At Waldron Mercy Academy, service is not something added onto the school day, rather, it is the heartbeat of the entire community. The school grounds every subject, every project, and every celebration in the Mercy tradition of compassion and justice. In recognition of that commitment, the Middle States Association awarded Waldron Mercy its prestigious Service Learning Program of Distinction accreditation. That award makes Waldron Mercy the only school in the country with this endorsement.

For families, the recognition comes as no surprise. Mercy teaches students from their earliest years to share their learning with the world. Service is not a single event or requirement — it is a thread that runs through each grade level and grows alongside the children themselves.

Connecting With the Local Community

Waldron Mercy partners with a variety of local organizations. This gives students multiple opportunities to connect with their community in meaningful ways.

With Mercy Neighborhood Ministries, middle schoolers visit and build relationships with early childhood students. They learn firsthand how small acts of kindness can brighten someone’s day. At the Lower Merion Conservancy, they “dig” into environmental stewardship, discovering how caring for the earth is also an act of service. Through Grands Stepping Up, students support local grandparents raising grandchildren. They offer encouragement, companionship, and help with programs that strengthen family bonds.

The outreach doesn’t stop there. Families join together in service projects that extend the reach of the school’s mission. Waldron Mercy regularly collaborates with Cradles to Crayons. Students help collect and sort donations so children across the region can begin school with essential items. At Project H.O.M.E., it is parents and children together who serve meals to individuals who are transitioning from experiencing homelessness.

These family visits allow service to become a shared experience. Children see Mercy lived out in both places, thus deepening the connection between home and school.

Embodying the “Mercy Mindset” For Life

The impact of this work is deeply personal. Teachers describe the pride on a student’s face after helping a senior neighbor with a simple task, or the sense of wonder when a child realizes that caring for the environment can make a lasting difference. Parents often share that their children carry these lessons home, whether it’s asking the family to donate gently used clothes, starting conversations about fairness, or noticing neighbors in need.

What sets Waldron Mercy apart is the intentional way service is integrated into learning. Younger students may start by simply collecting soda can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. Meanwhile middle schoolers engage in more complex service and reflection. With each step, they learn not only to help, but to ask why needs exist and how they might contribute to solutions. By graduation, students understand that service is more than a project, it’s part of who they are.

The Middle States distinction affirms what Waldron Mercy families already know: service is woven into the very fabric of the school. It is a legacy students carry with them long after they leave — a Mercy mindset of compassion, justice, and leadership that prepares them to change the world.