic record but also leadership, service, and extracurricular involvement. Staff and the senior class provided valuable input and each candidate responded to a series of questions and was interviewed by Principal Mrs. Witte and Associate Principal Mr. Gervais.
The top honors go to Valedictorian Gina Rotundo and Salutatorian Amanda Rahie who will take the stage to speak at graduation.
HEART OF MERCY AWARD KICKS OFF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK
Mercy High School rejoiced in “lighting the way” for Bishop Daniel E. Flores to commence Catholic Schools Week. The Archdiocese of Detroit Bishop Flores presided over a special Mass to celebrate Mercy High School living out the theme of Catholic Schools Light the Way.
CONGRATULATIONS to Performing Arts Teacher Mr. Ron Sill and Senior Helen Marie Berg on winning the prestigious Heart of Mercy Award! The Heart of Mercy Award is bestowed upon a student and staff member who model the actions of Human Dignity, Mercy, Service, Justice, and Option for the Poor. Mr. Sill and Helen Marie Berg were honored for living out these values everyday at Mercy High School and “lighting the way” and encouraging others to achieve their best. Mr. Sill was deemed Mercy’s Super Hero because he always lends a helping hand and a calming heart to anyone in need. Helen Marie Berg is truly a light who finds joy in building everyone up and cherishes the talents and abilities in each person.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SWIM & DIVE 2007!
The Marlins swam their way to a third State Championship in the Divison 2 meet held at Oakland University in November. They racked up 346.5 team points and were runaway winners over Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central. CLICK HERE to read more from the newspaper.
WE'VE GOT SPIRIT, YES WE DO!
Way to go on being awarded the STATE CHAMPS! High School Sports TV Show SCHOOL SPIRIT AWARD 2007. Show host Lorne Plant was crowded by enthusiastic Mercy girls in the gym September 13 to present the trophy. The Mercy spirit spotlight is posted on the STATE CHAMPS! web site. Simply click the Mobil Lounge School Spirit Award Icon.
SCHOLARS, SCHOLARS, AND MORE SCHOLARS COMMENDED
Elizabeth Grden '08 has been named a Commended Student in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program. Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.4 million students who entered the 2008 competition by taking the 2006 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Way to go, Elizabeth!
Congratulations to these Mercy students who were recognized for their outstanding level of achievement based on their AP Exam performance from May 2007.
Christina Nvpaver ’07, Jennifer Pisani ’07, Mara Weber ’07, and Rebecca Zhou ’07 qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
Megan Haapala ‘07 and Vanessa Hoang ‘07 qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.
Maureen Anway ’07, Jaclyn Fiscus ’07, Caitlin Fitzsimons ’07, Priya Khangura ’07, Brigid Kilcoin ’07, Carolyn Lusch ’07, Meaghan Maraffino ’07, Poorvi Modi ’07, Julie Mulloy ’07, Sarah Rogers ’07 , and Christa Rutkowski ’07 (Northville) qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher.
Jennifer Paxton '08 has been selected as one of 250 Finalists in the 2007-2008 Coca Cola Scholars Program and will attend an all expense paid Scholars Weekend next month in Atlanta to receive her $10,000 scholarship award.
Sydney Varner '08 has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a President's Volunteer Service Award. She received a certificate and congratulatory letter from President Bush for volunteering 596 hours working as a camp counselor through Southfield Parks & Rec for the past 3 years. Alyssa Selasky '09 and Rebecca Guerriero '09 have been selected to compete next month in a write off for the NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing.
Mercy Girls are TOY INVENTORS and MOVIE STARS!!!
Mercy sisters Kelly '12, Chrissy '10, and Karen Redmond '10 thought it would be fun to put their science and math skills to the test and entered the Sally Ride Science Festival Toy Challenge while they were in middle school a few years ago. They created a futuristic jump rope game called "Hop To It" complete with a turntable and infrared sensors. They won the competition and now Mattel has rights to manufacture this toy. WOW!
But they didn't stop there. Sally Ride personally recommended their team to compete and be in the Toy Challenge Documentary Film "Some Assembly Required." Over 2000 kids, 400 teams nationwide, eight months of brainstorming, designing and building all to create the next great toy. "Some Assembly Required" follows six teams, including the Redmonds Kickin' Kangaroos, on their quest to win the national toy design crown.
Kelly, Chrissy, and Karen sure did work it out as they created their "Punch 'Em Out" game. It consists of 3 punching bags with rope lighting programmed with a microcomputer to go on randomly and only for a certain amount of time. The goal is to punch the bag when the light goes on, but before the light goes out. When the bag is hit on time, the player earns one point. And by the way, they won the competition. Sally Ride now has rights to release and manufacture their toy as one of her new toys in her new toy line.
The world premiere of "Some Assembly Required" directed and produced by Dori Bernstein, was March 9th at the South by South West film festival. Check out the "Some Assembly Required" media clip web site to view the movie trailer and toy building montage featuring Mercy's own Redmond girls. Now how cool is that?!
LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE STAFF
Flinn Scientific Inc. has developed three new activity stations lab kits based on ideas submitted by Ms. Kathy Kitzmann, chemistry teacher and science department chairperson. The new kits are "Characteristics of Chemical Equilibrium," "Kinetics and Reaction Rates," and "Properties of Gases and the Gas Laws" and will be available for teachers to purchase through the 2008 Flinn Scientific Catalog. In addition to having her name listed in the catalog, Ms. Kitzmann will receive royalties for each kit sold. Now that's science!
WAIT, THERE'S MORE . . . CHECK OUT THE 2006 - 2007 SCHOOL YEAR HIGHLIGHTS.
