Wednesday, February 21, 2024 |
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Strawberry Market is Expanding!
Strawberry Market, a food and necessities pantry for the patients of Strawberry Mansion Health Center in North Philadelphia, will soon open a second location to help even more patients. The pantry was created by Alison McGrorty-Crotts, M.D., M.P.H. '04
in May 2021 and is supported by the Gwynedd Mercy community, especially our alumnae. Help fill the shelves of this new marketplace in the following ways: |
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February 28 & March 6, 13, and 20, 2024, 6:30-8PM Lenten Prayer Series Alumnae, faculty/staff, and parents (past and present) are invited to join our Mercy community this Lent to pray, reflect, and support one another as we deepen our commitment to follow Christ. Register March 2, 2024 McAuley’s Pub Night Bring your family, friends, and fellow alumnae for a (21+) night of pub food and drink, games, and plenty of Irish craic to support your alma mater. Register March 8-10, 2024 Spring Play: "Clue" Come enjoy this uproarious play based on the popular 1985 Paramount movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game. Get Tickets March 23, 2024 Annual Character Breakfast Mercy Effect Club hosts a magical morning for kiddos of all ages! All your favorite characters will be in attendance including Princess Anna and Princess Elsa, Buzz, Woody, Cinderella, Moana, Captain America, Captain Marvel, and many more. Register |
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MINISTRY & SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES |
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Gather at GMA for Lent Join us for the annual Lenten Prayer Series at Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School. Sessions will take place on February 28 and March 6, 13, and 20 from 6:30-8PM. (It is not necessary to attend all four sessions.) Register by February 26 for $20. |
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| Register for the Annual Character Breakfast
Join us for a magical day at GMA! Families are invited to visit with their favorite characters. And children are welcome to dress up as their favorite character, too!
Money raised will support Mercy Focus on Haiti and Mercy Neighborhood Ministries
as part of Mercy Girl Effect, a collaboration of nine schools in the United States and Ireland to focus on the global education of young women, leadership and skills training, and providing opportunities for those in underdeveloped countries. Children's tickets are $18.
Adults and children under one year old are free. Donations are greatly appreciated by the Mercy Effect team and the whole Gwynedd community. |
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| Come See the Spring Play
Based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie which was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu. |
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| Athletic Volunteers Needed The
GMA Track & Field team is looking for managers and volunteers to help with our home league meets to keep things running smoothly. Home meet dates are Wednesday, April 3, and Wednesday, May 1. Start time for both meets is 4PM. Alumnae volunteers will need to complete 2 clearance checks, both can be obtained for free.
Anyone interested should reach out to Coach Christine Meehan Galvin '05 at track@syria-events.com for more information. |
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ZOË ROGERS '19 MEMORIAL FUND |
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Support DEIJ and Wellness at GMA
On Thursday, October 5, 2023, Gwynedd Mercy honored the memory of Zoë Rogers '19, a beloved member of the Gwynedd Mercy community, at the inaugural Zoë Rogers '19 Mercy Memorial Field Hockey Game. All proceeds from the event supported the Zoë Rogers ’19 Mercy Memorial Fund
, which is dedicated to promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion, and wellness within Gwynedd Mercy and beyond. Each year we award a $500 scholarship to a current Gwynedd student who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing belonging and wellbeing within the Gwynedd community. Funds also support other endeavors within the Gwynedd community linked to DEIJ and wellness. |
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During the game, CommonBondz
, a local not-for-profit organization on whose Board of Directors Zoë served, pledged a dollar-for-dollar matching gift of $5,000 in support of Zoë’s Fund.
To date we have raised over $8,000 for Zoë’s Fund—so very close to our goal of raising $10,000. During the month of February, we are inviting all alumnae, friends of Zoë and people committed to advancing positive emotional health, well-being and belonging in teen girls, to purchase a Zoë Love Tee to benefit Zoë’s Fund. Zoë Love Tees can be purchased from the Gwynedd School Store from now through Zoë’s birthday on March 19th. You can also make a gift directly to Zoë’s Fund below. Thank you in advance for supporting this amazing cause! Please contact Erin Reimel Clements ’12 at
eclements@syria-events.com if you have any questions. |
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Last Call to Sponsor & Buy tickets – Silent Auction Goes LIVE this Saturday! Come back to campus, or join us from afar, to be a part of our 5th Annual McAuley's Pub Night on March 2
. The event kicks off at 6:30 PM at GMA and features an Irish-inspired menu and open bar, pub games, a whiskey tasting, live music, Irish dancing, and an online silent auction. All proceeds will support A Place to Soar
campaign to provide much needed community, dining, learning, and counseling space for all students. You can participate in multiple ways through attendance, sponsorship, online bidding, and raffle entries (you need not be present to win). Please join us and bring the luck of the Irish to GMAHS!
Kindly register by February 26 so we can ensure the pub is fully stocked. For more information, contact Director of Family Engagement Karen Cavacos at kcavacos@syria-events.com |
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Recent Grads Share Advice with Seniors |
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| Thank you to the College-Age Alumnae who spent time speaking to the Class of 2024 to help them prepare for the transition from high school to college! Pictured (left to right)
Top row: Kristen Yezzi '23, Caroline Drakeley '23, Sara Stoud '23, Alannah Cunningham '21 Middle row: Hannah Hughes '23, Maggie Boyle '21, Serena Olden '22 Bottom row: Gabrielle Pettinato '21, Audrey Beck '23, Kiley McMahon '23, Carly Andrews '21 |
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Alumnae Help Class of 2024 Practice Interview Skills
Alumnae from near and far helped members of the Class of 2024 with their interview skills during their Seminar Period. Volunteers joined in person and virtually to ensure the seniors feel prepared to take on the world outside the red and gold corridors. |
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| | Mental Health Professional Speaks to Freshmen
Natalie Ullmann '14 joined Mrs. Tobias' freshmen health classes to talk to students about mental health. Natalie is a licensed social worker and has worked as a domestic abuse children's counselor and a mental health clinician for a juvenile detention center; she is currently working as a Therapist for children, teens, and adults. Thank you, Natalie, for coming home to Gwynedd and working with our students! |
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Submit Your Class Notes!
Did you have a baby? Celebrate a personal or professional milestone? Receive a degree or award? Get married? Fill out the form linked below to notify us! And if you are preparing to get married or have a baby—let us know!
We'd love to send you a GMA flag for your reception or a GMA bib for your little one. And be sure to snap photos, tag @gmahighschool on Instagram, and submit them with the Class Notes form. |
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Broadway Alum to Perform in Philadelphia Chiara Trentalange '10 will play the role of Kate Draper in the Tony-winning musical Girl From the North Country. Chiara was a swing and dance captain in the Broadway run of the show and is now on tour across the country.
The show will be at the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia, PA from February 27-March 10. Chiara was interviewed about her experience by Philadelphia RowHome Magazine. |
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| Student Athlete Recognized for Swimming Skills Ella Gross '21
, a junior at Army West Point, was named Patriot League's Women's Swimmer of the Week after a strong finish at the Cavalier Invitational. Ella had three top-twenty finishes at the competition and placed 15th in the 100-yard fly (57.11), 17th in the 100-yard free (52.95) and 18th in the 50-yard free (24.13). Congratulations, Ella! |
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A Story of Success in Science and Love
Maura McLaughlin, Ph.D. '90 and her husband Duncan Lorimer, Ph.D., both physics and astronomy professors at West Virginia University, were recently featured in the school's newspaper, celebrating their relationship and their impressive astrophysical careers. Maura and Duncan met in 1999 at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico and have collaborated on many projects since. Last year, they were awarded The Shaw Prize in Astronomy for their discovery of fast radio bursts (FRBs). The pair were married in 2003 and Maura stated that their their biggest achievement is “raising three good humans together.” |
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| Alumna Works with Neurodiverse Artists Megan Haney '01 was featured on 6ABC, alongside artist Lucia Castrogiovanni, for her work with Center for Creative Works. The progressive art studio, which has locations in Wynnewood, PA and Philadelphia, focuses professional development and representation of neurodiverse artists. |
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Submit Your Photos
Do you have photos from your days as a student? Or pictures of you and your classmates spending time together as alumnae? Share your photos using the Class Notes form to be archived, used for reunion promotion, and more! |
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| | Sign Up for Summer Camp
Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School is offering the following camps during the summer of 2024: - Athletics: Basketball, Tennis, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Lacrosse, Soccer
- Arts: Music Lessons, Triple Threat Theater Camp
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Camp Inspire: a four-day "confidence camp" designed to expose girls to a STEAM field while also teaching them to develop their sense of purpose and self-worth from within. Applications are now open.
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Monarchs Win League Championship The Monarchs are the
2024 AACA League Champions! Gwynedd Mercy Basketball played an intense game against Villa Maria and won with a score of 46-25. Emilia Coleman ’26 was named AACA MVP, Bailey Balkir ’26 was named 1st Team All-League, and Megan McDonnell ’25 and Alison Kaltenbacher ’27 were named 2nd Team All-League. Go Monarchs! |
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| Junior Sings in District Choir Katie Lynch ’25 participated in the PMEA District 11 Choir
on January 24 - 26, 2024 at Bensalem High School. Katie represented Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School and sang in the choir made up of students from public and private schools throughout Bucks and Montgomery Counties. |
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Seniors and Sophomores Collaborate
Students participated in an all-school assembly titled You Are Welcome Here which helped students to explore the lived experiences of women migrating or seeking asylum due to poverty, gender-based violence, or conflicts such as the Israeli-Hamas war. The assembly was led by DEIJ Interns Aiden Arrington ’25 and Ella Rocco ’25. Leveraging the No Place for Hate
curriculum developed by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), students learned how the way in which we ‘frame’ women, the immigrant experience, and the ways in which we use language can either foster communities of inclusion or communities of exclusion for these vulnerable groups. |
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| Students Attend Diversity Conference Juniors Aiden Arrington '25, Calliope Beatty ’25, Fiona Haberstroh '25, and Maeve O’Dell ’25 attended the
9th Annual Diversity Conference hosted by Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. This year’s conference theme – a Road Trip: A Journey Through Understanding – allowed participants to engage in conversations that deepened their understanding of their social identities and that of their peers. |
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Speech & Debate Team Goes the Distance Members of the Speech and Debate team competed in the Pennsbury Falcon Invitational at Pennsbury High School. 85 schools from 11 different states competed in the tournament! - Madeline White '26 competed in three events and advanced to elimination rounds in all three; Madeline advanced to the semifinal round of Impromptu Speaking, placed 3rd overall in Declamation, and placed 2nd overall in Extemporaneous Speaking.
- Gabriella Hughes '26 advanced to the semifinal round of Declamation.
- Clara Glennon '26
(not pictured) advanced to the semifinal round of Declamation.
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| Mock Trial Wins the Case The prosecution side of the Mock Trial Team competed at the Montgomery County Court House in their first round of the Pennsylvania Young Lawyers Division Mock Trial competition…and they won! The lawyers were Ava Danner '24, Matilda French '25, and Emma Quinn '27. The witnesses were Aiden Arrington '25, Caril Amos '25, and
Imani Roberson '26. Carli Amos was named Best Advocate and Emma Quinn was named Best Lawyer. Way to go, Monarchs! |
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Juniors Recognized for Service Tien Barrett '25, Katelyn Chipman '25
, Julia Klein '25, Cara Lapp '25, and Megan McDonnell '25 ("The Gwynedd Girls") were selected as Volunteers of the Month at the non-profit Today is A Good Day. Each student has volunteered for fifteen hours at the Flourtown organization, which is dedicated to supporting families with babies in the NICU. As part of Gwynedd's Service Learning program, junior students must complete at least 15 hours of direct service at an agency or site that aligns with one of the five Critical Concerns of Mercy: Earth, Immigration, Non-Violence, Racism, or Women. |
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Please send any personal or professional updates, questions about how to get involved with GMA, or other inquiries to the Director of Alumnae Engagement Erin Reimel Clements '12 at eclements@syria-events.com. |
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© 2024 Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School 1345 Sumneytown Pike | Lower Gwynedd, PA 19002 Unsubscribe Link |
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