Mercy High School's Val and Sal Named

announced at the closing of the Senior Tree Dedication Ceremony the top students for the Class of 2012. 

Genna Marcin is valedictorian and Angela Pollard is salutatorian.

Genna is the daughter of  John and Jeanine Marcin and sister of Julia, John, and Joseph of Marlborough.

Genna has earned the 2011 Harvard Book Award, the Society of Women Engineers Certificate of Merit, a Gold Medal-Summa Cum Laude-on the National Latin Exam for Latin I, II, and III, a Gold Medal for Latin Poetry Recitation in the 2010 COLT Poetry Contest, and numerous department awards in each discipline.

She has also been an extremely active member of her school and local communities as the head of the Service Hours Committee for the National Honors Society and the coordinator of Music Ministry for Peer Ministry at Mercy. She has been a member of Wind Ensemble, the Mock Trial Team, Outdoor Track Team, Cross Country Team, and has participated in the Mercy/Xavier Musicals.

Genna has a gift and passion for music. Over the last 13 years, she has studied the piano and has shared her love for music with others through several community service activities. 

She dedicated many hours of service at the Marlborough Health Care Center, St. Luke’s Memorial Hospital in Pennsylvania, the A.H.M. Summer Youth Theater, and Lifeteen Music Ministry. Genna has spent time tutoring children with special needs and had been very involved with St. Patrick Church in East Hampton as a Eucharistic Minister, altar server and musician. 

“I just feel so indescribably blessed; God has given me so much, and for the past four years, I have endeavored to utilize my gifts and give them back to the best of my ability," Genna said. "It is my greatest hope and objective to continue using all God has given me for the betterment of others in my future education, and I truly believe that my experience at Mercy High School has given me the optimum tools to do so."

In the fall, Genna will attend Fordham University Honors Program, where she will pursue an undergraduate degree in pre-medicine.

Angela is the daughter of Bryan and Alice Pollard of Middletown. Her younger brother, Gregory, is a freshman at Xavier High School.

Angela has received honors in her academic courses and has been recognized by the Society of Women Engineers for her excellence in math and science and was the recipient of the 2011 Brown Book Award, which is given to a student who has shown excellence in written and spoken expression.

Angela is a 2012 National Achievement Scholarship Award winner for her stellar performance as a minority student and was also named a 2012 Commended National Merit Scholar.

She is extremely active in both extracurricular and service activities. She volunteers as a tutor at the I Have a Friend Youth Center in Middletown; is a patient aide at Midstate Medical Center in Meriden; a Counselor in Training at YMCA Camp Ingersoll in Portland, and has served as a lector at St. Justin Church for the last five years. Angela has also been a contributing member of both the Indoor and Outdoor Track teams.

She has been active in many clubs including the Yearbook Committee and Mock Trial, of which she has been named team captain and served as a student coach, who went on to prepare her team for victory in the 2011 State Championships. Angela is a Peer and Eucharistic Minister, a group which serves as spiritual leaders within the Mercy community and is president of the Rotary Interact Club. She is a National Honor Society member and serves as Vice President of Tutoring.

“I loved my time at Mercy, and can’t believe it’s almost over. I’m going to miss it so much. I’m thankful for all the love and support the Mercy Community has given me, it has been invaluable in preparing me not only for college but for life in general,” Pollard said.

In the fall, Angela will attend Yale University pursuing her undergraduate degree in pre-medicine.