Senior Recognition Dates for Winter Sports

As another week passes, we draw closer to the end of the regular season for Mercer Winter Sports. As with tradition, there will be special time set aside during the final home game of the season to recognize our wonderful student-athletes. Here are the dates for the Senior Recognition events:

Thursday, February 4th - Wrestling

Thursday, February 11th - Girls' Basketball

Friday, February 12th - Boys' Basketball

Class of 2018 To Participate in Business and Industry Fair

Tenth grade students will travel to the 3rd Annual Business and Industry Fair at the Park Inn by Radisson on Thursday, March 10th. This event is an off-chute of the program known as Lawrence County School to Work. With such success in Lawrence County, the workshop became available for Mercer County schools in 2014.

The objective of the program is to highlight potential career paths in the fields of manufacturing and business. Students will learn about various levels of occupations within each company and the positions that require technical school training or other degrees. There will be dozens of local employers available to field questions and present information about their respective fields. In past years, students have heard from a motivational speaker. There are also a multitude of games and activities that are oriented towards the main focus of this program.

Two Students Heading to PMEA District 5 Band Festival

On January 29th-30th, two Mercer students will travel to the PMEA District 5 Band Festival at New Castle High School. Junior Abby Grabigel and senior Jordyn Buchanan will be auditioning for a spot in the Region Band.  The guest conductor for the district festival will be Dr. William Stowman from Messiah College. Good luck to both young ladies!

Results from 3rd Annual Mercer VFW Wrestling Tournament

On Friday, January 22nd and Saturday, January 23rd Mercer High School hosted the 3rd Annual Mercer VFW Wrestling Tournament. There were 20 teams that participated in the tournament coming from schools across western Pennsylvania. Overall, the Mercer team placed in 9th , but faired better with individual matchups. Here are the results:

2nd Place
Zac King
Robert Gregory

4th Place
Will Chess

5th Place
Brad Filer

6th Place
Eric Gawne
Conner Richards

7th Place
Noah McLaughlin

8th Place
Chris Micsky

The varsity members of the Mercer Wrestling team will travel compete in the Grove City HS Fred Bell Tournament on January 29th and 30th.

Mercer Middle-High School Teacher Recognized by McDonalds

April Hutcheson, special education teacher at Mercer Middle-High School, was recognized at the January School Board meeting on Monday, January 25th. Ms. Hutcheson was the recipient of a MAC (Make Activities Count) Grant that was presented on behalf of McDonalds. Ms. Hutcheson used the grant money to purchase a Kitchen-Aid mixer to incorporate life skills activities into her classroom.

Middle School Students Successful with AMC 8 Test

Multiple students at Mercer Elementary and Mercer Middle School participated in the AMC 8 assessment in November 2015. The test was created by the Mathematical Association of America and is given to students across the nation. Results of the test have been released and we are proud to recognize two students at Mercer Middle School who earned special recognition.

Silver Award - Madeline Vestorsky

Bronze Award - Emalee Hostetler

Mercer Students To Compete in Academic Games

On Wednesday, January 27th the following Mercer Middle-High School students will travel to Slippery Rock University to compete in Academic Games - World Events:

Christopher Wilms
Emalee Hostetler
Dalan Ealy
Kieran Anderson

Athletic Events Week of January 25th

The following Mercer athletic events will take place during the week of January 25th:

Monday:
Girls' Basketball @ Sharpsville (6:00 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.)

Tuesday:
MS Boys' Basketball vs. Sharpsville @ Mercer High School Gym (4:00 / 5:15 p.m.)
Boys' Basketball @ Sharpsville (6:00 / 7:30 p.m.)
Wrestling @ West Middlesex (6:00  / 7:00 p.m.)

Wednesday:
None

Thursday:
Girls' Basketball vs. West Middlesex @ Mercer High School Gym (6:00  / 7:30 p.m.)

Friday:
Varsity Wrestling @ Grove City HS Fred Bell Tournament (4:00 p.m.)
MS Boys' Basketball vs. Greenville @ Mercer High School Gym (4:00 / 5:15 p.m.)
Boys' Basketball @ Greenville (6:00 / 7:30 p.m.)

Saturday:
Varsity Wrestling @ Grove City HS Fred Bell Tournament (9:00 a.m.)

Eighth Grade Student To Explore MCCC

On Thursday, February 4th the eighth grade students will take a field trip to the Mercer County Career Center to explore the different options available for study. This longstanding tradition allows students to take a physical tour of the building and visit each program.

Mercer Area students in 11th and 12th grade are permitted to attend the Mercer County Career Center to pursue an area of study. Mercer Area students seeking training and licensure in Cosmetology are permitted to attend in 10th grade. This eighth grade trip encourages students to begin thinking about their future goals so that they can lay the appropriate foundation with their academic schedules.

Report Cards To Be Distributed January 26th

The second marking period for Mercer Middle-High School drew to a close on January 15, 2016. The final grades have been tabulated and verified. Report cards will be distributed to students during Homeroom on Tuesday, January 26th.

January School Board Meeting Held Tonight

The January meeting for the Mercer Area School Board of Directors will be held this evening, January 25th, at 8:00 p.m. in the Middle-High School Library.

Athletic Events Week of January 18th

The following Mercer athletic events will take place during the week of January 18th:

Monday:
Girls' Basketball @ Greenville (6:00 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.)

Tuesday:
MS Boys' Basketball vs. West Middlesex @ Mercer Elementary Gym (4:00 p.m. / 5:15 p.m.)
Boys' Basketball @ West Middlesex  (6:00 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.)
Wrestling vs. Grove City @ Mercer High School Gym (6:00 p.m. / 7:00 p.m.)

Wednesday:
Girls' Basketball vs. Sharon @ Mercer High School Gym (6:00 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.)

Thursday:
Boys' Basketball vs. Wilmington @ Mercer High School Gym (6:00 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.)

Friday:
MS Boys' Basketball @ Wilmington (4:00 p.m. / 5:15 p.m.)
Mercer VFW Wrestling Tournament @ Mercer High School Gym (4:30 p.m.)

Saturday:
Mercer VFW Wrestling Tournament @ Mercer High School Gym (9:30 a.m.)

Mercer Athletics Pairing with American Heart Association

During the week of January 18th, the Mercer athletic programs will be working in unison with the American Heart Association. Students wearing the color RED during the following home athletic events will receive free admission:

• Tuesday (1/19) Wrestling vs. Grove City
• Wednesday (1/20) Girls' Basketball vs. Sharon
• Thursday (1/21) Boys' Basketball vs. Wilmington

In addition, students will be present during these games to collect donations for the American Heart Association.

Mercer Wins at Academic Games Competition

On Thursday, January 14th students from the Academic Games program traveled to Slippery Rock University to compete in the Mr. President competition. The Mercer team finished in 3rd place overall. Three middle school students represented the Mercer team: Emalee Hostetler, Christopher Wilms, and Kieran Anderson. Both Hostetler and Anderson made it through the competition undefeated.

Speech Results from Pine Richland Tournament--January 16th

The Mercer Speech Team traveled to Pine Richland High School on Saturday, January 16th to compete at their 2nd annual invitational tournament. More than 230 student participants represented 30 schools from West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. Overall, the Mercer Speech Team took 2nd place, falling to a very powerful Wheeling Park High School. Here are the individual results:

Dramatic Interpretation:
1st- Janalyn Miklas

Duo Interpretation:
2nd- Ryan Hamilton and Maddie Rowe

Prose Interpretation:
3rd- Sarah Turton

Original Oratory:
5th- Elizabeth Ludwig

Extemporaneous Speaking:
7th- Rose Gigliotti

Humorous Interpretation:
7th- Mason Borowicz

Athletic Events --- Week of January 11th

The following Mercer athletic events will take place during the week of January 11th:

Monday:
Girls' Basketball vs. Lakeview @ Mercer High School (6:00 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.)

Tuesday:
MS Boys' Basketball @ Reynolds (4:00 p.m. / 5:15 p.m.)
Boys' Basketball vs. Reynolds @ Mercer High School (6:00 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.)

Wednesday:
Girls' Basketball vs. Maplewood @ Mercer High School (6:00 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.)
Wrestling @ Reynolds (6:00 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.)

Thursday:
MS Boys' Basketball vs. Lakeview @ Mercer High School (4:00 p.m. / 5:15 p.m.)

Friday:
Boys' Basketball @ Lakeview (6:00 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.)

Saturday:
Girls' Basketball vs. Cambridge Springs @ Mercer High School (1:00 p.m. / 2:30 p.m.)

Marking Period Draws to a Close

The 2nd marking period will come to an end on Friday, January 15th. This will also coincide with the end of the 1st semester, marking the halfway point in the academic year. Many students will be switching classes as we move onto the next semester.

Report cards will be distributed to students on Tuesday, January 26th during Homeroom.

Mercer Choral Students Headed to District Chorus

On February 3rd-5th there will be four Mercer High School students represented at the District Chorus Festival. The event will take place at Laurel High School in Lawrence County. The following students have earned their spot at the District Chorus Festival:

Ryan Hamilton - Bass 2
Mike Morneweck- Tenor 1
Leah Fuge- Alto 1
Sarah Turton- Alto 1

Competitive Spirit Just Misses State Tournament

The Competitive Spirit team travelled to McDowell High School on Saturday, January 9th to compete in the District 10 Championships. Due to the large number of Mercer cheerleaders, the squad competed in the "Medium" school division against Hickory, Oil City, and Villa Maria for the District title.

After the final judges scores were tabulated, the Mercer squad missed the qualifying mark to compete in the PIAA State Tournament in Hershey by only 3 points (out of an overall possible score of 300).

Congratulations to all of the students involved and thank you for representing Mercer High School with pride and class.

The following students are members of the Competitive Spirit team:
Rachel Bish
Emily Bright
Anna Brunson
Allie Cameron
Brandi Edwards
Kara Eves
Kendra Ligenfelter
Carlene Murray
Cassidy Murray
Kara Peters
Jensen Sirofchuck
Demi Skoofalos
Julianne Slagle
Alexa Stanton
Morgan Winland

Students Heading to Mercer County Honors Band Festival

On Tuesday (1/12) and Wednesday (1/13) select students from Mercer Middle School and Mercer High School will be traveling to the Mercer County Honors Band Festival at Thiel College. We would like to offer our congratulations to the following students who will be attending.

Senior High Students:
Brittany Marano
Janalyn Miklas
Jordyn Buchanan
Rose Gigliotti
Claudia Brown
Sami Metts
Kyle Wamboldt
Ryan Hamilton
Andrew Brinker
Mason Borowicz
Brianna Jarrett
Matt Mathias
Josh Wamboldt

Middle School Students:
Jessica McGraw
Samantha Jarrett
Jayme Heffern
Michaela Johnson
Grant Haggard
Sarah Coryea
Kyle Kaster
Domanick Nosker
Lilly Roman
Darby Miller
Peyton Miller
Christopher Wilms
Kellen Borowicz
David Ellis
Max Puskar
Malachi Shablesky

Results from Bo Wood Tournament

The Varsity wrestling team competed at the Bo Wood Tournament at Indiana High School on Saturday, January 9th. Here are the results from their respective weight classes:

1st place- Zac King
3rd place- Chris Micsky
4th place- Will Chess
4th place- Bobby Gregory

Speech Results from Week of January 4th

It was a busy week for the Mercer Speech program as they competed in two distinct competitions.

On Thursday, January 7th Mercer competed at Iroquois High School Catholic Forensic League Tournament. This was successful for many Mercer competitors, as they won or tied for first place in all five speaking events. Here are the results:

Original Oratory
1st- Rachel Bish

Extemporaneous
1st- Mary Hogue

Oral Interpretation
1st- Evan Daugherty
1st- Caleb Miklas

Dramatic Performance
1st- Kate Shaffer
1st- Janalyn Miklas

Duo Interpretation
1st- Ryan Hamilton and Maddie Rowe
1st- Abby Grabigel and Brianna Jarrett

On Saturday, January 9th Mercer competed in the 11th Annual North Allegheny Invitational. There were more than 200 speakers representing 28 schools from western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Overall, Mercer placed 3rd in team sweepstakes, slightly behind the team from Upper St. Clair. Here are the results:

Original Oratory
2nd- Emily Kirila
3rd- Elizabeth Ludwig

Duo Interpretation
2nd- Ryan Hamilton and Maddie Rowe

International Extemporaneous
4th- Mary Hogue

U.S. Extemporaneous
5th- Rose Gigliotti

Students of the Month -- January

Each month the staff members at Mercer Middle-High School have the opportunity to submit the names of individuals that represent the following qualities to the highest degree: Honor, Excellence, Respect, and Determination. The following students have been selected to receive the Student of the Month Award for the month of January:

Gina Smith (7th Grade)
Colton Tomson (10th Grade)
Garrett Shiemke (10th Grade)

Congratulations to these students!

Photos From MIT Women's Initiative STEM Summitt

Below you will find several photographs from the MIT Women's Initiative STEM Summit that was held on Wednesday, January 6th at Grove City College. The intention of the program was to provide female students with greater exposure to STEM and specifically engineering fields as career options.

Mercer Students Travel to MIT Women's Initiative STEM Summit

Several female students of Mercer Middle-High School will travel to the MIT Women's Initiative STEM Summit on Wednesday, January 6th. The symposium will take place at Grove City College

This program is intended to provide female students with greater exposure to STEM and specifically Engineering opportunities beyond high school.

During the event Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) graduates will speak to the students directly. Additionally, the students will be able to participate with hands-on STEM programs.

The program is hosted by Grove City College in collaboration with Midwestern Intermediate Unit 4.

The following students will be representing Mercer Middle High School at this event.
Adrienne Schupp
Anna Brunson
Brianna Jarrett
Dalyn Houston
Darby Miller
Elizabeth Ludwig
Ella Garner
Jaime Burdette
Jocelyn Brown
Kate Shaffer
Leah Fuge
Lilly Roman
Merrick Morneweck
Peyton Miller

Athletic Hall of Fame Inducts Luther Phillips

Luther Phillips was a four-year letterwinner and two-time qualifier and placewinner at the PIAA Class AA State Championships for the Mercer Track & Field team under Hall of Fame coach Mark Hannay.

As a freshman, Luther helped lead the Mustangs to a 4-3-1 dual meet record. He finished 4th in the 100 meter dash at the District 10 Southern Qualifier at Oil City High School. During his sophomore season, Luther finished 6th in the 100 meter dash and was a member of the 3rd place 4 x 100 meter relay team at the D-10 Southern Qualifier. The following week at the District 10 Championships at Oil City, he finished 6th in the 100 meter dash and the 4 x 100 meter relay team garnered 5th place honors.

Luther helped lead the Mustangs to a Mercer County & Tri-County Championship with a 7-1 dual meet record during his junior year. The team finished 1st at the Mercer JC Invitational and 2nd at the Fairview Invitational. At the Tri-County Meet, he finished 1st in the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash and was a member of the 4 x 100 meter relay team that finished 1st and established both a meet and school record (44.7 seconds). Luther finished 3rd in the 100 meter dash, 4th in the 200 meter dash, and was a member of the 2nd place 4 x 100 meter relay team at the District 10 Southern Qualifier. The following week, he finished 3rd in the 100 meter dash and was a member of the 4 x 100 meter relay team that took 4th place in the District 10 Championship. The 4 x 100 meter relay team of Luther, Calvin Phillips, Ken Tarczy, and John Zurasky concluded their season by securing an 8th place medal at the PIAA State Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.

During his senior season, the Mustangs finished the dual meet season undefeated with an 8-0 mark earning both Mercer County and Tri-County Championships for the 2nd time in as many seasons. The team also finished in 1st place at both the Fairview and the McTaggart-Shaver Invitational and in 3rd place at the Mt. Lebanon Invitational. The Mustangs dominated the Tri-County Championships, earning a meet record 185 points. Luther was named Most Outstanding Performer at the meet, finishing 1st in both the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash and was a member of the 1st place 4 x 100 meter relay team. Luther helped lead the Mustangs to a 2nd place finish at the District 10 Championships, finishing in 1st place in the 100 meter dash, 1st place in the 200 meter dash, and was a member of the 1st place 4 x 100 meter relay team. At the PIAA State Championships, Luther earned medals in the 100 meter dash (5th place), 200 meter dash (2nd place), and was a member of the 4 x 100 meter relay team that garnered 8th place honors. At the time of his graduation, Luther held or shared school records in the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, and the 4 x 100 meter relay. He currently still holds the school record in the 200 meter dash.

Luther was also a member of the Mustang football team, earning 3 varsity letters as a running back and defensive back. During his junior year, the football team finished 2nd in the Tri-County League and earned a berth in the WPIAL Class A playoffs, falling in the quarterfinals to Chartiers Houston 24-23 in an overtime thriller.

An active member of the Cedar Avenue Church of God in Sharon, Luther retired from UPS after 20 years of service and now works for George Junior Republic as a driver. He and his wife, Laurie, reside in Mercer and have 3 children (Jazhmine, Ashley, and Channing) and 2 grandchildren (Jadon and Josiah).

An induction ceremony was held at halftime during the Kennedy Catholic-Mercer Boys' Basketball game on December 9th. Luther's accolades were read by Hugh Ringer to a packed gymnasium. The permanent wall plaque was unveiled immediately following the basketball game and a brief social gathering was held in the high school cafeteria.

Congratulations to Luther Phillips!

 
 
 
 

Speech Results from Pittsburgh Central Catholic Sterner Steel City Invitational

The Mercer Speech Team competed in the Second Annual Sterner Steel City Invitational, hosted by Pittsburgh Central Catholic, on December 19, 2015. This is the second year in a row that the Mercer Speech Team won the tournament sweepstakes in a field of 215 students, representing 20 western Pennsylvania schools. The Mercer team earned 120 points, giving them a 10 point win over the team from Upper St. Clair and an 11 point win over North Allegheny.

Here are the results:
Original Oratory
1st- Rachel Bish
2nd- Emily Kirila
5th- Elizabeth Ludwig

Duo Interpretation
2nd- Ryan Hamilton and Maddie Rowe
5th- Abby Grabigel and Brianna Jarrett
6th- Michaela Johnson and MacKenzie Meyer

Humorous Interpretation
3rd- Andrew Brinker
5th- Mason Borowicz

Oral Interpretation
4th- Evan Daugherty
5th- Caleb Miklas

Financial Aid Night

Representatives from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) will be on hand for a Financial Aid Night at the Mercer High School LGI Room on Tuesday, January 5th at 6:00 p.m.

The representative from PHEAA will be available for questions and provide advice to the parents of a college-bound student. If you have any intention of using a student loan, scholarship, grant, or any other financial assistance, it is highly recommended that you attend this FREE financial aid event.

Please contact the Mercer High School Guidance Office if you have any questions.

Athletic Events Week of January 4th

The following Mercer athletic events will take place during the week of January 4th-9th:

Monday:
Girls' Basketball @ West Middlesex (6:00 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.)

Tuesday:
Boys' Basketball vs. Vision Quest @ Mercer High School Gym (Varsity Only) (7:00 p.m.)

Wednesday:
Boys' Basketball @ Shenango (6:00 p.m. / 7:30 p.m.)
Wrestling vs. Sharon @ Mercer High School Gym (6:00 p.m. / 7:00 p.m.)

Thursday:
Girls' Basketball vs. Wilmington @ Mercer High School Gym (6:00 p.m. / 7:00 p.m.)

Friday:
None

Saturday:
MS Wrestling @ Northwestern Tournament (9:00 a.m.)
Varsity Wrestling @ Bo Wood Tournament (Indiana High School)
Competitive Spirit @ District 10 Championships (McDowell High School)
Boys' Basketball vs. Rocky Grove @ Mercer High School Gym (6:00 p.m. / 7:00 p.m.)

 

Happy New Year and Welcome Back

On behalf of the staff at Mercer Middle-High School, I would like to wish all of the students and their families a Happy New Year and say Welcome Back.

Today marks the 80th day of the 2015-16 school year, meaning that there are only 100 school days remaining in this academic year. This time will go by very quickly.

The 2nd marking period will draw to a close on Friday, January 15th. There will be no school for students on Monday, January 18th, as this will be an in-service day for staff members. The new semester will begin on Tuesday, January 19th.