Isabella Sakmyster '23

She was nearly always at the top of her class in her subjects. Because of this, Belle struggled to find ways to challenge herself academically. She wanted to be pushed, and she needed inspiration. Belle and her family knew it was time for a change. So, she enrolled at Mercy as a 7th grader.

Immediately, Belle noticed something. At Mercy, she needed to study longer and with more enthusiasm. She embraced this challenge and pushed herself in all of her subjects. She leaned heavily on her teachers who continue to serve as her biggest advocates. A tight-knit relationship flourished and inspiration flowed naturally. Belle viewed her teachers as mentors — trained educators who can not only teach her math and science, but who helped her forge her way through middle school and beyond.

A critical component of Belle’s growth, and the growth of all Mercy Girls, was the development of each student’s moral compass. It is one of six elements that make up Mercy’s new World Class Learner approach to academics. In addition to a moral compass, Belle became a risk taker, problem solver, and communicator. She became globally ready and demonstrated a growth mindset.