Mercy Alums Offer Advice to Seniors

By Mallory Workman 

As the spring of this school year draws nearer by the second, freshman finally have a grasp on high school life, sophomores are getting over (or just starting) their slump, juniors anticipate becoming seniors, and seniors are ready to go off to college, or so they think.

            Amidst the end of the year excitement, there are a few key concepts to keep in mind over the next few months, especially for seniors.

            First, Mercy prepares its students for college and has a lot to offer other than its values.

            “Mercy prepared me not just on the ability to catch grammatical errors and fragmented sentences,” says Erma Merz ’08, “but to fully comprehend concepts ranging from chemistry to drama.” Mercy offers classes ranging from Shakespeare to Statistics, which provides knowledge in countless fields, all vital in producing well-rounded women. The school also instills a strong work ethic in its students.

            “I feel like the teachers at Mercy pushed us to our full potential and expected nothing less of us,” Ashley Michael ’07 maintains, “and that helped me push myself in college.” 

            With positive feedback from current alums, there is no question whether Mercy prepares its students for life after high school. AP classes, diverse courses, and teachers who push us to succeed almost always add up to college success.

            Despite skepticism, we will miss Mercy after graduation.

            “I miss the atmosphere,” Melissa Chaney ’09 says, “I miss being able to talk to, eat with, and smile at whoever and know they will do the same in return. There is no place like Mercy and the people that go there.”

            Sometimes, we may miss things that we don’t expect to: “I miss the uniform!’ offers Jackie Hart ’09, “at first I was excited for sweatpants every day, but then I saw that some girls wear heels to class…I am now giving Forever 21 a lot more business.”

            Sometimes, we may miss things we never though of, “I really miss the Harry Potter-reminiscent building,” says Molly Nocheck ’09.

            In these next few months, take the time to appreciate what we may not have after June 1^st – uniforms, all girls, gooey Otis Spunkmeyer cookies, and a completely dedicated and caring staff.

            Mercy isn’t all there is to life, however, and college offers perks such as waking up late, independence, and having weird creatures called “boys” in class. There are more options for classes and more opportunities to get involved.

            “It really makes you grow up fast, but we all have it in us to be a responsible adult,” Jackie Hart ’09 admits, “it’s just a matter of being put into a situation that calls for it.”

            So don’t fret seniors. June 1^st is not going to be the apocalypse. You will wake up June 2^nd more or less the same person, plus a pair of tear-stained cheeks and a high school diploma.

            As always, the forever-proud alums have advice to offer current seniors:

Becky Otten ’08 – “There are so many great opportunities out there and Mercy is just the doorway. Take the memories and go wherever you want to go! (Besides jail.... that would be bad).”

Melissa Chaney ’09 – “Enjoy it, be carefree but don't slack off -- the teachers do NOT do senioritis, even at the end of May...it's cruel.”

Ali Ruth ’09 – “When you get to college, get involved! Don't wait to study until the week before finals.”

Ashley Michael ’07 – “Enjoy every minute of your senior year because you will never share experiences like it again as a class.”

Ann Marie Maly ’06  - “Don't worry if you don't know what you want to do yet. Most students don't figure out a major until they are juniors. There is time to try new classes and see what you like.”

Janine Bill ’09 – “DO. NOT. CRAM. Cramming worked in high school, but this is college where sometimes you have 3 grades per quarter/semester and they're your exam grades. The exams will most likely cover multiple chapters too. I tried cramming...it only taught me not to cram.”

Rachel Niederhausen ’08 – “Enjoy the time you still have left. It goes by so fast, and you'll never be able to replicate these special days ahead of you.”

Claire Simpson ’07 – “Be very careful when filling out random roommate forms. Don't say you are untidy, unless it means you are okay with your roommate leaving out food for days at a time.”

Molly Nocheck ’09 – “Graduation is like being in a Harry Potter movie because of the robes. Appreciate that!”

Erma Merz ’08 – “Try your best to make Mercy a better place than when you started. Spread love with all the students. Smile at the freshman. Set an example. Slow down and appreciate what you have. Live it up. Cherish the moments. Treat the teachers and administration with all the respect you can muster.”

Katie Pieper ’08 – “Take advantage of what you've got. I still regret waiting so long to really make connections with people outside my little group of friends. Don't hold back. “

Jackie Hart ’09 – “Go to the basketball game - it might be your last time in the cheering section. Go see the spring play - it's the last time you'll see your classmates on that stage. Go to Senior Slam and have that final time together as a family. Go ahead and buy out all the cookies at lunch - they don't taste the same after your gone. Go and be a kid - at the end of this summer you'll already feel the shift from 12:30 curfew to parties on a Thursday (which I don't recommend).”

Alums differ with their advice to seniors, but the general consensus is to live it up, continue to work hard, and appreciate our Mercy education.

Check out what some Alums are doing here.

 

Olympic Tragedy Shocks Viewers Around the World

By Hannah Schwab

On February 12, 2010, a great tragedy went down in Olympic history. Georgian luge member Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed in a horrific luge accident that has been broadcasted all over the world. Nodar was doing a practice run on the fastest luge track in the world. The track defied the rules of the game by making it longer and making steep so lugers could reach speeds up to 95 mph.

Nodar was near the end of the track going 88 mph when he and his sled hit an inside wall causing the rider to fly off the sled and off the track. He hit a concrete pole that had no padding and was pronounced dead on impact. This is a great tragedy, but what makes it more tragic is the fact that the whole thing was caught on tape.

The lead story for every news network for that day was the death of the poor Olympian. On NBC’s Nightly News with Brian Williams, the main anchor had the decency to warn the audience that the images of Nodar’s death were not for the faint of heart, but they still aired the footage.

The footage aired all over until February 16 when the NBC news president pulled the plug and said they were not to air the images until they had permission from the 21 year olds family. Following NBC, YouTube and many other internet video companies pulled the video from their sites.

The video of Nodar’s death was a horrific thing and it was not in the best interest of the journalists to air something of that nature. But, because of that video there has been some good that has come out of it. The luge track where Nodar died was closed because it was too dangerous for even the most experienced lugers. Also, many people have gained respect for people, who train in the sport.

Whether the video is seen as good or bad, we must remember the life that was lost during that video and imagine what his family is going through by reliving his fatal crash over and over again.

 

Photo Courtesy of Google Images

 

Local Teens Go Green

By Hannah Schwab

   “The times are in fact changing, and we need to adapt and keep up with these changes for a strong economy and clean, safe environment to live in,” says Kristy Kim from the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services (HCDOES). Kristy Kim along with many other men and women of Ohio believe in the importance of going green. Kristy Kim is the Public Relations Specialist for the Air Quality Division of HCDOES. Her main job, as the Public Relations Specialist, is to educate local businesses and schools about going green.

    She along with Keebler Holley, who is the Education Specialist for the Solid Waste Division, has teamed up to help educate the local youth about the importance of being green. This organization is called the Hamilton County Youth Environmental Council or better known to its members HOPE.

   “The HCDOES Youth Council was an initiated by our department director, Cory Chadwick, to provide an avenue for youth from Hamilton, Clermont, Butler and Warren Counties to learn more about green issues, meet other students and have the opportunity to take action and have their voices heard,” says Kristy Kim. The youth council has about twenty members from all over Ohio. The council consists of members from Wyoming, CCM, Elder, Taylor and even Mercy.

   The group meets once a month to discuss important environmental problems in our area. The group tries to find simple solutions for these problems. “Something very simple is to watch the amount of energy you consume. Unplug electronics that aren't in use such as TV's, computers and laptops, video gaming systems or any unused appliances around the house. Also, don't leave things like cell phones and iPods on chargers once they are charged,” says Kristy is one of the many solutions the group has come up with.

   After the council has had the meeting, it is up to the members to go out to their communities and educate them about the simple solutions through their own personal teaching service project. “I hope that the Youth Council members learn that they can have an impact and make a difference in their schools and communities. Keebler hopes the council learns how to plan, implement and evaluate service learning projects like this one as well as learning to work with others and becoming more knowledgeable about green activities and resources in the area,” Kristy says about what the members will gain from this experience.

   Many of the members have chosen their community to be their school. A teen from Wyoming High School plans on putting signs around her school parking lot saying “No Idling in Car.” A duo from Taylor is working on a locker clean-up at the end of the year. Mercy is following this pattern as well, but in a different way.

   On the week of the walk, there will be an eco-fair outside of the cafeteria. HOPE and Mercy’s Science Club have teamed up to create a fun and interactive way to be green. The booths have been designed by the Science Club and will be executed by Biology students.

   The booths will have themes such as Eco-lunches, Eco-school supplies, Eco-friendly celebrities, Eco-fashion and so much more. The fair is to help Mercy students and faculty understand the importance of being green. This will show that being green isn’t hard, but is really easy and can be fun.

   “Being green is important to our future,” Kristy Kim says, “There needs to be an increase in green opportunities and education for students to have the upper hand.” As intelligent Mercy women, it is important for us to take this step. It is important for us to have the upper hand in this and be green so our futures will be brighter.

Check out the Youth Council website here.

Valedictorian and Salutorian Announced

By Sydney Murray

   “When Sr. Nancy said she was going to announce the valedictorian and salutatorian, my heart started pounding. I was hoping so badly that she would say my name, and I was so, so excited when she did! It is such a great honor to receive this,” says Adrienne Bussard, the class of 2010’s Valedictorian. Adrienne, along with Elainie “Lainie” Simpson, the Salutatorian, have the honor of being the top two students of the class of 2010.

   “I knew I was in the running because I received the Top Scholar Athlete award last year, but I really didn't know,” says Adrienne. “My parents were very excited and proud of me. My aunts, uncles, and cousins have dropped off Graeter’s for me and sent me congratulations cards and texts. My one aunt actually cried when I told her the news.” 

   Lots of hard work, and a little help from friends and loved ones, helped Adrienne on her path to success. “I guess a lot of studying got me to be the Valedictorian. My little brother will say that I'm so smart and I always answer that I just study a lot. My parents have helped me as they taught me good study skills and the importance of reading. My teachers have helped me so much, too.”

   As far as her plans for after Mercy, Adrienne’s not sure yet. “I have no idea where I'm going to college. The University of South Carolina is up there on my list, but I have not heard back from eight of the twelve schools I applied to. I want to major in biology or chemistry as a premed student, and minor in Spanish.”

    Lainie also has the same problem with deciding where to attend college. “Unfortunately, I do not know where I'm going to college yet, because many of the ones that I applied to haven't responded yet. I won't know until April. However, I know that I am majoring in Biomedical Engineering and I am almost positively minoring in Studio Art. My top three choices are Vanderbilt, OSU, and University of South Carolina.”

    Lainie was also thrilled to hear her named called by Sister Nancy. “When I first found out I was Salutatorian I was immediately very happy and also relieved. I felt like there was a lot less pressure since it was decided. I was also relieved because Adrienne has to make the big speech because I was really hoping that wouldn't be me. I don't know that I was expecting it, but I was definitely hoping for it. As soon as Sr. Nancy said that she was going to announce who valedictorian and salutatorian were, all of my friends sitting around me looked at me, so I was really hoping I would get it then, because there was a lot more pressure.”

   “Everyone in my life has been a big support to me as far as school goes, but I think my mom was the biggest help. She always pushes me hard so that I do my best. Grades come naturally to me, definitely, but also I like to challenge myself and I have definitely done that over the past four years. I believe this is a big part of why I earned this rank.”

    “When I first told my dad, he was really excited. My mom was too, but the first thing she said to me was ‘Now you're just like me’ because she was Salutatorian in 1980, as well.” Lainie’s aunt was also Valedictorian in 1979. 

  The brains so to succeed also seem to run in Adrienne’s family. “My cousin was Salutatorian of Seton a few years ago. At St. X they do not have a valedictorian or salutatorian but instead put students into percentiles, and my brother was in the top 2% of his class.”

   For those underclassman who dream of becoming valedictorian and salutatorian, Adrienne and Lainie both have some advice. “Study and pay attention in class,” says Adrienne. “Have a positive attitude about school. Sometimes homework is overwhelming and stuff, but concentrating on the good aspects will help you more than complaining.”

  “Get involved and manage your time,” says Lainie. “I feel that being involved in sports and clubs at mercy helps me to do well in school. It forces me to manage my time and I have never been tempted to make destructive decisions that could possibly hurt my grades because I never have the time!”

  

           

 

14-Year-Old Strives for Admission to Cambridge

By Kelly O'Brien 

            Think high school physics is difficult as a senior? Try passing a college physics entrance exam at age 14. That’s all that stands in the way of British teenager Arran Fernandez’s admission into the prestigious Cambridge University.

            Fernandez grew up home schooled by his parents in Surrey. At the age of five in 2001, he became the youngest person to pass the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), which is an advanced exam in England normally taken by 14-16 year olds. He received a grade of D, the highest possible grade for the foundation level of the exam. Later in 2003, he became the youngest person both pass, and receive an A* on the math GCSE.

            To prepare for these exams, Fernandez began studying three hours a day three months before the test with his father, Dr. Neil Fernandez. As a family, they played math related games at lunch and supper to make studying fun for the five year old. His parents described him as a “normal child”, who loved to fly his kite and play chess instead of constantly solving math problems as most assume.

            Now at 14, Arran is on the brink of breaking a 237 year old record: to become the youngest undergraduate at Cambridge University. This record is previously held by William Pitt (the younger). Some Cambridge alums include Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Physics theorist Steven Hawking.

            Arran has already passed the university’s entrance exam and now needs to pass his physics A-level to gain admittance. This exam is very difficult and often failed by many 17 or 18 year olds trying to get into Cambridge.

            Arran has several goals in mind for himself after college. At the young age of five, Fernandez contemplated becoming a mathematician, space explorer, or lorry driver. His main focus now, at 14, is to become a research mathematician, and even someday possibly work at Cambridge.

             One feat he especially hopes to accomplish while studying at Cambridge is to solve the Riemann hypothesis: a theory about the patterns of prime numbers that has been unsolved by even the greatest mathematicians for over 150 years. Fernandez will pursue a tripos degree, which is Cambridge’s rigorous math program, and is said to be one of the most difficult curriculum in the world.    

 Photo courtesy of Google Images.

             

Mercy Markers All Dried Up

By Maggie Kissinger

The popularity of the team and the entertaining routines produced by them led the students, and the team, clamoring to perform outside of the pep rallies. Half-time performances at Mercy home games began. This dance team has entertained students, parents, faculty, and administrators for 12 years without any controversy or problems with the team members. The songs and routines have been appropriate and spirited, creating unity and pride for the activities happening at Mercy among the Mercy community.

After this year, however, Mercy Markers is going to need a makeover. This year, the home Seton game performance was cancelled and after subsequent efforts to raise support for the Seton game performance, the Markers were shut down by the administration from any more performances outside of pep rallies as of this year. Mrs. Harvey, the team’s biggest advocator, states that there is typically just one public performance and this year it was at the St. Ursula game instead. Along with that, the controversy stemmed from miscommunication between the team and the administration.

Mercy Markers will be allowed to perform at the spring pep rally this year, but if a new team is to perform next year, they will need a new name and a completely different agenda. Mrs. Harvey would like to see a successful team get together, but the future of the team is not in her hands. “The future is whatever that class wants to make it. It is completely driven by the students.” She says.

Many Mercy girls ask if the Markers’ agenda really was to make fun of Seton. It wasn’t. The last three years especially haven’t incorporated any Seton jabs in their routines concerning the students, school, or dance team. The teams have just put together entertaining performances incorporating music that connects to the students that have induced a lot of spirit and excitement for Mercy activities, especially sports. The games that have had the Mercy Markers performing at half time have led more students to come and support their teams.

Mrs. Harvey sees a future for the Markers if they go into a completely new direction. “If it becomes just about spirit, I totally advocate that. But if their motivation is to just perform at the Seton game, I’m telling them now that it’s not going to happen.” The request to perform at the Seton game this year has made the administration less willing to have a Seton performance for any future team.

Next year will bring out a lot of negotiating and compromise between the administration and the students, but a ‘spirit team’ is something Mercy students aren’t ready to give up and are willing to negotiate to keep, even if it means no Seton performance.

What do you think of potentially ending Mercy Markers? Leave your feedback in the COMMENT section!

Awards Day Adapts to Student and Faculty Concerns

By Maggie Kissinger

  “What I know is a lot of questions,” says Sister Nancy. The questions concern ‘Awards Day’, the end of the year liturgy followed by an awards ceremony. On January 21 a committee of faculty and administration consisting of Sister Nancy, Mrs. Koch, Ms. Mitchell, Ms. Rost, and Ms. Antons met to discuss changes to a Mercy tradition. ‘Awards Day’ has been a unique Mercy tradition for many years.

   The first meeting consisted of the committee throwing out questions about the day and how to effectively change it. The recurrent comment, ‘it’s a long day’ started the committee thinking about splitting up the different parts of Awards Day.

   Awards Day has typically been the second or third Friday in May. It consists of the liturgy, commissioning for those going on summer service trips, May Crowning, academic awards, awards presented by those outside of Mercy, service and leadership awards, special senior awards, senior scholarship slideshow, the candle ceremony and a picnic lunch. The committee notes the importance of all these parts and all of these parts will occur during school days for the whole school. “We definitely want something during the day,” says Sister Nancy. However, the parts may happen on different days.

   “We don’t have to have the awards and the mass on the same day. We used to have them separately. We could have May Crowning on May 1, or plan it for any day in May that it doesn’t rain so we can have it outside.” Seperating the different parts of Awards Day, means we’ll have classes before or after the ceremony each day.

   The committee is still thinking about how many days to have the different parts of Awards Day. Right now, two days seems most likely. A date is not set, but it has been decided that the Awards Day will take place sometime in the third or fourth week of May.

   Sister Nancy says the committee has decided that everyone part of Awards Day will be an all-school event, “We will have an audience to see all of these awards. We know we want all the classes to see the awards.” About the senior slideshow, Sister Nancy says, “We can’t lose the younger students to see that. It’s not an only senior thing.”

   One of the things that make Awards Day so long is the number of awards presented. The decision on whether to present every award or cut some of them is still under discussion. Time is an important issue.

   “We don’t have to do all the awards, but how do we pick?” says Sister Nancy. The award that gets cut could be someone’s only award. “Gosh, it matters. The Honor Roll takes twenty minutes, but it might be the only award a person gets.”

   Another concern of the students is the picnic lunch and dressing up. Typically, ‘Awards Day’ is a dress-up day for students but most students won’t want to dress up for multiple days. The committee members have discussed making only one of the days a dress-up day but haven’t decided on which day. The picnic lunch will also be only one day, but which day is still to be determined.

Gold Medalists Reveal Off Season Training Tips

By Kelly O'Brien

    The Olympics have showcased some of the world's greatest athletic performances. The athletes' motivation in the off season is a crucial component to winning gold. Here are some of the physically grueling training schedules of some of the gold medalist Olympians representing the United States in 2010. 

Shaun White (snowboarding): White’s score of a 48.4 in this season’s Winter Olympics earned him a prestigious gold medal, but his perfected moves took hours upon on hours of training. His sponsors, such as Red Bull, built a secluded half pipe located in the Colorado Mountains. There White spent day after day, creating new tricks and perfecting old routines. However, training’s not all work for White: when he’s not hitting the slopes, he skateboards, incorporating both training and leisure at once.

   Lindsey Vonn(Alpine skiing): Vonn stays in incredible shape with the help of two personal trainers who moderate her diet and exercise year round. Her daily work outs consist of three hours of cardio (usually biking), plus core exercises using medicine balls, free weights, and hurdles. Vonn also commits to a six week training session in Austria, where her personal trainers have her bike through the Alps.

   Hannah Kearney (freestyle skiing): Kearney begins everyday with a 7 a.m. workout including a strenuous ab workout, jumping on a trampoline for an hour, and then heads to a pool with skis on her feet for more jump practice. Afterward, she switches to a dry regimen, in which she mixes strength sessions with weights and running. During the winter competition season, Kearney trains for two hours on the courses for her upcoming races. She unwinds at the end of every day with an ice bath to relieve her muscles.

   Evan Lysacek (figure skating): Along with a disciplined diet of protein and lots of vegetables, Lysacek heavily incorporates dance and yoga (on DVDs at his house) into his training regimen. He also meets with a professional ballerina and practices ballet to better his movement while on the ice. As it gets closer to competition time, Lysacek spends four to six hours straight on ice skating alone. He ends by practicing his routine forward and backwards, twice a day.

   Shani Davis (speed skating): Davis trains by competing in races against other skaters in the off season, compared to racing against a clock in the Olympics. He prepares for the Olympics by running countless amounts of stairs, lifting weights, and running. After every workout, Davis spends an hour journaling and recording any progress he made or any flaws he can perfect.  

Check out this link for Olympic results and statistics! 

Image Courtesy of Google Images