Mercy creates home on Fegenbush Lane
Kaylin Drury

Home. It’s a simple word but yet holds so much meaning to Mercy girls. If one were to ask any Mercy girl right now — whether it be a former Mercy student who came back to teach, a current Mercy student, or even an alumna — to describe Mercy in one word, the majority of them would likely say “home.” According to the Oxford Dictionary, home is the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household. But according to many, home is 5801 Fegenbush Lane.
It’s a place where comfort is not just felt, but where one thrives in that environment. It’s a place where individuals can walk in and find their people. A place where hours can be spent talking about interests without judgment. A place where each teacher passed in the hall knows names and asks about days. When one walks through those red doors, they know they’re in the right place and that they belong. One knows that a place is their home when they are comfortable enough to be their true self because they know they will receive definitive acceptance.
These past four years have been spent watching our home grow and welcome new women, but regardless of the year, there hasn’t been a moment where Mercy didn’t feel like the place to learn. With a student body of 500, it’s a closer-knit community, fostering a “family” bond. Mercy has allowed connections to be formed with girls from every class level, whether through clubs, sports, or shared time, and Mercy has become a place to build memories with others while simply allowing individuals to be themselves. During this time at Mercy, it has been found that a home is not built by bricks or cement, but with the bond of a family.
Furthermore, home is more than just a place. Home is a feeling. Even if Mercy was not on 5801 Fegenbush Lane, it would still be home to so many, because Mercy provides that feeling of belonging and contentment. Mercy Academy has teachers who welcome with open arms and treat with compassion while offering support every step of the way. There are few places one can go where acceptance and welcome are automatic, like Mercy. For the past four years, halls have been walked daily that are filled with laughter, friendship and love. Classrooms have been sat in where knowledge has grown, excellence achieved, and potential realized. Firsthand, relationships have been witnessed between teachers, students, and staff.
As preparations are made for the next step, leaving our home will be hard, but it is also known that Mercy has allowed gains in ways never dreamed possible. If a message could be left for the lovely Class of 2024, it would be that no matter what happens in life and where it takes you, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind, witnessed firsthand with the empathy and grace seen at Mercy. Take the kindness seen these past four years and apply it to daily life. Making others smile and feel at “home” is the best way of living like a Mercy girl. Never be afraid to be the first one to smile or welcome someone, celebrate with those found along the way, enjoy every moment, and remember if all else fails, there will always be a home waiting on 5801 Fegenbush Lane.
Academy fosters growth from Mercy girls to women of mercy
Sydney McDill

Firstly, gratitude goes to God, our Father, for guiding us and blessing us with our talents. Next, a heartfelt thank you to our teachers, staff, and faculty for their unwavering support on both good and challenging days, and for contributing to the excellence of Mercy education. Each of them has imparted the values that shape us into women of Mercy.
We owe immense gratitude to our families. They have steered us through a pandemic to this moment. It hasn’t been easy, and they have made countless sacrifices for us to attend “the academy.”
Through Mercy’s retreats, we have learned what it means to be a Mercy girl which guides us to become a woman of mercy. A Mercy girl is guided by those in the building throughout her four-year journey. She grows in her faith and education to gain all the tools necessary to become a woman of mercy. A woman of mercy acts on the values she learned with her Mercy education — a sense of hope and compassion toward everyone. After exiting through the glass atrium doors after our senior tunnel on the last day, we are no longer Mercy Girls, but rather, women of mercy. Though we move on, we are never not a part of Mercy. We are connected to those who came before us because the Circle of Mercy is timeless.
Vivian Greene, an English author said, “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” In every obstacle, we encounter doubt, fear, and uncertainty, but these emotions are fleeting. We can and will overcome. The perfect moment will never arrive. Through adversity, we learn to adapt and not be overcome by change.
Each student has faced personal setbacks and followed different paths to reach the point of graduation. It’s not about how obstacles altered the journey, but how they shaped a new beginning. As we conclude our high school journey, it’s time to embrace the world, discover our passions, and pursue them to shape our futures.
