The July Casey’s Public House Student of the Month is Mackenzie Duffy, who is a rising Senior at Villa Maria Academy, and received a Certificate of Achievement and a $25 gift card from Casey’s Public House, our Sponsor of this program.
Mackenzie is the President of Villa Maria’s Respect Life Club, which handles various events and service opportunities to promote the dignity of human life, including making care baskets for mothers grieving miscarriages and collecting over 6,000 diapers and 300 packages of wipes for local pregnancy resource centers. She is also the student leader on the Pennsylvanians for Human Life Student Advisory Board, and the high school social media coordinator.
According to her dad, Bob Duffy, “Mackenzie has always been a determined reader, curious and excited to learn new things.” She has always been a diligent student, very self-motivated and driven to excel, which is evidenced in her 14 AP classes, as well as her ongoing membership to the National Honor Society.
As a member of Villa Maria’s Scholars Program, Mackenzie’s Passion Project is working with a local nonprofit that works in Malawi, one of the most impoverished countries in the world. The program facilitates ways to promote girls’ education, known as “Girls Rise,” empowering them to seek the education they deserve.
Mackenzie played softball for most of her life, winning the annual Coach’s Award as catcher her freshman year, but due to an injury, she was unable to continue playing. So she became the Manager of Villa Maria’s varsity softball team.
As an active member at St. Anastasia Parish, Mackenzie lectors at Sunday Masses, and she also helped Fr. Artman start a Youth Group, which hosts monthly youth Reconciliation and Masses, typically followed by some sort of social or service event. She is also a cantor with some peers at those Masses.
Mackenzie currently interns at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, studying the neurology behind eating disorders. In the future, she plans to attain a Ph.D in the study of neuroscience and philosophy, while finding a way to balance a life of faith, family and research. Thank you for all you do Mackenzie, the world is definitely a better place thanks to you!
Nominate the Next Casey’s Public House Student of the Month! Any grade 7–12 student who resides within the borders of the Marple Newtown School District (no matter what school they attend, or if they are homeschooled) may be nominated by a parent, teacher or other adult who submits in writing some ways the student demonstrates Excellence in Service to friendship, school or other local communities. Academic or athletic excellence is not required.