Awards Shine Light on Achievement

June 24, 2026

Less than one hour before the annual Education and Career Resources (ECR) Awards ceremony was scheduled to begin at our Walsh Girls Camus, severe thunderstorms rolled through Chicago and knocked out electricity to the building.  

Earlier that day, the ECR team worked hard for hours decorating the auditorium, setting up the food, and preparing speeches for the ceremonies. After an afternoon of setting the stage and full school year of commitment, everyone was eager to honor our young people’s accomplishments. The outage turned out to be no match for the power of our coworkers’ determination to celebrate our young people.

Coworkers quickly pitched in, gathering flashlights to illuminate the Walsh Campus auditorium so that the event could proceed.  

“My favorite part of Thursday, even with the power outage, was witnessing all our teams come together to support our youth,” said Tutoring and After School Programs Coordinator Trinity Young. “It was heartwarming to see their smiling faces and the joyful leaps when they received their awards.”

ECR Award ceremonies held at both campuses gave Mercy Home the chance to celebrate each young person’s academic and professional achievements over the past year. 

The theme of this year’s event at the Walsh Campus was “The Rodeo to Success.” Participants donned Western wear in an auditorium decked out with horse-shaped balloons. Even our beloved therapy dog Figaro got into the spirit in his own canine cowboy hat. And despite the storms, the gathering went off without a hitch.

“I was impressed by everyone’s ability to keep their spirits high with the scary weather,” said Education Resources Coordinator Lupe Carey. “I was so proud of every single youth and everything they accomplished this school year because I can truly see the growth they made.”

For Director of Post-Secondary Options, Career Resources, and Scholarships Morgan Kuhn, the annual event serves as an opportunity to celebrate the steps every young person made during the academic year.  

“I think it’s important to highlight all the accomplishments that the youth have worked towards that they might not get the recognition at school,” Kuhn said. “We see those small progress points and achievements that the kids might have forgotten about throughout the school year. This is a moment to let them shine.”

Every young person received a personalized award recognizing an achievement tailored to their unique experience. While coordinators are given a list of possible award categories, many create their own to reflect the individual growth they have witnessed throughout the year.

“There’s a lot of intentionality and purpose that the coordinators put into the ceremony,” Kuhn said.

At the West Loop Campus earlier the same week, the ECR Awards were held in Mercy Home’s indoor soccer facility and featured an outer space theme titled “Aim for the Stars.” Balloons depicting the planets of our solar system dangled from the rafters while inflatable extra-terrestrials staked out territory closer to the turf. Some of the awards included: Highest GPA, Most Improved, The Resiliency Award and The Courage Award. At the end, some of the most outstanding tutees and on-campus workers were honored for their dedication.

Fr. Scott’s reflection on the space theme underscored both event’s commitment to honor each young person for their unique achievements, contrasting the infinity of stars in the universe with the singularity of each one of us.

“Scriptures tell us that we are made in the image and likeness of God,” he said. “And in the immensity of what was created, you were created as a part of that, with your own gifts and your own talents, and your own strengths, your own hopes, and dreams.” 

Fr. Scott recalled how he and his brother loved to go camping as children. As they would gaze upward at the vast blanket of stars in the darkened sky, they would shine flashlights in the hope that the light would ultimately reach a living being in one of those infinite galaxies. Fr. Scott often talks about how the work we do at Mercy Home shines light into the darkest reaches of life and fosters critical connections between people. 

Among the challenges young people face by the time they come to Mercy Home, many are academic in nature. Some youth lack the confidence, resources, or environment to succeed in school. The ECR Awards honor each of our youth with a certificate and an award recognizing their growth. 

While the events celebrated our young people’s unique academic journeys, it was also a time to enjoy community. Before the awards kicked off, our coworkers and young people enjoyed a delicious dinner together. At the West Loop Campus, participants enjoyed pizza and desserts from the kitchen staff, while our Walsh Campus youth were treated a taco dinner.

At both ceremonies, coworkers and young people showed support for one another, cheering loudly as names were read throughout the evening, and even danced and took photos after the event ended.  

“It closes out one chapter and puts a bow on the school year,” Kuhn said. “It definitely gives everyone in program a sense of ‘we did it.’ It helps tie everything together because it’s not only the youth that’s invested in the school year, but it’s the coordinators, youth care workers and everyone is in it with them.”

In addition to coworkers that work in the direct care of our young people, many members of departments throughout the organization were invited and attended the awards.  

“The award ceremony encompasses what Mercy Home is,” Kuhn said. “It means a lot to the youth too that other coworkers are there. Sometimes they just see them in the hallway, but knowing they are there for you and want to celebrate you makes it so much more meaningful.”