Mercy Academy hosts Life Skills Day for students

Skills such as time management, car maintenance, and personal finance are crucial for adult life, yet these important lessons are often overlooked in traditional high school curricula. To address these gaps, Mercy Academy organizes Life Skills Days to help students thrive as they transition into early adulthood.

These days are hosted as part of Mercy Academy's House System, which fosters community and personal growth. Every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 25 to 60 minutes are dedicated to House Time. During this period, students gather in their designated houses to engage in activities across four key areas: education, competition, student business, and wellness. Each house consists of randomly placed freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, faculty and staff members and is named after a strong force in our foundress, Catherine McAuley's, life.

Angie Laemmle, Director of Student Life at Mercy Academy, oversees the House System and the planning of daily activities that occur during House time. She said the initial idea for LIfe Skills Day precedes the House System, which was established in 2021. The inaugural event took place in 2019, sparked by a discussion among faculty members about the importance of equipping students with essential life skills that are often overlooked in both school and home settings.

The House System provided a platform for the event to be further bolstered, and courses were hosted during the 2021-22 and 2023-23 school years using different formats. The event took a hiatus during the 2023-24 school year, but was brought back by popular demand, as indicated by end-of-year student surveys.

This semester's Life Skills Day took place on February 12. Each student was able to select two Life Skills courses from a list that was established through input from both students and parents.

The full selection of courses included Laundry - Clothing Care; Cooking Basics; Care Care; Basic First Aid; Makeup & Skincare; Basic Personal Finance/Money Management; Meal Planning; How to Dress Appropriately for Different Functions; Time Management & Organizational Skills; Basic Communication Skills; Interview Prep & Preparing Your Resume; Basics of a Healthy Lifestyle; Self Care - Meditation & Yoga; Basic Tool Use; Babysitting; Table Etiquette; Professionalism; and Self-Defense. All classes were taught by faculty members and staff Mercy Academy.

In total, approximately 350 students participated in the event. A second Life Skills Day was planned for February19, but due to inclement weather, Mercy had an asynchronous school day.

Laemmle said these events provide essential, real-world knowledge that prepares students for life outside of school. She said based on the enthusiasm of students, these events will continue to be held annually, and faculty and staff are looking to offer them in both semesters.

"It is so important for students to have an understanding of these real world skills as they grow into young adults," she said. "By offering the Life Skills Days, we are equipping our students with the tools they need to navigate adulthood successfully. We are giving them a sense of responsibility and readiness for the challenges in life."