Mercersburg Academy Viewbook by Mercersburg Academy

define yourself. here.

Mercersburg will not tell you who you should be. [ instead... ] we will ask you to

define your best self, your genuine self, the self you want to be. On a beautiful, storied campus where a Nobel laureate, Academy Award winners, and Olympians were once just high school students with dreams who lived in dorms, hung out in the student center, went to dances, walked to the Nolde Athletic Center at sunrise, and defended the Blue and White â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you will have the time and the mentors and the friends to figure out who you want to be.

How will you define yourself because of your Mercersburg years?

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only one way to find out.

Be in the middle of everything “ The athletic center, where you can go play basketball, lift, play lacrosse.”

“ For me, it’s working out in the morning, running on the track. It’s just so quiet and really relaxing.”

One of the truly exceptional characteristics of Mercersburg is that everyone – New Englander, Southerner, Midwesterner, West Coaster, small-town guy or girl, international cosmopolitan city dweller, or suburbanite – feels comfortable here. We are firmly planted in the Mid-Atlantic at a crossroads of East, South, Midwest, and Northeast that makes us a great place for cultures and customs, interests and ideas, styles and backgrounds to mix. We are designed as a true boarding school in a beautiful location away from urban distractions but with plenty of access to five of the greatest Eastern cities of the United States – Baltimore, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. We are also close to two international airports, Dulles International and Baltimore/Washington International, which makes it easy for students from all over the country and the world to attend Mercersburg. And when you’re on campus, every incredible resource at Mercersburg is yours. Here are some favorite student spots.

Be in the middle of everything “ The athletic center, where you can go play basketball, lift, play lacrosse.”

“ For me, it’s working out in the morning, running on the track. It’s just so quiet and really relaxing.”

“ I find it really peaceful at the astronomy observatory, especially where Mercersburg is located, to just be able to look up and see all the stars.”

“ The soccer field, 10 minutes before practice, just by myself, kicking the ball at the net. It’s very beautiful, especially when it’s later in the wintertime and the sun’s a little lower going through the trees.”

“ The turf on the weekends to play soccer and Frisbee.”

“ The student center is the best place to hang out with friends, play pool and ping-pong, and just chill.”

“ The front steps of Swank Hall because it’s a great meeting place.”

Lenfest Library “The table near the copier on the fourth floor of Lenfest is a great place to get group work done. The chapel room is perfect for solo studying. Not only do you have a great view of the chapel, but every Karux [yearbook] and Blue Review [art/literary journal] is housed there.”

“ I find it really peaceful at the astronomy observatory, especially where Mercersburg is located, to just be able to look up and see all the stars.”

“ The turf on the weekends to play soccer and Frisbee.”

“ The student center is the best place to hang out with friends, play pool and ping-pong, and just chill.”

“ The front steps of Swank Hall because it’s a great meeting place.”

“ The barn has an amazing climbing wall.”

“ Tippetts Beach to socialize and tan.”

“ In the biology labs we have such a handson experience. If we’re doing an experiment, we don’t have to watch it on a video, we can actually do it.”

The Chapel “I love to take in all of the history, listen to the Carillon. It’s just a great spot that’s always there, out of the corner of your eye. The artwork and masonry are really gorgeous. Throughout the day, walking around, you hear bells playing.”

“ The dance studio is a great place to take dance classes with friends, or just put on some music and start creating something.”

The Burgin Center “It is a huge deal, just an awesome place. I have acting and painting classes there. My swing club meets there” ... “I go to the Burgin every study hall to use the computer art lab. It’s just great.”

One spring day at Mercersburg. Choosing to go to boarding school is a tradition for some and a totally new concept for others. We think it should be a life-changing adventure for everyone. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a taste of that adventure via Vivi, Johnny, Michaella, Caitlin, and Jack, on one spring day not so long ago.

vivi: defined HomeTown: Lubbock, Texas “ I’m a writer, an athlete, a performer, an enthusiast. I’m creative, outgoing, inquisitive, I’m IRVING! Mercersburg has encouraged me to become all these things and more, from its welcoming atmosphere to its brilliant faculty and staff. I’m proud to say I can be defined by every aspect of the ’Burg. The traditions, the people, the classes, the opportunities have all contributed to the joy I find at the end of the summer, posing for pictures on the steps of Main Hall.”

English “ My favorite classes in my time here have been my English courses, not only because I’m typically assigned to do what I love— write—but also because of the atmosphere of class discussion. Everyone is expected and encouraged to contribute freely, and with these equal expectations comes equal respect for everyone involved.”

history “One of my favorite assignments included a historical visit to Gettysburg, with all of the other U.S. History students. We had been learning about the Civil War and we were told to research a specific soldier and write a letter from his point of view. We submitted the same assignment for our history and for our 11th grade English classes, for a research grade and a creative writing grade.”

music “ I go to the Burgin for the music, but even after Chorale and Magalia rehearsals are over, the building stays alive with dozens of visual and performing arts venues.”

student center “The student center is always a good place to unwind with a game of pool or the occasional dance on a weekend night.”

athletics “ At the end of the school day, I love supporting my friends by attending athletic events and, of course, playing in my own.” 7

friends

sports practice “Mercersburg has all the components you need: tremendous athletic programs and dynamic teachers and classes. The school is well rounded. The student body is very diverse and you get to meet so many students from around the U.S. and the world.”

classes “My favorite class is definitely physics. It was a jump for me to take it as a sophomore, but I decided I could handle the workload. I love being able to use all the physical resources located in the classrooms and not just being taught on a blackboard. The physical part of the work is tremendous due to the amount of resources the school has for students.” 8

“ I find it great to be able to go to classes and hang out with my friends all day and then get homework help from teachers at night. I am a social person so being with my friends is a necessity for me. That is my favorite part about Mercersburg, being able to have fun with my friends all the time.”

johnny: defined HomeTown: Hanover, Pennsylvania “ I’ve defined myself at Mercersburg more than I had previously thought possible. I’ve discovered a bunch of new things that I am interested in and I have learned a lot of great social skills as well. How would I describe myself now? In a few words: athlete, student, and a good friend, outgoing and affable.”

michaella: defined HomeTown: Gibson Island, Maryland “ Students are really comfortable asking for extra help when they need it – I am a proud user of the Writing Center. You can also get help with science, math, and languages – there are great resources for each specific area or if that’s your expertise you can help other students.”

history “Mercersburg’s nurturing and hardworking atmosphere has developed me into a student who loves to go to school. I look forward to what students say and how we all respond to the information we are taught, especially in my history courses. Because Mercersburg is an international school, you’re in the mix of student opinions from all over the world – Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa. I love to hear everything everyone has to say.”

dining hall “ The dining hall not only has great food but really shows the sense of community here. We eat family style but every two weeks you switch tables (on Wednesdays and Fridays you can sit with whomever you want). The casual table conversation builds friendly relationships for students and faculty. Tables are all-inclusive rather than separated only by ‘friend groups’.”

athletics “Playing on the tennis team every fall has given me something to look forward to at the start of the school year. My coach, my teammates, the traveling and the bonding we have on the team, like every other team at Mercersburg, has created a second family outside of my schoolwork. School spirit is very important to me and defines a part both Mercersburg and I play. We are certainly proud to be the Blue and White.”

the arts “ Dance practice is another favorite part of my day. The beautiful Burgin Center has amazing facilities and each individual artist, dancer, actor, and singer expresses his or her talents. I love to watch the creations students make.”

friends academics “Everybody at Mercersburg wants you to succeed. If you are having issues in class, you and your adviser not only identify the problem but you also come up with solutions. It’s nice to know that you have such a great support system behind you. Mercersburg is the perfect size; everybody knows everyone. It’s a tight-knit community.”

“ At the end of the day there is no place in the world I would rather be than Mercersburg. I feel at home here. I have my friends and teachers who are like parents to me at times.”

the arts “I plan on pursuing a career in theatre and Ms. Mufson has helped me to find summer programs that will help me. I was accepted and attended an elite summer music program at Carnegie Mellon. Ms. Mufson is serious about her students; she treats us like professionals and has helped me really go forward with my plans for the future. She believes in me.”

think globally “ Mercersburg has so many different people from all sorts of places around the world that it’s hard not to be, and think, globally here. I recently went on a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, with the school. This trip encouraged me not only to think more about others but also it inspired me to get out into the world more.” 12

caitlin: defined HomeTown: Hagerstown, Maryland “ My two favorite classes are AP World History and my acting directed study (it’s just me and Ms. Mufson, the theatre director). Just recently, she had a guest artist from Washington, D.C., come in to work with me. It was amazing. I really gained a new perspective in a form of physical theatre that I had never even thought of. I have grown as an actress in the past term more than I have in years of acting classes at home.”

jack: defined HomeTown: Delmar, New York “ Many people think that because 19 members of my family went to this school before me, it was set in stone that I would come here. But I’m here because I genuinely love the school. Not only did I get the opportunity to spend a year with my brother, who was a senior when I started, but I’ve made friends I will have forever. I play soccer and basketball, and being on the same lacrosse team as my brother last year was a great experience.”

classes “What I like most about the way classes are scheduled here is that they rotate every day. It’s nice to change things up and not have the same class at the same time every single day. Also, having breaks throughout the day is helpful for relaxing or finishing up any homework.”

group work “ One thing about classes at Mercersburg that I really like is that the teachers implement a lot of group work. You’re able to bounce your ideas off of other students. I think better work is created if you have multiple people putting their thoughts into it. Also, group work is a lot more fun and interesting.”

team practice “After the school day is over, you usually have around 20 to 30 minutes until you have to be at team practices. This is a pretty quick transition, but it still gives people time go to the trainer if they need any treatment.”

Brainy in a 21st-Century Way The brains of today’s kids process information radically differently than they did in previous generations. This isn’t a theory. It’s been proven again and again by scientific studies that the key to student learning today is active experience in what you are learning, whether that is laboratory sciences, languages, writing, literature, philosophy, mathematics, robotics, history, or economics. Rather than the traditional “learning by receiving” model, today’s rigorous curriculum engages students in learning by doing.

More than

honors, AP, and post-AP level courses

The Mercersburg Graduate’s Skillset What good is knowing facts and formulas if you don’t know how to apply your knowledge to what you want to do in the 21st-century world? At Mercersburg you will learn to “connect the dots,” using and building on your knowledge in meaningful ways.

Critical Thinking

Effective Communication

Collaboration

The Mercersburg Graduate’s Skillset Creativity, Curiosity, and Imagination

Information Literacy

Personal Responsibility and Accountability

The Mercersburg Graduateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Skillset

1 2 3 20

You will master not only subjects but also see the relationships between ideas across subjects.

Each class and each school year will build on your knowledge, leading you to become a critical thinker, an effective communicator, a smart collaborator, information literate, creative, curious, imaginative, and responsible and accountable for using your knowledge well in the world.

With more than 160 courses, including over 40 honors, Advanced Placement, and postAdvanced Placement classes, you can stretch academically as wide and as deep as you like in courses ranging from Nature and Meaning of the Universe to Linear Algebra to five levels of Chinese and three levels of robotics.

74% of faculty hold advanced degrees

Faculty Stars to Guide You From Fulbright scholars to National Endowment for the Humanities fellows, Mercersburg teachers are some of the most gifted thinkers and educators you will ever have. Our faculty teach what they love and love what they do. Seventy-four percent hold at least one advanced degree. Most have presented or published in their fields. They travel the world as they further develop their language skills and cultural understanding. They’re always moving forward, never saying, ‘I’ve done it this way for 20 years, it’s always worked.’ They refine curriculum continually, believing that a great course this year might lead to further innovation next year.

Spanish Language Native Speaker “ The Winter Telephone Project is a unique hands-on assessment of the classroom material students have worked with up to that point of the year. The format is a conference call between the teacher, the student, and a native Spanish speaker. The teacher is only a listener and evaluator. The student experiences firsthand how to share and obtain information within a conversation in the target language with someone who is not in a classroom setting. The project reaffirms the student’s confidence in his or her language skills and in how well he or she can put them into practice.” — Wendy S. Valenteen, Spanish Faculty, Classical and Modern Languages, Appointed 2004 M.A. – Towson University B.S. – Millersville University

What Makes Good Writing “ In my comparative literature class, instead of standing at the front of class talking to students about what makes good writing, I had them research what makes good writing then produce a documentary about what they learned. Part of their research was incorporating interviews with faculty members in the English department, writing consultants in our Writing Center, and other students who have had assessments of their writing.” — Matthew Kearney, Academic Dean and English Faculty, Appointed 2000 Ph.D. (A.B.D.), M. Phil., M.A., B.A. – Rutgers University

Robotics Search and Rescue “ For this project, students work on a robot designed to search a maze for heating pads that represent victims in a disaster scenario. The students’ robots need to navigate the entire maze and flash a light each time they find a new victim.” — Julia Maurer, Mathematics and Science Faculty, Academic Dean, Appointed 1990 Ph.D., M.S.M.E., B.Ch.E. – University of Dayton

All students and faculty use

iPads

Anatomy and Physiology “ Dr. Selznick, father to two current students and an orthopedic surgeon in Park City, Utah, presented to two of my anatomy classes. As part of the class session, students repaired a fracture by screwing plates into the bone. Dr. Selznick described the procedure as if it were a real case study, and taught students all of the steps to repairing the injury.” — Nikki Walker, Science Faculty, Appointed 2006 M.S. -– California University of Pennsylvania B.S. – Frostburg State University

Free iPad Textbooks â&#x20AC;Ś Created by Faculty With the iPad as the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s digital platform, increasing numbers of Mercersburg faculty have jettisoned the need for students to purchase expensive traditional textbooks in favor of writing and designing their own for the iPad.

100s

of National Merit and AP Scholars

Hallmarks for Every Student Opportunities each year to invent, conduct original research, present, produce, and innovate Firsthand international experience (see page 46) A senior academic capstone project

In 9th & 10th Grade You Will ... Focus on immersion in the disciplines and skills development that will help carry you through your academic career. You will take English, history, foreign language, math, science, and two terms of fine arts.

In 11th & 12th Grade You Will ... Focus on more independent and in-depth study, building on a strong foundation in each of the disciplines gained during 9th and 10th grade.

Hallmarks for Every Student Over 160 Courses

English – American, British and World Literature including AP level courses plus senior electives such as Journalism, The Graphic Novel, The Art of Fiction, Existentialism in Literature, Film Studies, and many more. History – Over 22 history courses such as AP Economics, AP European history, and AP Comparative Government and Politics as well as specialized classes like Totalitarian Regimes in the 20th Century, Modern Origins of Islamic Fundamentalism, and Constitutional Case Studies.

Modern & Classic Languages – Five languages offered, including Chinese, German, French, Spanish, and Latin, varying from introductory to AP and post-AP courses. Religion – A number of courses exploring various world religions and belief systems, including: Introduction to the New Testament, Buddhism, Introduction to World Religions.

Mathematics – Courses include several levels, ranging from standard to AP, in Algebra, Geometry, Precalculus, Robotics, Calculus, and Statistics, as well as post-AP courses such as Multivariable Calculus and Introductory to Linearr Algebra. Science – A wide range of courses, through AP and Honors levels, in fundamental scientific areas such as Chemistry, Biology, and Physics, as well as unique and extensive offerings in Astronomy, Environmental Science, Human Genetics, Mechanics, and Robotics.

Fine Arts – Within Fine Arts, there are four separate disciplines - Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Art. More than 25 courses, in addition to several performance ensembles, range from Dance Composition to Writing Music for Today’s World, and from Digital Video Art to AP Art History.

For full course listings visit www.mercersburg.edu/curriculum

300

Dive Into a Dream School

acres of campus with 30 school buildings and 11 playing fields

Training and coaching known for developing collegiate, Olympic, and professional athletes. Spectacular college-level teaching and facilities in music, theatre, dance, and studio art. Participation in one of the most prestigious high school study abroad programs plus dozens of summer study opportunities, and amazing school spirit and traditions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all here waiting for you. Dive in.

boarding

True Blue Life No experience is more instructive, more fun, more personally challenging, and more attuned to helping you learn about you than residential life at Mercersburg. Graduating seniors say they grew the most by living in community – 24/7 – with their classmates. When you live with someone for nine consecutive months, you learn a lot about that roommate (plus your hallmates) and yourself – how to behave, how to manage your own emotions when you’re sharing a fairly small space, and so much more. This is big stuff and a big reason you come to Mercersburg.

A Friend-Making Machine The kinds of friends you make here are different than those you would make at a day school. You can see it in our alumni â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whether they are in their 20â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s or 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s their Mercersburg ties are often the most dear to them.

Residential Faculty Experienced faculty members manage the entire residential life program. All dorms have deans and live-in faculty. Dorm faculty members are available all day, every day, so no students should ever feel that they lack a sensitive and informed adult to consult or rely upon.

Structured, Not Restrictive Residential life at Mercersburg doesn’t just happen. It’s a very thoughtful, intentional program that has been honed over the years to provide the right amount of structure and supervision, yet also plenty of freedom, so that students can truly breathe and enjoy themselves in an environment where they know what the community expects of them.

Friends From All Grades As a student here, you’re always in the company of equals. In no time you will discover that 9th and 10th graders mesh exceedingly well with 11th and 12th graders, and it’s common to find a senior and a 9th grader becoming best of friends. This is one of the great benefits of living among the open and accepting student body that is a Mercersburg’s trademark. 39

Irving-Marshall Week Irving-Marshall Week is a high-spirited assortment of competitions each February between the Washington Irving Literary Society (in red and white) and the John Marshall Literary Society (in blue and yellow). Each student at Mercersburg is a member of one of the two societies. The rival groups earn points with victories in traditional sports and everything from chess to foosball to Iron Chef. The biggest event is Declamation, when representatives from both societies, in full formal attire, perform monologues in front of the entire (cheering) school and a panel of expert judges from area universities. After the points are tallied, the winner is declared and the celebration continues at a school dance, which concludes the winter term.

Fantastic School Spirit From battleball to holiday dinners to our megatradition â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Irving-Marshall Week â&#x20AC;&#x201C; casual and formal traditions are part of our amazing energy, creativity, and personality to which every student adds his or her own personality and ideas.

experience

Global Adventure at Home and Abroad While boarding schools often have students from different countries, Mercersburg is one of a handful of schools that creates a real microcosm of the world – attracting students from over 35 nations on six continents: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa. U.S. students come to Mercersburg from all over the country, too – at last count 30 states. What will this rich international and national diversity mean to you? Imagine looking at a map of the world and seeing far more than brightcolored countries and bold city names. Instead, you see places where your friends live. You recognize streets you’ve walked. You know the scents of the market district and the politics of this region versus that. You recognize mountains you’ve trekked and forests you’ve studied. You see places you’ve heard about from your Mercersburg friends and teachers – new places you plan to explore. The world invites you in a way that it never did before because you are confident that you can navigate it – you’ve done it before. 44

35 Over

nations represented on our campus

Our curriculum expands to include adventure and discovery in spring and summer immersion trips. “ Germany is not just fast cars, chocolate, and soccer, although I did have a bar of chocolate a day and watched every World Cup soccer game with my host family. I ate amazing food, visited beautiful castles, and lived the life of a German teenager alongside my new Gauss Gymnasium friends. Living within the exact German culture I had been studying for the past two years was an indescribable experience.” – Abby Ryland, Class of 2012

Students have traveled to South Africa to work with a rural school; to Mexico City for the RoboCup Junior competition; and to Costa Rica to study turtles and the rehabilitation of howler monkeys.

Mercersburg students have attended symposiums on three continents, dealing with environmental, educational, and socioeconomic issues, joining other young people from around the world on field trips, collaborative projects, and sessions with global experts. 46

German studies students visited Munich for independent study, and French studies students went to France for linguistic research that included interviewing native speakers.

“ I am incredibly happy that I went to India over break ... I left a little piece of my heart in India – in the breathtaking mountains in Darjeeling, at the orphanage where we worked, on the Vizag balcony looking at the waves, and in Calcutta. I know I will come back someday.” – Anmargaret Warner, Class of 2010

The goal is for Other students spent a week in Oman, participating in the annual ABA Symposium – on peacekeeping, conflict prevention, and combating terrorism – followed by a guided trip to Israel and Jerusalem.

ALL

students to have one international study experience 47

athletics

How Do You Define the Athlete in You? Already got your eye on the gold? We can help you get there with all the resources you need, from advanced coaching and training to premier facilities and equipment. Are you an athlete through and through, whose favorite time of day has always been getting on the field, on the court, or in the pool? You’ll find expert and encouraging coaches, the best facilities, and the latest teaching techniques to make your game and your experience better than ever. Never played but want to try? Great! We encourage students to test the waters in any sport that appeals to them. Whether you fall in love with a sport, discover you’re a natural, or find it the most challenging thing you’ve tried, the experience of being on a Mercersburg team will add to your education like nothing else.

sports, 25 varsity teams, 20 JV, thirds, and club teams

Olympians to Pros Mercersburg has produced 54 Olympians, 31 of them from our swimming program alone and 18 in track and field.

Premier Coaching Our coaching staff includes an Olympian, former college athletes with All-American and All-League honors, former professional athletes in basketball and running, and two coaches with more than 300 career victories each.

The Big Leagues 22-25 percent of the students in each graduating class are recruited for collegiate competition; Mercersburg alumni currently compete in the Ivy League, Pac-12, Patriot League, American East, Big 12, Big East, ECAC, SCIAA, ODAC, PSAC, and PAC.

new

Aquatic Center and Field House planned

On to the Pros Our alumni have gone on to play for the Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, Los Angeles Lakers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and San Francisco 49ers. They also own or manage the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts, and a recent alumna is an ESPN broadcaster. 51

Literally A Power-House of Facilities

tournament-quality courts in the state-of-the-art Smoyer Tennis Center/Frantz Tennis Pavilion

Plans

for a new field house will include a full 200-meter indoor track

playing fields, including a synthetic-turf field, two baseball diamonds, and a softball diamond

3 10

premier hardwood basketball courts

-court, top-of-the-line Davenport Squash Center with viewing areas

Fully

-equipped McDowell Fitness Center with suspended indoor track and a wide variety of aerobic and strength-training equipment

lane x 25-yard Flanagan Pool (with plans for a 50-meter aquatic center)

Ski

at Whitetail Resort, with its 935-foot vertical drop from 1,800 feet

18 Newly

hole championship golf course at Whitetail Resort

renovated Nolde Gymnasium housing the Cyrus Luther Fulton Trophy Lobby and team rooms

400

-meter all-weather outdoor Jimmy Curran Track; one of the best in the league, with wide turns and newly renovated rubber surface

cross country course, which has hosted the annual Pennsylvania Independent Schools state meet 53

The MAPL League We compete in The Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL), which includes prep schools in New Jersey and Pennsylvania that are known for their academic rigor and the high quality of their sports teams. MAPL SCHOOLS Blair Academy Blairstown, New Jersey

Lawrenceville School Lawrenceville, New Jersey

Hill School Pottstown, Pennsylvania

Mercersburg Academy Mercersburg, Pennsylvania

Hun School Princeton, New Jersey

Peddie School Hightstown, New Jersey

We also compete against teams in the Inter-Academic League (Inter-Ac), Independent School League (ISL), and Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC). Opponents include Bullis School, Episcopal High School, Foxcroft School, Georgetown Prep, Landon School, The Madeira School, St. Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School, and Wyoming Seminary (WySem). 54

26 SPORTS

BOYS’ TEAMS Baseball Basketball Cross Country Diving Football Golf Lacrosse Skiing

Soccer Squash Swimming Tennis Track & Field (spring) Winter Track Wrestling

25 Varsity teams

GIRLS’ TEAMS Basketball Cross Country Diving Field Hockey Golf Lacrosse Skiing Soccer

Softball Squash Swimming Tennis Track & Field (spring) Volleyball Winter Track

20 JV, Thirds, and Club Teams 55

arts

Academy or Arts Conservatory? You May Say, “Both” The Burgin Center for the Arts is where you learn – and live – the arts. It’s where you can be Hamlet or Pippin. It’s where you can learn to throw pots or to pirouette. Where you can play Bach, Basie, Bernstein, or the Beatles. It’s where you perform in musicals like Grease, Into the Woods, and Brigadoon, or serious dramas like The Diary of Anne Frank. It’s where you experience world-class artists live in performance, such as Oscar-nominated composer Philip Glass, the incomparable violinist Itzhak Perlman, or the renowned Paul Taylor Dance Company.

Inside the Burgin: 65,000 square feet of performing and visual arts space, including a 600-seat theatre, 120-seat black box theatre, dance and art studios, art galleries, rehearsal rooms, and recording facilities.

“ I took a family on a tour today. As soon as we got to the Burgin, the student said, “That’s it. I’m coming here.” – Reed Widdoes, Class of 2015

It’s not just the Burgin Center – a breathtaking slice of artistic heaven – that will make you wonder if you’re at an arts conservatory, it’s the teaching and opportunities you get here, too. It’s the level of student talent. But here’s what makes it even better than a conservatory – the Burgin is not just for the accomplished artists among us; its doors are open to all and its programs are here for all. In fact, the arts are a theatre productions & key part of everyone’s Mercersburg education and experience – they’re even required for graduation.

five eight

music ensembles

37 Arts Courses, No Limits As part of a Mercersburg education, students take at least two terms of art, music, or theatre, but many students make our stages, rehearsal rooms, art studios, and scene shops part of each of their Mercersburg years.

Batter Up Stony Batter Players, our more than 100-year-old theatre company, has produced legendary actors like Jimmy Stewart (Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Rear Window), as well as next-generation Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro (Traffic, The Usual Suspects, Savages). Stony Batter produces two big fall productions, a major musical, one-acts, Shakespeare scenes, and a senior production.

Blue Review Year after year our Blue Review literary magazine wins national awards for outstanding writing, editing, design and layout, artwork, and overall concept. Published annually, Blue Review combines fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry as well as visual art forms. 59

Artist-in-Residence (You) Even accomplished artists could spend four years in the Burgin art studios and never run out of guidance, equipment, and resources to take their work to the next level. Mercersburg students regularly win prizes in juried arts competitions. Many have received Gold or Silver Key Awards in the longest-running and most prestigious awards program for creative young students in the United States; that program is located right here in Pennsylvania. Student work is also shown regularly in the Niche and Cofrin Galleries.

two

Academy Award and 2 Golden Globe winners, 1 Emmy Award winner

Café Society? If you wish you could have attended Gertrude Stein’s salons in Paris or been part of Virginia Woolf’s Bloomsbury Set in London, The Fifteen, a prestigious student-faculty literary group, may be just what you’re looking for. Each year, the top 15 seniors are selected to meet with faculty for dessert and discussions of contemporary and classic literature, writing, and trends.

Classic Rock, Rhythm & Blues Singers and players have their pick of a range of styles in four vocal ensembles (The Octet, Magalia, The Chorale, Chapel Choir) and four instrumental groups (The Concert Band, The Jazz Band, The Percussion Ensemble, String Ensemble). All ensembles perform in The Burgin and at important school events such as graduation. The Octet takes its show on the road to venues such as Disney World and the Kennedy Center. The Band and Chorale combine music and community service by performing at local schools and retirement centers, as well as at cultural icons such as Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine. 61

Dance Wow Dance here has a way of making total converts out of the most avid skeptics. Students (often guys, but not always) arrive at school saying loudly “Not me!” whenever dancing is mentioned. Then they see their first student dance concert and they say, “Hey, I want to do that!” Whether you’re already a serious dancer and want to work with amazing faculty and guest artists from New York City, Chicago, and around the world or you are newly inspired by the athletic physicality and flexibility dance requires, prepare to be wowed by the range and caliber of the program.

• Dance studios with floor-to-ceiling mirrors, ballet barres, costume rooms, and floors specifically designed for dancers’ shoes • Two major productions each year • Dance styles ranging from ballet to flamenco to swing • Student opportunities to serve as lighting designers, stage managers, sound engineers, and choreographers • Nationally-recognized guest choreographers, including Cathy Young, now director of the dance division for The Boston Conservatory; Duane Lee Holland, an actor and dancer who has performed on Broadway; and Lees Hummel, who has choreographed for the American Ballet Theatre and performed in film and television • Students participate in regional and national dance competitions 62

“ Most dancers who go to professional schools are dying for corrections because it means your teachers are noticing you. Here, everyone is known and you get that same level of teaching as the conservatories. You get corrections and direct contact with fantastic faculty and guest faculty who really know what they are doing.” – Lane deCordova, Class of 2012

explore

Endeavor to Do MOE Sure, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen heroes clinging to cliff faces and sleeping in snow caves in the movies. But this is the stuff of real life when you come to Mercersburg. Mercersburg Outdoor Education (MOE) teaches you how to make good decisions under pressure, appreciate the world around you, and be self-reliant and resourceful. Guided by faculty and staff who are outdoor education and leadership experts, beginning and advanced students can participate in our on-campus Endeavor program and daylong local events, as well as multiweek global expeditions. While kayaking through white rapids, biking through deserts, iceclimbing in historic national parks, and trekking in Peru, you learn the importance of personal responsibility, leadership, integrity, and teamwork. Lessons that make you an everyday hero in your own story.

INSIDE the Masinter Outdoor Education Center: a renovated 10,000-square-foot timber-frame barn that is home to a 1,100-square-foot indoor rock-climbing wall, 30 kayaks, 8 canoes, 25 bikes, and 100,000 feet of rope. 66

Mercersburg Outdoor Education was founded in

2004 and continues to grow

Mercersburg Outdoor Education Program: Backpacking, Ice Climbing, Mountain Biking, Mountaineering Expeditions, Rock Climbing, White Water Kayaking, Wilderness Leadership Training & First Responder Certification, Winter Camping

From nearby James Buchanan State Park to the Grand Tetons and Peru, MOE strives to show students the diversity of the world’s environments. Some of our operating areas include:

miles from Mercersburg is Michaux State Forest and climbing on beautiful Schaffer Rocks

18.5 Bike 1085

acres to explore at James Buchanan State Park the many trails at Zion National Park, Utah

acres to explore at Cowan’s Gap State Park, 20 minutes from campus 68

Hike

Dolly Sods Wilderness Area, Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia

mountain biking trails designed by the International Moutain Biking Association at Raystown Lake

Climb 41.7

Seneca Rocks in Seneca, West Virginia

mile-long Antietam Creek in Pennsylvania and Maryland

1 hr 517,000

south is the Shenandoah River in West Virginia

acres at Allegheny National Forest to hike and kayak

Raft

down the Potomac River through Virginia/West Virginia/Maryland

108 Scale

miles to Youghiogheny River, Pennsylvania

some of the best climbing walls in the Metro DC area including Earth TREKS, SportRock, and others

Try

your hand at ice climbing and winter camping in the Adirondacks

Travel

to White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire to backpack

33 See 1978

mountain peaks at Cordillera Blanca in Peru and hike the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona

miles from Mercersburg to Grand Teton National Park in Jackson, Wyoming â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one of MOEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most memorable trips

The Best in the Business

(Highly Personalized, Total College Counseling) What you get is a department of experts who are dedicated full time to exploring alternatives, helping you narrow the field, targeting your course selections and applications, then finally working with you to maximize your options â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this is what you pay for and this is what you get.

“ We are truly a national prep school, and that’s what makes us truly a national college counseling office. We need to have a working knowledge of 400, 500, 600 colleges, because every year we will have kids apply to 300 or 400 different colleges.” – Bill McClintick, Director of College Counseling 2008–2009 President, National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC); Three years NACAC Vice President for Admission Practices; Five years NACAC Liaison to the NCAA; Regular contributor to New York Times education blog, The Choice

Graduates include

Fulbright Scholars, 7 Rhodes Scholars, 1 Nobel laureate

Step By Step Our counselors will assist you in laying out your Mercersburg and summer activities in order to meet your objectives. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll help you find volunteer work, plan college visits, and organize your applications. College counseling here isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t merely sage advice, but a highly intentional, multiyear process of building and shaping a strategic plan around you and your goals. Counseling begins when you first arrive in the ninth grade, with informal advice and test prep classes. Pretty soon, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take the real tests, like the PSAT, which can qualify you for a National Merit Scholarship. Your college counselors will schedule you to meet admission officers from colleges and universities all over the U.S. who visit Mercersburg every year. Our goal is that in your senior year you will receive acceptances from at least one, if not several, of your preferred colleges. 73

Recent College Matriculations American University Amherst College Arizona State University Babson College Barnard College Bates College Boston College Boston University Bowdoin College Bucknell University Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Catholic University of America Chapman University Colgate University 74

College of Charleston College of William & Mary College of Wooster Colorado School of Mines Columbia University Connecticut College Cornell University Davidson College Dickinson College Duke University Drexel University Eckerd College Elon University Emory University Fairfield University

Florida State University Franklin & Marshall College Furman University George Washington University Georgetown University Gettysburg College Harvard University Indiana University at Bloomington James Madison University Johns Hopkins University Lafayette College Lehigh University Lewis & Clark College Louisiana State University

Loyola University Chicago Macalester College MIT Marquette University McGill University Muhlenberg College Northeastern University Northwestern University Oregon State University Pitzer College Purdue University Saint Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University St. Lawrence University Stanford University Susquehanna University Swarthmore College

Syracuse University Trinity College Tufts University United States Military Academy United States Naval Academy University of Arizona University of California at Berkeley University of Cambridge (England) University of Chicago University of Mary Washington University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh University of Richmond University of Rochester University of Southern California University of Vermont University of Virginia Vassar College Washington University Wake Forest University Wellesley College Williams College Wesleyan University Wheaton College (MA) Yale University 75

16 15 11 37 12

Financially strong:

$ 198

million endowment

22 4 5

define yourself. here. 76

20 25

29 23

9 24

17 Keil Hall 18 Kuhn Wrestling Center

19 Landis House (Advancement and Alumni Relations)

18 1

20 Lenfest Hall 21 Main Hall 22 M asinter Outdoor Education Center 23 McFadden Model Railroad Museum

24 Nolde Gymnasium 25 North Cottage 26 Physical Plant 27 Plantz Courts 28 Regent’s Field

29 Rutledge Hall 8 Davenport Squash Center

30 Security Office

9 Flanagan Pool

31 Smoyer Tennis Center/ Frantz Tennis Pavilion

2 Buchanan Cabin

10 Football Field

32 Soccer/Lacrosse Field

3 Burgin Center for the Arts

11 Ford Hall

33 Softball Field

12 Fowle Hall

34 South Cottage

4 Class of ’38 Observatory

13 Hale Studio Theatre

35 Steiger Field

5 Class of ’07 Field

14 Health Center

36 Swank Hall

6 Culbertson House

15 Irvine Hall

37 Tippetts Hall

7 Curran Track

16 Irvine Memorial Chapel 38 Traylor Hall (Admission)

1 Baseball Field

About Admission, Tuition, and Financial Aid

49% of students receive need- or meritbased aid

Our admission process is highly selective. Each year we receive 600-800 applications for about 150 openings. Demonstration of academic achievement and promise are our primary prerequisites. But we are also very interested in your character, curiosity, and drive.

boarding schools, we do not want cost to be a barrier to qualified students. Mercersburg offers financial aid in many forms, including grants, low-interest loans, and merit scholarships, as well as various payment plans. Questions? We can help.

Go online: www. mercersburg.edu Email us: admission@mercersburg.edu Call us: 717-328-6173 Write to us: Mercersburg Academy 300 E. Seminary Street Mercersburg, PA 17236

Copyright © 2012 Mercersburg Academy. All rights reserved. No content from this publication may be reproduced or reprinted in any form without the express written consent of Mercersburg Academy. “define yourself.” and “define yourself. here.” are registered trademarks of Mercersburg Academy.

78 Printed on recycled paper. C

Design: CEH Design, Bethel, CT – www.cehdesign.com Text: Andrea Jarrell, Metropolitan D.C. – www.andreajarrell.com

While our tuition is competitive with those of other selective

define yourself. here. visit US

It’s Easy to Get Here • We are an easy 90-minute-drive from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Northern Virginia, or Montgomery County, Maryland • 3 Hours from Philadelphia or Pittsburgh • 4 Hours from New York City

Mercersburg Academy abides by both the spirit and the letter of the law in all its employment and admission policies. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.

300 East Seminary Street, Mercersburg, PA 17236 800-588-2550 www.mercersburg.edu