As graduation season winds down and summer begins to heat up, Mercy Home took one more opportunity to make sure that our kids’ accomplishments were celebrated.

Recently, we held Academic Award events to mark the achievements our young people reached in school, at work, and in after-school and tutoring programs over the past year. Despite the challenges that COVID-19 have brought over the past few school years, our young people have shown incredible resilience and perseverance throughout the pandemic. This event was a great way to honor their hard work and make sure our kids knew it had not gone unnoticed. 

At our Boys’ Campus, the event began in style with a red carpet entrance for all our young men. Fr. Scott Donahue stopped by to share his reflections on the successful school year and congratulate our kids on their hard work before the awards were given. 

Coworkers from our Education and Career Resources then passed out awards for things like Outstanding Growth and Improvement, Employee of the Year, and Highest Grade Point Average. The winner of the Bill Gainer Spirit of Service Award, given to young people who demonstrate a commitment to hard work and enhancing their community was also announced—congratulations to Maurice, who received the award this year. 

Our graduates also received a gift bag that included various goodies, including an Amazon gift card, courtesy of a generous friend of the Home.

The event concluded with a delicious dinner of tacos and time for the young men and coworkers to bask in the successes of the past year.

At our Girls’ Campus, the event was luau-themed, chosen because of its meaning: “a social gathering meant to unite the people in celebration of a significant life event, achievement, or victory.” Nothing could be more appropriate for this special evening. 

The evening began with each of our young women receiving awards like Employee of the Year, the Evolution Award, and Rising Star Award. The Bill Gainer Spirit of Service Award winner at the Walsh Campus was also announced—congratulations to Tiera.

Following the awards, everyone enjoyed a delicious dinner and had fun socializing and dancing to a great playlist. This special event left each of our young people feeling celebrated and honored.

Our Academic Awards give our coworkers the opportunity to make sure each of our kids’ unique gifts and strengths are recognized in front of both their peers and staff members. It’s also a great chance for everyone to reflect on their wonderful journeys at Mercy Home and beyond. 

“It’s always a fantastic time celebrating the academic and vocational excellence of the youth in residence,” Brittany Terrell, Director of Education and Career Resources, said. “Seeing all their hard work and determination pay off in a major way is such a phenomenal feeling. So many of our youth come to us with academic challenges, so it is our priority to make sure they receive all the support they need for success in these areas to propel their future.”

We are thankful to our Education and Career Resources department who worked hard to make this event special for kids and give them some well-deserved acknowledgment. We are incredibly proud of our young people’s achievements!