Joy of Discovery

“A good beginning is of great importance ”

VENERABLE CATHERINE MCAULEY

WMA classrooms are filled with students who are exploring new ideas, reaching new heights, and achieving academic success.

Celebrating and Honoring Black History Month

As a Mercy school, we are committed to fighting racism and celebrating people of color throughout the entire school year. We also honor and recognize the importance of placing an additional focus on African Americans during February’s Black History Month. This year, science and art were included in the programming in addition to lessons in social studies, language arts, and of course, religion.

Students of all ages created artwork influenced and inspired by Black creators. Preschool students looked at photos of the quilts of Gee’s Bend before making their own interpretations with strips of paper. In seventh and eighth grade, students researched, listened to, and drew portraits of African American jazz musicians. Our halls were adorned with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. “This project allowed them to understand, appreciate and connect with the origins of the music they enjoy today, ” explained art teacher Patty Papatheodore.

In science, students in seventh and eighth grade researched and presented information about Black scientists who were influential in the fields they were covering in class.

Other highlights of the month included Montessori reading picture books daily about and by Black authors; morning prayer announcements highlighting Black saints; short history lessons in Community Gathering about influential African Americans in Philadelphia history; fourth grade learning about the tenets of Catholic (and Mercy) social justice linked with their social studies curriculum on the Civil Rights Movement; and kindergarten students presenting inspirational Black Americans to their classmates.

Top, left: Fourth grade students created art inspired by Faith Ringgold. Top, center and right: Geometric preschool art inspired by the Gee’s Bend quilts. Left: An eighth grade portrait of jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. Above: Seventh graders gave presentations on influential scientists of color.

The Heart of Discovery

Seventh graders didn’t miss a beat during this fun project!

Our students explored the human heart by building 3D models in TinkerCad. Each model had to include the four chambers, valves, and major arteries, all with labels.

“It was challenging to put in the four chambers and I really enjoyed doing it, ” remembered Téa O. Her classmates agreed.

“I had a lot of fun doing it, ” said Vaughn J. “We got to see all the different parts, what they do, and how the heart works. ”

Students enjoyed the fruits of their labor in two ways. Some opted to print their 3D models in plastic. Others decided to present their creations by virtually “projecting” them via a phone app, making it appear to everyone who looked at the phone as if the heart was actually in the classroom.

ALUMNI SUCCESS STARTS HERE

We are so proud to see our alumni take what they learned within our walls and apply it to their lives in high school. Here are two amazing examples.

Antoine Robinson ’20

St. Joseph’ s Prep rising sophomore High School Activities: Junior State of America (JSA), The Hawkeye student newspaper, Philosophy Club, Prep Republicans, Forensics Team, Student Council

“WMA prepared me for the extensive homework, studying and tests I have at the Prep, and also how to be an active class member and leader, ” reflected Antoine. The proof is in the pudding: classmates at the Prep twice elected Antoine as a Student Council representative for the Class of 2024. He was instrumental in the Student Council effort to have the administration adopt “ asynchronous Wednesdays ” during the pandemic, where students had a day to work on assignments and classwork at their own pace. He also helped set up an online mixer with Merion Mercy Academy in lieu of in-person dances.

Antoine has also continued his success in Forensics that began right here at WMA! He made it to the National and Philadelphia Catholic Forensic League semi-finals this past year as a freshman.

Annalise Fresta ’19

Merion Mercy Academy rising junior

High School Activities: Varsity Volleyball, Spirit Club,

Athletes Helping Athletes, Student Council,

Heart Club

Annalise feels that her experiences at Waldron Mercy, academic and extracurricular, prepared her for her achievements at Merion Mercy Academy. “The WMA teachers pushed us into the right paths for high school, and have set us up for outstanding success.There were many academic preparations along with time preparation and certainly homework preparation. ” She has been involved in nearly all activities listed above since her freshman year. “WMA taught me the true values of Mercy and the idea of family within a community, which certainly has helped me become more involved within the Merion community, ” Annalise explained. She didn ’t even let the pandemic stop her. Annalise and fellow 2019 graduate Luke Gallagher arranged a creek clean up that happened in May as a joint effort between the MMA and SJP Student Councils.