On September 16^th, twenty-four Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School students took part in a leadership initiative that will live in school history forever.

Rooted in service, leadership, and integrity, the Travis Manion Foundation (TMF) continually strives to build future leaders and inspire the current generation to act on the initiative “If Not Me Then Who”. Through their hard work and dedication, The Travis Manion Foundation has grown its brand, and they received some exciting news this past summer. Under Armor formally endorsed the TMF, and invited them to take part in a commercial honoring veterans. Travis Manion partnered with four places along the east coast to be featured in this commercial honoring our American heroes. Because of Gwynedd’s incredible students, leadership work, and empowering school community, our school was selected as the ONLY all-girls Catholic high school to be a part of the shoot!

24 students, nominated by faculty and staff, prepared with Mrs. Scott and Mrs. Guarnaccia by reflecting on leadership-driven questions such as, “What does leadership mean to you?”, or “How does your school implement leadership into every school day?”. During the shoot, Renieal Campbell asked questions like these to the students. As a drill sergeant in the US Army, a third-year premedical student, and a Miss New Jersey contestant, Renieal visited Gwynedd on multiple occasions throughout the summer and demonstrated how to be a leader in everything you do. She facilitated the questions during the commercial and helped to aid each of the students to find their inner leader.

At the end of the shoot day, students felt empowered and inspired to be their best leaders and to make a difference in the GMA community. Jenna Mangan, one of the students in the shoot says, “It was not only great to be a part of this video, but to meet Renieal and learn more about how I can be a leader in our community today.” All students involved in the video were impacted by the lessons implemented throughout the course of the program, “Character Does Matter.”

Airing on November 11^th, Veteran’s Day, the GMA community is proud to be a part of this project and work with the Travis Manion Foundation, and build connections that will last a lifetime. The Travis Manion Foundation continually builds leaders and through this project, Gwynedd students truly were able to find their inner leader and know that their character does matter.

Check out the commercial on the Gwynedd Instagram!