SL_GwyneddMercyAcademy_Profile_10_20_Profile 10 / 23 / 20 9 : 06 AM Page 2 and then present their business plan to faculty members including President Marbach and seek mentors , for example , or pose ca - Principal Mary E . Kirby ; Guarnaccia likens it to “ the Mercy version of Shark Tank . ” All students reer - related questions to alumnae who who get certified through the program are then invited to apply for the Student Leadership are established in fields in which they Council , which helps to educate the student body on professional development . may have an interest . Guarnaccia considers Gwynedd Mercy’s first year in the Lead4Change program a great success . Vision2020Votes . Gwynedd Mercy Four students won Lead4Change grants and welcomes the entire student body to par - qualified for the national competition — the only ticipate in this national , nonpartisan effort all - girls school teams to win . Ideas that grew out to get more women registered and voting of the program include a daylong conference in the 2020 election . Students of voting focused on student leadership , and a series of age are incented to vote for the first time , townhall meetings known as Mercy Speaks , de - while those who are under 18 are en - signed to raise awareness of mental health and couraged to invite other females of voting other pressing issues that affect teens and women . age to vote in the upcoming election . The L.E.A.D . program continues to A Culture of Leadership . As program evolve , according to Guarnaccia , thanks leader , Guarnaccia works with students throughout in part to sizable grants from the EE Ford the school , including captains of clubs and sports Foundation , the Lead4Change Foundation , teams about what it takes to be an effective and the charitable arm of BLB & B Advisors . leader . Also , in addition to Lead4Change , Gwynedd Forthcoming initiatives include getting the Mercy has forged bonds with other national and entire sophomore class Lead4Change - international organizations devoted to promoting certified this spring , thereby achieving gender equality , diversity , and inclusion — namely , school certification , so they can execute the Mercy Education System of the Americas , the their vision in junior year and present it National Coalition of Girls ’ Schools , IGNITE Na - as their senior project ; expanding the tional , and Girl Up . These affiliations lend vital Gwynedd Summit , a summer program educational resources and assist in the development offering leadership training to sixth , seventh , of leadership opportunities for Gwynedd Mercy Jennifer Cervone Guarnaccia ’ 93 oversees Leadership Initiatives at Gwynedd Mercy . and eighth graders from surrounding students . communities ; building out the Student Leadership Conference ; and sending a Student Internships and Externships . Gwynedd Mercy’s internships enable select number of faculty members to the students to gain immersive , real - world experience in a dozen professions including technology , Gardner Carney Leadership Institute , and engineering , marketing communications , business , and the culinary arts without having to leave then using their learnings to craft leadership campus . Likewise , the school’s externship program helps students gain an understanding of workshops for Gwynedd faculty and staff . what it’s like to work in careers they may be considering . Despite the pandemic , externship “ Mercy Foundress Catherine McAuley participants have been able to watch a brain surgery being performed at Lenox Hill Hospital , sit inspires and challenges us to do good in on Senate hearings in Harrisburg , and shadow an orthodontist while wearing full - body today and do better tomorrow , ” Guar - personal protective equipment . naccia adds . “ The L.E.A.D . program allows our girls the freedom to explore , Student Leadership Conference . Every August , Gwynedd invites club leaders and provides opportunities to learn , and shows rising seniors to a daylong leadership conference designed to inspire and support students ’ them how to tackle challenges that are “ voices and visions ” for the future . In addition to sessions focused on teambuilding , interviewing , not easy . This kind of education teaches and resumé creation , the conference features inspiring guest speakers such as Brandi M . girls to develop grit and resiliency . ” Baldwin , Ph.D . , or “ Dr . Brandi , ” a sought - after expert in the areas of leadership , diversity , and in - She believes L.E.A.D . will further the clusion . trend of Gwynedd alumnae returning to campus and sharing their expertise Gwynedd Force Networking Platform . A private professional networking with future generations , just like she platform for all connected to the school , Gwynedd Force fosters the sisterhood and networking did . She cites recent correspondence among Gwynedd alumnae as well as parents . Current students also use GwyneddForce.com to with a 2020 graduate who was among the first 67 students to complete the L.E.A.D . program . “ She’s now majoring in business and minoring in leadership at High Point Uni - versity in North Carolina , ” Guarnaccia says . “ Not only does she want to join the L.E.A.D . professional council , but she wants to come back and teach our stu - dents . I take that as a great compliment . It reinforces that we are living up to the Gwynedd Mercy ethos of ‘ She is the future . ’ Knowing that our future will be led by Mercy women gives me great ? hope . ” GWYNEDD MERCY D ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL 1345 Sumneytown Pike i . rscaeneodili , frtrtrtrszcya ” kaenehenheFodgdgwmil , ftrtrsvya “ aeneogwG ftrtrcaeneneud ’ rsaendgi raLaneGM Gwynedd Valley , PA 19437 L.E.A.D . ’ s mission is “ to educate and empower young women to ( 215 ) 646 - 8815 become ethical , courageous leaders of action and conviction . ” gmahs.org