Junior Ring Ceremony

The Junior Ring ceremony is a long-standing tradition of young women becoming upperclassmen and solidifying the Mercy Sisterhood. This tradition also signifies “Once a Mercy girl, always a Mercy girl” - that we are one in spirit wherever we may be.

One of the things I love most about Mercy is that we are steeped in beloved traditions that have lasted decades, and yet we continue to create new traditions. One inaugural event happened at the beginning of this school year, when for the first time our seniors were able to paint their parking spaces. The images our students created are so inspiring! Each student’s art became a reflection of who they are and who they have become at Mercy. When I drive past their spots I think about the artist and the gifts that they bring to our Mercy community.

We’ve also created a new Spirit Trip program at Mercy which gives students a chance to explore fun activities in the Bay area with their classmates and teachers. Our Spirit Trips are designed for fun, but the underlying mission is to offer our students opportunities to deepen their sense of belonging to our Mercy community. Last fall we took a spooky trip to the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, and we had a December trip to the Broadway musical Frozen at the Orpheum Theater. We’re gearing up for spring Spirit Trips to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and an evening excursion to a San Francisco Giants game. I’m looking forward to working with our Mercy students to create new Spirit Trips moving forward!

Jennifer Clifford ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENT LIFE