This past weekend, Gwynedd Mercy welcomed the Class of 2028 and their parents into the building for the annual Mercy Mania and Mercy Mingle events, respectively. The new Monarchs entered the building and were welcomed by the cheering and most welcoming underclassmen who ran them through the red and gold-embellished glass corridor and into the cafeteria, where the rising senior group leaders were waiting for them. The theme decided upon was “Hollywood,” and the girls walked a red carpet, surrounded by gold, shining stars and a giant popcorn decoration made of balloons. Each Mercy Mania group (also the new students’ future PAL groups) was named after a famous movie, including the amazing 10 Things I Hate About You, High School Musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and more.
After meeting for the first time, the girls all moved to various classrooms around the school, playing icebreaker games and then participating in a scavenger hunt that would allow them to explore different areas of the school. After finishing this challenge, a new one was presented. The groups were tasked with making a dress out of these materials: trash bags, toilet paper and duct tape. Bonding while designing and styling the outfit, the eighth graders made creative decisions and the results were fabulous! After one designated member of the group modeled the dress for a “fashion show” in the cafeteria, the students all moved to the Performing Arts Center, where a hilarious video and skit were presented. The entertainment coordinators of Mercy Mania had planned out an amazing skit of “Gwynedd’s Got Talent,” with judges such as the Monarch Butterfly (Katie Lynch ’25), Sister Catherine (Charlie Wolfe ’25), Mr. Fromhold (Dana Rietzke ’25), and Simon Cowell (Matilda French ’25). They “judged” the funniest acts such as “The Summer I Chose Mercy,” with Belly (Catherine Imbesi ’25) choosing Gwynedd over a particular rival school. Afterwards, a LaSalle boy, Ken (Abbie Matos ’25), performed “Push” from the 2023 Barbie movie with the hopes that Barbie would invite him to the Gwynedd formal. Right after this, a number of Prep boy Kens ran onto the stage and the Kens of both schools danced to “I’m Just Ken.” The other acts included “Something that I Want,” where club representatives showcased a number of the many activities Gwynedd has to offer and “You Don’t Know You’re Merciful,” a spinoff of “You Don’t Know Your Beautiful” by One Direction, containing lyrics such as, “You’re turning heads when you walk through the corridor.”
Mercy Mania was a spectacular evening for all the Gwynedd girls and the future Gwynedd students. It was a wonderful opportunity for the members of the Class of 2028 (There are a total of 132 incoming freshmen!) to meet each other and connect over the team-bonding exercises. The Mercy Spirit was ever-so present as the night came to a close when seniors led the famous Gwynedd cheers and the treasured Alma Mater.
