On Campus

ON CAMPUS RETIREMENTS All Around Mercy! This year Mercy celebrated two significant retirements. Mary Louise Castillo retired after 46 years of teaching Spanish and Pam Matthews r etired after 27 years of teaching music and chorale! There is no doubt they made a lasting impact on gener ations of Mercy Girls and that they are an integral part of Mercy’s legacy. We are grateful for the many ways they left their mark at Mercy through their passion for their subject areas, their focus on social justice, and the mentorship they gave to many young women. We will forever be thankful for the impact they made at Mercy High School and for their extraordinary commitment to serving Ca therine McAuley’s mission for decades. We are honored to have shared in their journey of educating and life-long learning, and we look forward to seeing what amazing adventures come their way with retirement!

MERCY SENIOR WINS YOUTH OF THE YEAR

Recent Mercy graduate Scarlett Aramburu Alvarez ‘20 earned the title of Youth of the Year for Mid-Peninsula Boys & Girls Club (MPBGC)! Bridging her junior and senior years, Scarlett prepared for months working with a coach and attending workshops to strengthen her public speaking skills. In November, she competed against others in her Mid-Peninsula clubhouse which included individual interviews with a panel of eight judges and ultimately giving a speech to a packed audience about issues she felt needed addressing in our community.

An active member of the Boys & Girls Club since 7th grade, Scarlett’s participation has evolved as she took on more of a leadership role from organizing events to designing teen centers. Over the years, Scarlett’s experiences at Mercy have influenced the way she views service to her community, encouraging her to be intrinsically motivated and acknowledge the worth of time. “It is important to give back to the community that holds you up and that you represent.”

Scarlett w as also motivated to grow as a leader through her involvement with Junior Statesmen of America, a club at Mercy. Finding her voice and becoming comfortable making her opinions heard has helped her encourage fellow students to express their opinions during meetings or thr ough participation in events like the student-organized Gun Control Rally.

Scarlett was grateful for the opportunity to hone her public speaking skills and for the mentorship and recognition she has received. As a recent graduate, she is excited to see what her future holds; “It’s time to put myself in new situations where I can apply the knowledge I gained at Mercy in order to create new opportunities and experiences!”

FACULTY & STAFF ANNIVERSARIES 25 YEARS

5 YEARS Sarah Rowan Sarah Boragno 5 YEARS Jennifer Munsey 5 YEARS Ryan Offield

All Around Mercy!

GRANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL ELDERS DAY Our hearts were heavy when we learned that Mercy SF would be closing, but we are so happy that 40 young women have chosen to continue their Mercy education at Mercy Burlingame. We welcome our sisters with open arms and are honor ed to have them join our community in shared commitment to Mercy’s mission. We look forward to making treasured memories together!

On the Friday of Catholic Schools Week we welcomed 85 Mercy grandparents to our first Grandparents Day. Guests were welcomed to the Great Hall with a special blessing by Angie Simonetti, acknowledging how integral they are in their granddaughters’ Mercy education. Students then took their guests on a tour of the school and introduced them to their friends and our faculty and staff. It was a very heart-warming event and a great way to conclude Catholic Schools

WELCOME MERCY SF STUDENTS Week activities!

VISIT FROM MICHAEL COLLOPY In an interdisciplinary visit with Religion and Photography classes, renowned artist and photographer (and Serra graduate!) Michael Collopy came to Mercy to speak about his photography, his work with Mother Teresa, and lessons he learned by making mistakes. A friend and photobiographer to Mother Teresa, he recalled their relationship and the miracles he experienced during his time with her. He described other civic leaders he’s photographed who have made positive impacts on the world (like Greta Thunberg and Nelson Mandela) and challenged Mercy students to ensure that their careers positively impact the world. He shared how he’s found success and advised them to follow their passions in life.