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Greetings!
February 3, 2017
MERCY HIGH SCHOOL SAN FRANCISCO’S STATEMENT OF SUPPORT
FOR IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES, AND MUSLIMS
On behalf of Mercy High School San Francisco I feel compelled to comment on the recent Executive Order severely limiting refugee and immigrant entry into the United States. At Mercy we are particularly engaged with issues of immigration as it is one of the enduring and critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy and many within our own community are directly affected.
There are those who think that Mercy and other Catholic schools should remain neutral in the face of politics and the decisions of our government. If neutral really means “silent” or “compliant” this idea must be rejected outright. Our Catholicity and Mercy charism demand that we not be neutral in the face of injustice - it means, among many things, speaking and acting on behalf of the poor, the marginalized, the immigrant, and the refugee. Why? Because Jesus was all of those and more. How we treat the refugee is how we treat Christ himself. Whether we like it or not, there are political implications to the Gospels.
We are proud to be a part of the global community of the Sisters of Mercy who, on January 31st, issued a statement denouncing “as immoral the Trump administration’s Executive Order issued this past week to halt refugee resettlement in the United States…” We echo the Sisters’ claim that “these measures are counter to our Gospel call to ‘love our neighbor’ and ‘welcome the stranger,’ as well as this country’s founding principles and values.”
We are adding the voice of Mercy High School San Francisco to the voices of so many other individuals and institutions who want to support our immigrant and refugee brothers and sisters. As Bishop McElroy said in his statement “...the historic identity of the United States as a safe haven for refugees fleeing war and persecution is for American Catholics both a source of justifiable pride and an unswerving religious commitment, even as we recognize that at shameful moments in our national history prejudice, fear and ignorance have led our country to abandon that identity. This week is just such a shameful moment of abandonment for the United States.”
Muslim communities are hit particularly hard by these orders. A new wave of anti-Muslim sentiment threatens both our values and the safety of the American Muslim community. The Sisters of Mercy and their ministries are actively challenging islamophobia and fostering solidarity with Muslim communities across the country. We at Mercy High School San Francisco pledge to do the same. To start, this morning we participated in the National Day of Solidarity with American Muslims by praying as a community for our Muslim brothers and sisters and asking God for the courage to act in solidarity with them as siblings with the same father in faith, Abraham.
Let it be stated unequivocally and fearlessly: Mercy High School San Francisco stands with our fellow human beings who are immigrants and refugees, no matter their religious identity. Their humanity trumps their legal status; the demands of the Gospel of Jesus trump the demands of citizenship. Every member of our community must know that they are safe and protected. Those who are in our larger community of San Francisco and the Bay Area who are afraid should know that they have an ally in Mercy. We see you. We hear you. We are with you. You are not alone.
Scott L. McLarty
Head of School
Mercy High School San Francisco
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The Mercy High School Gala is Mercy's largest fundraiser!
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We invite you to join us for Mercy High School, San Francisco’s Gala Event Get Ready to Set Sail at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport in Burlingame, CA on March 11, 2017!
This festive event raises essential funds to support the Mercy Scholarship Fund, providing tuition assistance to help families afford a Catholic education for their young women at Mercy.
The evening will kick off with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres as we open our Silent Auction at 6:00 pm. Dinner and a lively auction will follow at 7:30 pm. Each ticket includes admission, dinner and dancing as well as the opportunity to participate in the auction!
Tickets can be purchased online at www.mercyhs.org/gala
For questions, please contact Bekah Paige, Assistant Director of Advancement at bpaige@mercyhs.org
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2017 Women's Leadership Conference
Friday, February 17, 2017
Interested in participating in our upcoming Women's Leadership Conference? We are still looking for presenters in the following fields:
Cosmetology • Culinary • Dentistry • Engineering
Entrepreneurship • Firefighters • Fitness
Interior Design • Journalism • Media and Television
Performing Arts • Photography
Science/Scientific Research • Technology
Veterinary Medicine
The Women's Leadership Conference is designed to celebrate and showcase alumnae and friends of Mercy who are making a difference in their communities and to inspire our young women to seek their highest level of development by providing them information, perspectives, and strategies that will leave them motivated to lead, utilizing the wealth of resources and support that alumnae and the Mercy community provide.
The conference is scheduled from 9am-2pm on Friday, February 17, 2017. If you’d like to participate, please sign up here to become a presenter!
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Please consider giving to the Mercy Parent Pledge!
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Your support helps make a Mercy education possible for our young women. By contributing to the Mercy Parent Pledge, your gift helps us recruit and retain the best teachers, update facilities, expand programs and most critically, keep Mercy High School one of the best decisions that parents, like you, and their daughters make. Please consider making a donation to Mercy. Your gift matters more than you know. Click here to donate.
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View our school calendar.
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Congratulations to all who made it to the Fall Semester Honor Roll. Click on icon to view.
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WITA 9th Actual Exhibit & Reception
Visit us for an opportunity to see a collection of artworks by students in Mercy's Women in the Arts program.
Thursday, February 9, 2017 | 6:00-7:30 pm
McAuley Art Gallery
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Spring Musical: Chicago
Come see Mercy's rendition of the musical that's won 6 Tony Awards, 2 Olivier Awards, a Grammy and thousands of standing ovations.
March 31, April 1, 7 & 8, 2017 | 7:00 pm
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Spearheaded by Mercy High School Board member, Charlotte Kiesel, a group of students attended the Walk for Life Youth Rally presented by The Sisters of Life and the Archdiocese of San Francisco on January 19, 2017 at St. Mary's Cathedral. The breakout session focused on "The Feminine Genius". While there, the girls also enjoyed visiting the magnificent cathedral. In the photo are--
front: Alenah Brunswick ‘17; back: Charlotte Kiesel, Alma Alvarado ’18, Bailey Burke ’18, Katherine Valencerina ’17, Catalina Gargollo ’17,
Crystal Tobar ‘17
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Mercy students and teachers were in abundant attendance at the San Francisco Women's March on January 21, 2017. In solidarity with their Mercy sisters, as well as the more than 100,000 protesters that participated, they stood up for women's' rights, immigrant rights, human rights, compassion, diversity and tolerance. It was a positive and powerful experience they will remember for a long time. In the photo are--front: Ms. Paula McLaughlin,
Chliezy Torres '17, Cici Xu '18;
back: Jordan Orque '17, Kaitlyn Wan '18
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Students from ICA and Mercy SF's Jeimy Navidad '17 (down front) and Aynsley Hamilton-West '20 (directly behind Jeimy) attended the SFCAHT (San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking) with Mrs. Nolfi on Wednesday, December 7, 2016. Jeimy and Aynsley are helping to lead Mercy's 12th Annual V-Day on Monday, February 13th, 2017!
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Applications for the 10th Annual Laredo Immersion Program are now available!
This program, which takes place during late May/early June, 2017 (specific travel dates to be determined soon), offers students an opportunity to spend a week on the U.S.-Mexico border immersed in the Mercy values of justice, service, compassion, and solidarity. Applications are due February 10th, 2017. For more information, please contact Dr. Anna Adams or Dr. Carrie Schroeder or click here.
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Class of 2017: Looking Back in Gratitude, Looking Ahead with Joy
Members of the Class of 2017 enjoyed a beautiful retreat day in mid-January at Nature Bridge in the Marin Headlands. The winter storms paused to allow the seniors to enjoy a sunny—if chilly!—day by the beach, in which they enjoyed one another’s company, reflected both individually and in small groups, and glimpsed signs of God’s gracious love in the beauty of the natural world. These students will have one last retreat opportunity at Mercy before graduation: the Junior/Senior Overnight Retreat at Presentation Center, April 3-5, 2017. Applications will be available soon in the Campus Ministry Office: We encourage all juniors and seniors to consider applying!
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Women in Medicine juniors and seniors volunteered to judge the Science Fair projects at All Souls School in South San Francisco.
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2016-2017 Spirit Squad with Mrs. Nolfi and Mr. McLarty's daughter, Harper, during half time at the Hope For Tomorrow basketball game against Kings Academy on Tuesday, January 24th. All proceeds from the Frosh, JV and Varsity games went towards cervical cancer research. Way to go Skippers and Club Hope for Tomorrow!
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SF Fire Department Rescue Capt. Lisa Filiss, along with an ambulance EMT and Paramedic, visited the sophomore Women in Medicine at Mercy. The students learned about paramedic and EMT careers, skills needed, saw the equipment in the ambulance, and asked questions about the daily life of a paramedic in our SF Fire Department.
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Ms. Bekah Paige has been hired as the Assistant Director of Advancement. She brings to Mercy a wealth of experience as a fund development manager, with expertise in event coordination, database management, volunteer management, grant writing and fundraising. She understands the importance of fostering internal and external relationships with a donor-centric approach. Bekah will be instrumental in the coordination of all the Mercy fundraising events and reunions. Welcome Bekah!
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Emily Queliza ‘91
Director of Public Affairs at America SCORES
Emily was a student at Mercy from 1987-1991. One of her fondest memories as a member of the Spirit Squad was experiencing the fun and excitement of cheering on the Varsity basketball team during State Championships in 1989. Emily was also a dancer in the annual dance concerts and performed in the spring musicals. “It was so much fun! Just being a part of a team and getting a chance to perform and be creative motivated me. I found my place here at Mercy and have kept in touch with many of my classmates over the years. Overall it was the caring teachers who made a difference for me…Jaci Mills Lord, Janine Nolfi, Marcia Clarke, Dan Pasini, Mrs. Matthews and Gail Chastain," shares Emily.
Emily is a graduate of the University of San Francisco with a degree in International Business & Marketing and she currently works in Public Affairs at America SCORES Bay Area, a local non-profit soccer and literacy program. When she’s not chasing her 2 year old son David around, you can find Emily choreographing Mercy’s spring musicals. She has choreographed the musicals for the past six years at Mercy and prior to that choreographed shows with good friend and fellow Mercy alum Gennine Harrington ’89 at Tri-School Productions at Serra High School in San Mateo.
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Tara Gamboa-Eastman '11
Pursues a Masters at Harvard University
Tara graduated from UC Berkeley in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in political science. After graduation, she became a Policy and Communications Specialist for the California Work & Family Coalition. In this role, she advocated on a behalf of a bill to expand family leave in California. Tara recently moved to Boston where she is pursuing a Masters in Public Policy at Harvard University.
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MERCY HIGH SCHOOL SAN FRANCISCO
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