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Mount Mercy Academy Future Leaders Complete Course

  Mount Mercy Academy, under the direction of Mrs. Suzanne Overdorf of Hamburg, offered its Leadership Program to females in eighth grade from several local schools.  The program met four times at Mount Mercy Academy. An orientation and welcome dinner was held in October for the students and their families, as well as the principals of the schools that are participating. Mount Mercy President Margaret M. Cronin along with Principal Margaret Staszak and Suzanne Overdorf welcomed everyone and reviewed the program’s expectations. The Institute culminated with a graduation ceremony last week.

The twenty-one participants all created a vision board to help them realize their short term and long term goals for the future.  The future leaders were also charged with the task of creating a service project based on a need in their schools or in the community. Two of the projects included collecting hygiene supplies for the Kevin Guest House and collecting needed materials and funds for the SPCA.

    The graduation ceremony included a dinner at the Mercy Center Dining Room and an opportunity for each graduate to speak about either their service project or the leadership class.

     All local grammar schools were invited to participate. The students received recommendations from their principals to be part of The Mount Mercy Academy Leadership Institute.  St. John Vianney, Queen of Heaven, OLV, Discovery, Lorraine, St Peter and Paul Hamburg, Southside Elementary and West Seneca Middle all sent students to participate in this exciting program.

The program is designed to develop and refine inherent leadership skills.  Public speaking is one of the main areas of focus during the program as it is an essential component of leadership.  Students are instructed on how to identify strong role models through the use of literature, film, poems and inspirational quotes.  Another facet of the program is learning about the moral responsibility that comes with leadership. This includes the onus to use one’s gifts to improve the world.

Overdorf, who is also a member of Mount Mercy’s Board of Trustees, commented, “Each year the students enter the program a little unsure of themselves and then leave very confident with a better sense of who they are and where they want to go.”

    

"Mount Mercy has positively changed my life forever. Through the inviting community, I was able to grow as a woman, as a daughter, as a friend, and as a member of society. Throughout my time here I have gained an education in both academic areas and life in general through the school's ongoing efforts to educate students on gender inequality, racial injustice, and environmental crisis'. Furthermore, Mercy has given me the space to gain confidence that 4 years ago I never would have guessed I would have. Mount Mercy has helped me take that initial step toward becoming the strong woman of color I am today. At Mercy you are more than just a student, you are whoever you wish to be."

Melina Courtney

Class of 2022

"My future, success, and the ability to be an empowered woman in society come from Mount Mercy. My school is a strong foundation for my role in life. From attending Mount Mercy, I can say with confidence, that I will graduate with the mindset that I can accomplish anything. Mercy is my home and my sanctuary to be whoever I want. Mount Mercy has been bringing forth generations of strong intellectual women into the world, and I am more than honored to be one of them. Mercy teaches girls more than academics, but also about the world around us. As a mercy community, we give back to the world because it is our home. From my four years at Mercy, I have been educated on pushing for equality and peace and the understanding that there is no limit to what I can do. I have the confidence to go out in the world and make a difference because being a Mercy girl has given me that opportunity. "

Cassidy Reid

Class of 2022

"Mercy is more than just a school. Mercy is my second home and a shoulder to lean on. Mount Mercy has given me the confidence and resources to pursue my passions and make the world a more inclusive place, propelling me to take strides into male-dominated fields. Mercy blessed me with an environment to grow intellectually and in the community, giving me the foundation to make a tangible impact while making lifelong friendships."

Adrianna Awald

Class of 2022

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