Clubs

Academic Challenge Bowl, open to students in grades 6-8, is a question and answer game played between two schools of four players each. Points can be scored by correctly answering questions asked by the moderator. There are two types of questions: toss-ups which are always worth 10 points and bonuses which are worth 30. The school with the highest total of points at the end of the match is the winner. Students in grades 7 and 8 are eligible to participate. Practices will be held once per week starting in late October. The regular season begins around December 1 and ends around March 31. Playoffs follow the regular season.

Contact Jen Cellura, Club Moderator, at jcellura@mercyhs.com with any questions.

This club is not currently in session. 

Adventure Club is a great opportunity for students in grade 6-12 to explore new adventures, find new hobbies, make new friends, and create memories!  This club meets on monthly basis to discuss upcoming adventures. You can expect adventures such as whitewater rafting, scuba diving, rock climbing, and many more! Please see Mrs. Trout or Mrs. Herman for more information

Students teach one another American Sign Language, the predominant sign language of deaf communities throughout the United States and most of Canada. ASL is a complete and organized visual language that is expressed by facial expression as well as movements and motions with the hands. This is a very lively and fun club, led entirely by students!

Art Club was formed to give students opportunities to expand their artistic experiences outside of the classroom. Activities are held on Thursdays twice per month from 3-4 p.m. in one of the three art classrooms, led by an art teachers on a rotating basis. If you like creating art as well as trying new mediums like printmaking, photography, crafts and clay, please join in the fun. The club is open to grades 6-12 and you need not be a current art student. Come once or every time! The last art club is an end-of-year activity and party. Check the bulletin board by Art Room 115 Mr. G’s classroom) for the calendar with dates, locations, and parent permission forms (also available for download here). More information can also be found outside Ms. Dahlberg’s and Mrs. O’Brien-Kiely’s classrooms.

The Asian Student Association (ASA) is a club that strives to provide an inclusive, safe space for the Asian community at Mercy. Our goal includes social justice activism by both researching and presenting on issues affecting the Asian community and by having meaningful conversations about our identities. This club is also a space where we celebrate our differences and our cultures by recognizing and celebrating traditional Asian customs, holidays, etc. Our hope is unification with each other and the larger community in order to make a difference. Contact Augustin Phung, Club Moderator, at aphung@mercyhs.com with any questions. 

The goal of the Mercy Best Buddies Chapter is to create an inclusive social environment and help spark real, true friendships that will last outside the club and classroom! Mercy is unique to the Best Buddies Organization because we have a joint program with Creekside School, School of the Holy Childhood and BOCES Bird/Morgan School! These schools help prepare children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities for maximum independence and integration in the community through individualized programs and services. Students in grades 6-12 are welcome. Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month during Advisement in the Black Box Theatre. 

More information coming.

Bluestockings is a literary organization for readers, writers, and thinkers. In keeping with the intentions of the original “Blues” from the 18th century, we seek to create a circle of inquisitive friends, who recognize the value of good books, expressive writing, meaningful conversation, and stimulating company. We meet every other week, usually before school, to read and discuss a work of literature in the mode of the Great Books Foundation. Other highlights during the year include our annual trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake to see a performance at the Shaw Festival, gathering at the Highland Bowl in July to see a performance of a Shakespeare play, and our annual Christmas Tea at Mrs. Kurzweil’s home. We also take advantage of local cultural opportunities as they are available and affordable, including performances at MuCCC. This club is open to all high school readers.

Learn the fundamentals of Boxing!

Mercy’s Boxing Club consists of girls that want to learn about boxing & do a fun (& tough) workout and girls that want to stay active between sports seasons. All fitness levels are welcomed! The club, which is open to students in grades 6-12, travel to ROC Boxing& Fitness, 526 Atlantic Ave, Roch 14609, twice per week (Monday and Wednesday) for a 45-minute workout. Each session runs eight weeks; several sessions run throughout the year. Students can join at any point during the year, even after a session has started! Members work on general conditioning and boxing technique with Coach Dana Curcio. Esca Stumpf is the club moderator and is excited to help Coach Dana bring out our members’ inner Rocky! Sign up here.

Campus Ministry Board, better known as CMB, is one of Mercy’s oldest and dearest clubs. Under the guidance of the Campus Minister, CMB is in charge of all school service projects such as Christmas Baskets (Golden Mass) and Mission Month. Campus Ministry is divided into two groups, one for 6-8 graders and one for 9-12 graders. At the high school level, there is a leadership team with officers selected through an interview process.

Come join Mercy’s food allergies and restrictions club! Talk about allergies and food restrictions, plan fun events, volunteer at Foodlink, and meet others in your situation.

This exciting and enriching club is for ANYONE interested in playing more chess or learning how to play chess. We focus on having fun while improving your skills (and you get the extra benefit of building your brain every step of the way!). Enjoy friendly competitions with your fellow students while developing really important life skills like problem-solving, creativity, memory, spatial-relations, concentration, planning, and foresight. Meetings will be before or after school; we hope you can join us!

A coffeehouse setting for students & staff to share their creative offerings including poetry, songs, visual art, film, dance, and stories.

Dance Club focuses on middle school girls. We cover jazz and lyrical styles of dance, proper stretching, technique and basic skills, and combinations of steps while enjoying some of our favorite current music in a stress-free learning zone! Dance Club will take place on Tuesdays from 3-4 p.m (begins November 16).

DECA is a competitive Business Club open to all business students in grades 10-12. Students will have the opportunity to compete in Regional, State and National competitions, as well as participating in community service events, chapter social events, fundraising, etc. Welcoming new members for 2022-23.

The Mercy Drama Club welcomes students in grades 6-12 to participate in all aspects of theater! Meetings and events allow members to stay connected and become involved in activities such as acting workshops, set build opportunities, and the annual Children’s Theater performance in which middle school students are the performers and upperclasswomen act as directors, producers, and choreographers. Any student who is interested in acting, directing, or stage crew is encouraged to join the Drama Club.

Students will fulfill the Dress A Girl mission by making dolls that are given to girls around the world along with dresses made by the Dress A Girl Association of Rochester. The dresses assist in eliminating poverty and show the value of each girl. In some areas of the world, this reduces child trafficking.

E-Sisters is a big sister/little sister program that pairs Mercy freshwomen with seniors to provide an extra layer of support as students transition into high school. This club is open to seniors!

French Club, open to all students in grades 6-12, meets monthly/biweekly beginning in October through May. Activities take place both on and off campus and center on ways of better understanding and enjoying the French way of life. Examples of past activities include, visiting the French House at Nazareth College, watching/discussing French movies, going to a French restaurant, celebrating French holidays, and more. Any high school student who is studying French is both encouraged and welcome to join.

Girl Up is a club that advocates for adolescent girls’ education, health, and safety in developing countries. Affiliated with the United Nations, Girl Up is club that connects Mercy students with girls from all over the world! Mercy is proud to be among a network of Girl Up chapters all over New York. Hundreds of girls in Upstate New York are involved with Girl Up clubs at their schools, and participate in education, fundraising, advocacy, and community service. Contact Mrs. Decosse at edecosse@mercyhs.com for more information.

As the Mercy Green Team, we pledge to raise awareness and encourage environmental initiatives in our school and the community. We will promote a future generation to conserve our planet and care for the earth. Students in grades 6-12 are welcome. 

The purpose of Hispanic Student Union (HSU) is to create a safe space within the Mercy community. This supportive group allows Latinas to have a space where they can talk about the challenges they face within the Mercy/ Rochester community and gives Mercy’s population a chance to learn more about the Hispanic culture. HSU strives to help spread awareness and diversity within Mercy. Contact Kim Gallagher, Club Moderator, at kgallagher@mercyhs.com with any questions.

This club is not currently in session. 

How will performing Improv help? We develop quicker thinking abilities. We learn to control our nerves, to increase our thinking, and positive reactions in any situation. Your college and job interviews will be more successful. You will learn to read body language, increase self-confidence, and keep building your foundation of knowledge and be proud of who you are. The best part: Practice all of this while LAUGHING!

This club is not currently in session. 

Mercy Jazz Band is open to all Mercy musicians and their family members with at least three years of experience with their instrument. The Mercy Jazz Band is a community-based group and meets twice per month on Thursdays from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The Jazz Band performs several styles of jazz including: swing, rock, Latin, funk, and blues at two concerts each year. All different types of instruments are accepted. No prior jazz experience required. Come be a part of a community-based ensemble that focuses on basic jazz skills, improvisation skills, and performing jazz standards!

The Junior Catholic Daughters of the Americas is an international service organization. The Catherine McAuley Chapter here at Mercy is sponsored by the adult chapter at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Brockport. We received our charter in 2018-2019 and have many activities planned for the coming year. Last year, members visited the Mother House on St. Valentine’s Day for goodies and to share stories and smiles, sent birthday cards to a young boy with a terminal disease, and created a prayer book for new teachers or teachers not comfortable with leading prayers before classes. The girls made Easter baskets filled with toiletries for the people at Bethany House. We also organized and led the Stations of the Cross during Lent (we plan to run them each Friday during Lent this year as well). Several of our members participated with McQuaid students in the March for Life in Washington in January and hope to attend again this year. Another project we are working on is assisting at mass at Monroe Community Hospital (MCC) on Sunday mornings. Service here would entail taking patients down to mass and sitting with them during the mass (families are welcome!). Since the nurses at MCC are so busy tending to medical needs, many patients miss mass because there is no one to take them. Meetings are held once per month during Advisement and members and officers alike contribute ideas for service projects. Won’t you please join us?

Salvete, discipulae! Latin Club is open to all students in grades 6-12 who are interested exploring and promoting the Latin language and Ancient Roman culture. Meetings will take place before school once a month and activities will be planned throughout the year. Students can join any time and do not have to be enrolled in a Latin Class to be a member of the club.

This international program is designed to encourage and inspire students in science and technology through the use of robotics. Lego League is one of the many programs run by FIRST. Our team (of up to 10 middle school students, in grades 6-8) builds and program a LEGO ‘mind-storming’ robot to complete a series of missions. They do a research project and present their findings to judges while competing against other teams in the area. The club meets nearly every day after school from September through December under the direction of Mrs. Caitlin Lawniczak. Please note, the team has a maximum number of ten (10) participants allowed per school year.

MasterMinds, open to students in grades 9-12, is a question and answer game played between two schools of four players each. Points can be scored by correctly answering questions asked by the moderator. There are two types of questions: toss-ups which are always worth 10 points and bonuses which are worth 30. The school with the highest total of points at the end of the match is the winner. There is both a JV and varsity team – any grade level may participate on varsity; grades 9-11 may play at the JV level. Mercy competes in the Wednesday league with five other schools. We practice on Tuesdays after school from 2:45 to 4 p.m. The regular season begins in October and ends in April. Playoffs follow the regular season.

Contact Richard Myers, Club Moderator, at rmyers@mercyhs.com with any questions.

Math League is comprised of students enrolled in mathematics courses, from advanced 8th graders through 12th grade, who enjoy mathematics and want to hone their skills in competition with area high schools. We are among 36 schools from around the county who comprise the Monroe County Math League. We compete after school, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at five monthly meets from October through February. In the past several years, we have taken one 3rd place and two 2nd place seasonal trophies in our Division. In March, each school sends its top 15 participants to compete for a full day in the All-County Meet. Top contenders from the county are then invited to represent our county in the All-State meet in April. We have twice sent a Mercy student to All-States as part of the Monroe County team. Join us! Interested students should reach out to Caitlin Lawniczak.

This club is not currently in session. 

“Melders” (Mercy+Elders) is open to all Mercy students and generally meets for an hour after school one day per week. Students assist in providing enhanced quality of life to the senior Sisters of Mercy and McAuley residents (on the Mercy campus). Activities include, but are not limited to, assisting with crafts, socials, games, taking walks, and one-on one visits.

Mercedes, Mercy’s prestigious, published literary and art magazine features poetry and prose and represents the various artists, ceramic students, and photographers in grades 9-12. Staff members meet weekly after school to review submissions, edit manuscripts, and digitally lay out the magazine.

Mercy Mosaic Civil Equality Club is founded on the concept of inclusion and promotes the idea that our differences enhance our lives. As a group, we work to provide a safe environment for all members of our community, to share and express feelings and thoughts in a respectful manner. We hope to break down barriers through dialogue and mutual respect. The Mercy Mosaic members strive to be role models for the Mercy community and beyond by embracing diversity and finding common ground. Open to students in grades 9-12.

Mercy has always encouraged students to reach out and help others. Since its inception 13 years ago, the goal of the program has been to educate young women in the Mercy tradition of service instilled in us through the work of Catherine McAuley. Mercy Service provides compassionate service opportunities for interested high school students to learn about and help serve the needs of others in our Rochester community as well as provide week long service trips nationally and internationally. There are many ways to serve the community through Mercy Service, including baking cookies for those in Hospice care, tutoring children at School #4, helping children with autism accomplish gymnastic activities with AutismUp, playing games and completing odds-and-end tasks for the elderly, cooking breakfast and dinner for families who stay at the Ronald McDonald House, making crafts with homeless children at The Sanctuary House, cooking and baking for homeless women and their children at the Bethany House, traveling to Nazareth Farm in West Virginia, Guyana, and Haiti for week-long service trips during school breaks. Volunteer opportunities are open to high school students and their families and are posted on the Mercy Service web site.

Sign up for Mercy Service opportunities online by clicking here. All high school students (as well as parents and Mercy faculty/staff) are welcome to sign up for the 2019-2020 school year.

This club is for middle school math students (grades 6-8). Students will prepare for a MathCounts team competition in February at RIT and will practice for the AMC 8. The club promotes a positive attitude toward problem-solving in mathematics and fosters interest in mathematics topics not explicitly covered during the school day. The club meets twice per cycle during middle school lunch period with Mrs. Caitlin Lawniczak.

The Mercy Middle School Student Council works together to organize middle school events throughout the school year. Members of Council are responsible for planning the Mercy/McQuaid Middle School Dance, Middle School Movie Night, and many other Mercy community events.

The Mock Trial team prepares a fictitious case that is governed by the New York State Bar Association. The club begins to meet in late November and competitions against other area Mock Trial teams take place in early February. A team of no more than 12 girls prepares to be attorneys and witnesses for the prosecution and defense of the case. A local attorney is assigned to each school to help them prepare. Practices are Monday and Wednesday each week from December to February. This club is open to all high school students. The Monroe County winner continues on to regional competition and could ultimately continue on to the State competition in May. No previous experience is necessary to join; only interest and willingness to learn about the law is necessary.

Model UN, a club designed to mimic the United Nations, is open to any student in grades 9-12. Meetings take place before school in Room 113. Students from all around our area and state select committees in which they discuss world problems. This interaction helps students learn research skills as well as practice public speaking. It is a great club for students who are interested in law or politics. We attend two conferences each year – in Hilton, NY in the fall, and at St. John Fisher in the spring.

Yoga sessions, led by Ms. Barbero, meet on most Wednesday mornings from 6:55 to 7:35 a.m. in the high school Gym. This is open to all students grades 6-12. Parents are welcome to attend, too! The class is designed for all level of practice, no experience necessary. Participants are encouraged to bring their own yoga mat but may borrow one from the PE Department before class.

NHS is a national organization that encourages students who excel academically to enhance their dedication to the four NHS pillars: service, leadership, scholarship, and character. Membership in our Catherine McAuley chapter of NHS is by invitation only. Members meet monthly to work on promoting the NHS pillars within our club and throughout the Mercy community. Members are required to complete 10 hours of in-Mercy service and 20 hours of service outside of our school community.

This club is for students in grades 7 and 8. Odyssey of the Mind is an international challenge that encourages students to work as teams and use problem-solving skills to complete puzzles and projects. The teams meet once a week on the late afternoon/early evening and closer to competition will meet more frequently. Parents and coaches moderate this club.

This club is not currently in session.

The purpose of the group is for the President/CEO of Mercy to get students’ perspectives on issues important to the school. This body does not make decisions, but shares insights on a variety of topics. In the past, group members have discussed Mercy’s ad campaign, allocation of budget dollars, ways to welcome transferring students, effectiveness of orientation, and most important qualities to look for when hiring teachers. Membership is open to all and meetings are listed in the Parent Weekly Update and during morning announcements.

The Quill is a student-run newspaper that is published several times per school year. This club is open to anyone with an interest in writing, journalism, photography, layout, or design. The Quill editors, writers, and photographers meet regularly to discuss topics, assign articles, and design the publication (using inDesign professional desktop publication software along with Photoshop). To read the latest Quill newspaper, click here.

The Red Cross Club provides students in grades 9-12 with opportunities to develop leadership skills and make a meaningful impact in their community by addressing one of its greatest needs. This club empowers girls with knowledge and life-saving skills to help prepare themselves and others to respond to emergencies. We also are responsible for the Mercy Blood drive held each year in February. In addition, the club does several fundraising events throughout the school year.

Under strict rules, limited resources, and the guidance of volunteer mentors (including engineers, teachers, business professionals, parents, alumni, and more), teams of students build and program robots to perform challenging tasks against a field of competitors. They must also raise funds, design a team ‘brand,’ hone teamwork skills, and perform community outreach. In addition to learning valuable STEM and life skills, participants are eligible to apply for $80 million in college scholarships. This team is open to students in grades 9-12 ages 14-18.

Run Club is open to all students in all grade levels. This is a fun club where you “run when you can, walk when you have to.” Our goals are to have fun, get fit, and make friends, all while training to run a 5K. We have a fall session and a spring session. We meet 1-3x each week, but are flexible as to how many times students wish to come. It’s up to you! See Ms. Barbero in the high school PE office for details.

Do you like to figure out how and why things happen? Do you like to visit places like the Rochester Museum and Science Center, the Planetarium, or the Zoo? Do you watch fireworks and wonder how the many the colors? If so, check out Science Club! Open to all grade levels. Contact Dawn Humphrey at dhumphrey@mercyhs.com for more information.

Welcome to Ski Club!

Mercy’s Ski Club begins the first Friday night back from Christmas Break in January for 6 consecutive bus rides. Bristol Mountain is our destination for skiing and snowboarding. Bus is filled on a first come, first serve basis with completed Bus Form, signed Mercy Ski Club Release Form, and payment. Please carefully review the bus & release form as it contains extremely important information such as dates, times, and expectations.

Girls in 7th – 12th grade are welcome to join, preferably with a buddy or two or a sibling with similar ski experience. Registration begins in September with all information, forms and directions being found here on the school web page. Art Teacher Mrs. O’Brien-Kiely is the Ski Club moderator, mobrienkiely@mercyhs.com.

Important Bristol Mountain documents and forms for the 2022-2023 season:
Middle School / High School / College Parent Guide

Rentals and Lessons are also available for purchase at a discount through the club and this club pass is good for every Friday night during the operating season including before and after our club dates.

Lift tickets and lessons for this year’s Ski Club at Bristol Mountain are available for purchase at a special discount. To buy tickets for the season:

1. Members can access our clubs page by going to https://bristolmountain.com/store/.  Go to “2022-2023 Season Products Available Now”. Click on “Group Login” in the Header of the page, and using the login information provided below.
2. Select GROUP LOGIN and using the club name: MERCYHS and password: mercyhs22
3. Click SEE AVAILABLE ITEMS
4. Account Name: MERCYHS
5. Member Password: mercyhs22
6. The member password is for our club members to use to purchase their lift ticket, rental, and lesson products.
7. Alternatively, on the Bristol Mountain website, click “Reserve Now” in the upper right, then click “Group Login”
8. Please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs. O’Brien-Kiely or Bristol Mountain if you have any questions about the Parent Guide/Pricing.
   

El Club de Español: The Spanish Club is a place where students who enjoy Spanish class can practice their Spanish and expand their knowledge of Hispanic cultures. The club meets on a weekly basis and the students experience a wide variety of activities ranging from watching episodes of authentic Spanish television, playing board games in Spanish (Scrabble is a favorite), making authentic crafts (piñatas, maracas), writing letters to pen pals in Spanish, and of course, food. Come and join us!

The Speech and Debate Team is proud to be entering its fourth year at Mercy. With a focus on the development of public speaking skills, our team is actively welcoming new members entering grades 9 through 12. A wide variety of events is offered ranging from Lincoln-Douglas debate to Dramatic Interpretation, making it truly possible for us to say that there is an event for everybody! We offer a flexible and personalized practice schedule which includes team practices, individual work, and collaboration with McQuaid’s team. Though we are a relatively new organization, we have met with recognition and widespread success on the highly competitive regional, state, and even national levels. Speech and Debate is a wonderful option for anyone interested in improving their public speaking skills along with all those with a passion for politics, law, and drama.

The Mercy Student Council meets every Monday morning to plan and organize fun student activities. Whether it is organizing Spirit Week in September or planning the famous Winter Formal, Student Council works hand-in-hand with the teachers and administration to make each school year a success. Students for this club are elected for a two-year position.

This club is designed to introduce students to the emerging sport of triathlons. Triathlons consist of three events: swimming, cycling, and running. Students will train for running and cycling here at Mercy and train for swimming mostly on their own off site. Our goal is to compete in indoor triathlons in the spring and possibly outdoor youth triathlons in the summer. Students can train to compete as an individual or for one strength as part of a team. The Triathlon Club is open to all students in grades 6-12. See Ms. Barbero in the high school PE office for details.

Veritas is Mercy’s yearbook. It chronicles the students, faculty, and multitude of activities that occur during the school year. Students in grades 9–12 are invited to participate. There is a general staff and an editorial staff. General staff members select pictures, write captions and copy, and create layouts. The editorial staff oversees the overall creation of the yearbook. The group meets every Tuesday during the school year, beginning in September and ending in April. At the meetings, students receive assignments that they must complete in a timely manner. Students can work on their assignments before school, during study halls, or after school.

The Voice of Mercy Middle, or more often referred to as The Voice, is Mercy’s Middle School Literary Magazine. The Voice publishes pieces of poetry, artwork, prose and short stories created by Mercy middle school students. All middle school students are encouraged to submit their work in order to be considered for publication. Any middle school student is also welcome to become a member of the magazine staff. The staff members of the club meet once a week to read, discuss, review, and edit prospective pieces for the magazine. The staff members ultimately decide which pieces are accepted and included in the final publication of the magazine. The staff members may also help writers edit and resubmit their pieces. Click here to read the 2018-2019 edition of The Voice.

Originally founded in 1960, there are now over 250 high school and collegiate affiliates of this national organization. Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) inspires tomorrow’s leaders to learn to engage in civil discourse. YAF unites students who are interested in advocating for limited government, individual freedom, and free enterprise. Club members will participate in activism projects, improve their public speaking skills, and have the opportunity to attend YAF-sponsored conferences. For more information, contact Senior Emma Raymond ’22 at er12511@student.mercyhs.com. Mercy’s Chapter of Young Americans for Freedom is not associated with, nor does it endorse, any political candidates.

Information will be posted shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience.

The New York State YMCA Youth and Government program provides high school teens the opportunity to learn about the democratic process. Students from across the State prepare during the year for the annual conference in Albany where they conduct a mock government. Students take on the roles of attorneys, lobbyists, reporters, and legislators. They learn parliamentary procedure, debate techniques, and strengthen their oral and written communication skills and leadership abilities. Youth and Government is a great way for students to explore politics, government, law, and journalism. Open to students in grades 9-12.