MMA Howley Scholars of Achievement 2023-2024

Howley Scholars of Achievement

Dear Nick, Lorie, and Meg,

On behalf of Merion Mercy, I express heartfelt gratitude to The Howley Foundation for its unwavering support of our exceptional students. These young women recognize the pivotal role played by The Howley Foundation in enabling their presence here, and they extend profound appreciation for this support. They recognize the transformative opportunities that have unfolded before them—all made possible by the generous contributions of The Howley Foundation.

Engaged in rigorous studies in all disciplines, these students are dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to their academic pursuits. Simultaneously, they actively contribute to the community, excel in athletic competitions, showcase their talents on the stage, and assume leadership roles, all within the nurturing and supportive sisterhood that defines Merion Mercy. Their journey is marked by a deep sense of gratitude, as they acknowledge the role of The Howley Foundation in shaping their path towards the women they aspire to become.

We take immense pride in our Howley Scholars of Achievement, and with sincere appreciation, we proudly present the distinguished cohort of 2023-24 Howley Scholars of Achievement.

With gratitude for your ongoing support,

Marianne Grace

Class of 2024 Jacklyn Dang Naomi Hines Catarina Lam Hannah Marciano Carolyn Pham Jonae Thomas

Class of 2025 Abby Habteslase Ayanna Jones Katie Lisaint Justine Weng

Class of 2026 Azul Cornejo Taylor Cummings Naomi Goniche Mamai Kortue Stacey Reese Valarie Scott

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Class of 2027 Juliah Pierre Sahana Registre Sanaa Roberts Faith Theodore Qi Shan Weng

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SCHOLARS OF ACHIEVEMENT

Name: Jacklyn Dang ’24 Activities: Blue Key Society, Mathletes, Stage Crew, Handbells, Math Honor Society, National Honor Society Best Part about School Year: The best part about my school year so far is getting to work at Merion Mercy Music Theater once again. I am the Head of Lights for Stage Crew, and I always enjoy building and creating beautiful scenery for the stage. I got to spend time with my fellow crew as we prepared for 12 Angry Women, and I have truly made a tight-knit family with them. I am excited to work on Newsies with everyone in the spring as it will be my last MMMT production.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I am thankful for the teachers who work hard to educate me and other students. All the teachers have taught me many things and have made a significant impact on me. Because of them, I am able to understand difficult concepts such as calculus, psychology, poetry, and more. I am forever grateful to The Howley Foundation for this educational experience.

Name: Naomi Hines ’24 Activities: Blue Key Society, National Art Honor Society, Black Student Union Best Part about School Year: I love being a Blue Key ambassador because not only do I have the chance to lead, but I also have the opportunity to socially engage with potential Merion sisters!

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I am incredibly grateful to be here at Merion in this academically challenging and supportive community. I offer my most sincere thanks to The Howley Foundation. It is because of your support that I can fully experience all that Merion Mercy has to offer. I will graduate from Merion Mercy fully ready for the next chapters of my academic and personal life.

Name: Catarina Lam ’24 Activities: Ukulele Club, Ricordia, E-STREAM, ASIA Club, K-Pop Club, Asian Student Association Best Part about School Year: The best part of my school year so far is taking Speech and Contemporary Issues. Ms. Sack is a wonderful teacher, and I have greatly improved in my public speaking and debate skills. Every class is a joy to be in and challenging. I have just finished my final debate, and it was a very fulfilling experience for me.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I’m most thankful for my teachers, who are always ready to help me when I need it. I am extremely grateful to The Howley Foundation for the chance to come to Merion Mercy and be a part of a supportive and caring environment.

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SCHOLARS OF ACHIEVEMENT Name: Hannah Marciano ’24 Activities: Stage Crew, Photography Club, Environmental Club Best Part about School Year: Creating a tiny house for Forensics class and burning them to see how quickly wood and plastic materials burn and which of the two burned the fastest during our arson unit was one of the highlights of my year. It was a fascinating and enjoyable experiment!

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I’m most thankful for the teachers; they put in a lot of hard work for us and make sure we are able to understand everything in our classes. I am proud to be named a Howley Scholar of Achievement. I will continue to work hard so that I don’t waste a minute of this wonderful education.

Name: Carolyn Pham ’24 Activities: Environmental Club, Gospel Choir, Liturgical Choir, Chorale, French Club Best Part about School Year: The best part of the school year has been leading Environmental Club and French Club. I enjoy creating presentations and planning activities with the co-leaders and seeing so many members of the clubs engaged in the activities. I appreciate the discussions we have in Environmental Club on current issues and the discussions on French culture in French Club. Also, the friendships I have made in these clubs have been invaluable.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I am most grateful for the support of the amazing teachers. They are always available to answer my questions or provide extra support. They listen to the class’s concerns and try to make the atmosphere and education better. They put in a lot of effort into making sure the class understands the material and does well. I don't feel I am bothering them when I need extra help, which is a great feeling. I love Merion Mercy and my teachers, and I am grateful that I am able to attend MMA thanks to The Howley Foundation!

Name: Jonae Thomas ’24 Activities: Black Student Union, Handbells, Diploma with Distinction, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer Best Part about School Year: Every day in my AP Spanish class is wonderful! Ms. Nowlan makes it so fun and interesting.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: My sisters, who have helped me so much along the way and taught me the true meaning of friendship. I extend great thanks to the Howley Foundation for the gift of a Merion Mercy education.

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SCHOLARS OF ACHIEVEMENT

Name: Abby Habteslase ’25 Activities: Meriannal, Environmental Club, National Honor Society, Women for Life and Love, Mercy Mission Corps Best Part about School Year: My favorite experience so far has been volunteering at St. Francis Inn with Mercy Mission Corps.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: Thanks to The Howley Foundation, we Howley Scholars experience great joy and fulfillment as students at Merion Mercy. Every aspect of Merion Mercy is terrific, and we are all so lucky to attend this prestigious school.

Name: Ayanna Jones ’25 Activities: Black Student Union, Blue Key Society, Pep Squad, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer Best Part about School Year: The best part about the school year has been meeting my little sister and building a close bond and relationship with her.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I am thankful that Merion can provide the best education possible and allows me to have many opportunities not only in school but outside of it too.

Thanks, Howley Foundation for this opportunity!

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SCHOLARS OF ACHIEVEMENT

Name: Katie Lisaint ’25 Activities: Black Student Union, Dance Troupe, Merion Mercy Music Theater, Diversity Leadership Team, Melodies of Heaven Best Part about School Year: I got a part in our fall play, 12 Angry Women. It was a very new experience for me since I had never done theater before, and it was incredibly fulfilling.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I am thankful for my peers who I can help and go to when I need help.

Merion’s community is so supportive, and I am grateful to have the privilege of spending my high school years here!

Name: Justine Weng ’25 Activities: Mock Trial, Student Council, Blue Key Society, Calligraphy Club, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer, Image Explosion, Mathletes, Ricordia Best Part about School Year: The best part of my school year so far has to be the leadership opportunities available to me! This year, I was able to take on multiple leadership roles in Blue Key Society, Image Explosion, and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging group, and even was able to start my very own club! I started Calligraphy Club because of my passion for this form of art and wanted to incorporate it with service! MMA offers many opportunities to grow as an individual and become a leader.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I appreciate the amazing staff and faculty here at MMA. All the teachers here are the most supportive and incredible people who push me to thrive and become the best person I can be! I am also really grateful for The Howley Foundation because of their continuous support and dedication to MMA.

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SCHOLARS OF ACHIEVEMENT

Name: Azul Cornejo ’26 Activities: French Club, Latinx Club Best Part about School Year: Writing an essay for The Crucible was stressful, but also enjoyable. Also, it was very meaningful for me to participate in service at St. Francis Inn for my religion service project.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: The inclusion and diversity in my school is unique and appreciated. Also, the teachers really put in effort to help each student individually. I am very lucky to attend Merion Mercy!

Name: Taylor Cummings ’26 Activities: Coding Club, E-STREAM Club, ASIA Club, Data Science Challenge Best Part about School Year: The best parts of my year so far are my math class and my coding class. In my math class, I am opening up to acquire new skills for a new exciting project that my teacher suggested I join. For that class, it was a data science competition using data analysis with python programming. The most exciting thing in my coding class is a huge project that we are trying to deploy.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I'm thankful for the opportunity of attending Merion Mercy thanks to The Howley Foundation! I love how I have been able to expand my skill set that catch my interest, especially in the sciences.

Name: Naomi Goniche ’26 Activities: Mercy Mission Corps, Black Student Union, Blue Key Society, Mathletes, Dance Troupe, Sign Language Club, Sewing Club Best Part about School Year: The best part of my school year has been excelling in Honors Chemistry. I've learned so much in such a short amount time, and I know it will help me in the long run if I want to be in the medical field. Serving at school and outside of school has also become wonderful parts of my school year. I always have a great experience every time I've decided to do service, and I love getting a chance to reflect on it.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I love being in a space filled with smart and skilled teachers and people that can prepare me for the world and the goals I hope to accomplish. Going to Merion challenges me academically and provides me with plenty of opportunities to gain knowledge in my interests. This is only possible by the generosity of The Howley Foundation!

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SCHOLARS OF ACHIEVEMENT

Name: Mamai Kortue ’26 Activities: Black Student Union, Pep Squad, Track and Field Best Part about School Year: An Independent Mission School fair I volunteered for in the beginning of the year was a great experience. During the fair, I spent the evening with a fellow student, and we had a chance to get to know one another. Now she is a good friend!

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: My friend group and the Merion sisterhood are not like anything I ever knew would be possible! I am grateful that I have the opportunity to experience these things.

Name: Stacey Reese ’26 Activities: Student Council, Ricordia, Track and Field, Blue Key Society, Black Student Union, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Officer Best Part about School Year: The best part of my school year so far is watching my Geometry grade go up after finding it a challenge. Hard work pays off!

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I'm thankful to be surrounded by people who want to succeed like I do. My Merion sisters always put their best foot forward, and I'm thankful to be in an environment with students who encourage me to do my best as well. Many thanks to The Howley Foundation!

Name: Valarie Scott ’26 Activities: Black Student Union, National Art Honor Society, Basketball Team Manager Best Part about School Year: My classes have been great, and I enjoy fully participating in class discussion.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: Being a student at Merion is the best experience ever! Thank you to The Howley Foundation for this opportunity.

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SCHOLARS OF ACHIEVEMENT

Name: Juliah Pierre ’27 Activities: Black Student Union, Mathletes, Pep Squad, Hip-Hoppers Best Part about School Year: The best parts about the school year so far are the fabulous classes here at Merion.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I am thankful that Merion Mercy will give me a great education so that I can have a successful life after graduating.

Name: Sahana Registre ’27 Activities: Pep Squad, Hip-Hoppers Club, Mathletes, Chorale Best Part about School Year: So far, the best part of my freshman year at Merion is definitely the quality of learning, especially in Cultures in World History, Foundations in Literature and Writing, and Religious Experience. These three classes have taught me fundamentals that I never necessarily learned in grade school. It has honestly made my learning experience so much more enjoyable.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I am most thankful for all the faculty members who make this school possible, even those who don’t teach me. They give me endless support, resources, and guidance. I know they have my best interest at heart. I appreciate The Howley Foundation for allowing me to attend this wonderful school with these incredible teachers!

Name: Sanaa Roberts ’27 Activities: Black Student Union, Ricordia, Pep Squad, Film and Discussion Club Best Part about School Year: The best part of my school year has been finding my kind and amazing friends and supportive teachers.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I’m thankful for the opportunities provided to me by The Howley Foundation!

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SCHOLARS OF ACHIEVEMENT

Name: Faith Theodore ’27 Activities: Dance Troupe, Pep Squad, Black Student Union Best Part about School Year: I enjoyed the mixer and being a part of the Pep Squad and Hip Hoppers because I met new people and get to do what I love.

What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I’m thankful for the opportunity and being able to prove that I was meant for this.

Name: Qi Shan Weng ’27 Activities: Mock Trial, History Club, ASIA, Spanish Club, French Club, Meriannal Best Part about School Year: Getting all As! What are You Thankful for in Relation to Your Merion Mercy Education and being a Howley Scholar of Achievement: I appreciate being able to attend Merion Mercy!

Here, I’ve become more mature and well rounded.

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Thank You!

511 Montgomery Avenue, Merion Station, PA 19066 phone: (610) 664-6655 web: merion-mercy.com