Our Lady of Mercy High School (New York)

Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women is a private all-girls Catholic school teaching grades 6-12, located in Brighton, Monroe County, New York United States, near Rochester. It is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester.

Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women
Address
1437 Blossom Road

, ,
14610

United States
Coordinates43°8′54″N 77°32′16″W
Information
TypePrivate, all-female
MottoVia, Veritas et Vita
("The Way, The Truth and The Life")
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Sisters of Mercy
Established1928
PresidentPam Baker '74
DirectorSherylanne Diodato, Ed.D. (Middle School Dean)
PrincipalMartin Kilbridge, Ed.D.
ChaplainSister Pat Beairsto
Grades6-12
Enrollment800
CampusSuburban
Color(s)Navy blue and white   
SloganLife Changing.
MascotMonarch (Lion)
NicknameMercy
AccreditationMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools[1]
PublicationMercedes (literary magazine)
NewspaperThe Quill
YearbookVeritas
Tuition$7,745 for grade 6; $10,100 for grades 7 and 8; $10,650 for grades 9-12 (2018–2019)
AlumniOver 13,000
Admissions DirectorRose Feor Cooper '02
Athletic DirectorAnthony Yandek
Websitehttp://www.mercyhs.com

The American Sisters of Mercy founded Our Lady of Mercy High School in Rochester in 1928, based in the tradition of the Roman Catholic sisterhood begun by Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy. The building was built in 1928, and designed by noted Rochester architect J. Foster Warner (1859–1937). It educated young women in grades 9-12 for the first six decades of its operation, branching out to include grades 7 and 8 in 1990. In September 2012, Our Lady of Mercy expanded to include grade 6.[2][3] To reflect this change, it will change its name to Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women.

Traditions

Throughout the year, students participate in many traditions, some dating to the earliest days of the school. The classes compete during Spirit Week and the competition culminates on Spirit Day. The school hosts an annual fundraiser, the Spirit Gala, in the fall (although it was switched to spring 2021 due to COVID-19). Homerooms adopt a family and provide Christmas baskets during December. The gifts are blessed at Golden Mass, often celebrated by the Bishop. March is Mission Month, in which students raise money for local, national and international charities through crafts sold by seniors and other school-wide fundraisers. Arts Fest provides students a chance to show off their talents; this day-long event includes indoor and outdoor performance assemblies, a concert from a local professional group, and hour-long workshops in various areas taught by teachers and other professionals. In May, many girls take their fathers to the Father-Daughter Dinner Dance.

During May, juniors receive their class rings. Mercy is known for its unique school ring. While most high school rings incorporate gems, the center of the Mercy ring is dominated by the school crest (a cross encircled by the Latin motto 'Via, Veritas et Vita,' meaning 'the Way, the Truth, and the Life'). The shank on both sides of the ring feature a rising sun with the open Bible among the rays. After their ring ceremony, the juniors attend Junior Prom in the evening. Toward the end of May, May Day is held. A senior is elected May Queen and has a court of peer-elected juniors and seniors who help her organize the ceremony. After Mary is crowned in the Grotto, the seniors prepare for Senior Ball. The year ends in June with the Moving Up Ceremony where the classes provide advice to the classes below them. At the end, the student body moves up seats in the Auditorium and the seniors join hands and walk to the stage.

Retreats are also a part of Mercy tradition. Freshman retreat is held in school, while sophomore and junior retreats are a day long event. Senior retreat is an overnight at Camp Stella Maris and is one of the last times the senior class will spend together.

Extracurriculars

Mercy offers many extracurriculars. There is a fall musical, a spring drama, and a Children's Theatre production. Students may lead the school through Student Council or Campus Ministry Board. Mercy is home to the Catherine McAuley chapter of the National Honor Society, as well as groups that volunteer with inner city children and elder Sisters of Mercy. Youth and Government as well as Mock Trial give students real life skills in practice settings. Robotics, Masterminds and Math League test students' knowledge, while Veritas (yearbook), The Quill (newspaper), and Mercedes (literary magazine) give students a creative outlet. Students can join the Ski Club, Run Club, or Boxing Club. Habitat for Humanity and Friends of Rachel help students get involved with the community both in and outside of school. Improv Club and Dress-a-Girl are some of the newer options for students. There are also a choir, a show choir and an orchestra for the musically inclined.[4]

Athletics

Varsity and junior varsity teams compete in sixteen sports: alpine skiing, basketball, bowling, cheerleading, crew, cross country, golf, indoor track, lacrosse, sailing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.[5] The teams have won numerous Section V championships in the areas of basketball, bowling, cross country, downhill skiing, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.[5]

Notable alumnae

  • Mimi Kennedy, actress
  • Elizabeth Streb, choreographer, winner of MacArthur Foundation Genius Award
  • Abby Wambach, two-time Olympic gold medalist in soccer; 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Winner
  • Aidan Falk, Former University of Michigan Softball All Star; 2019 Induction into the New York State High School Softball Hall of Fame

References

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