Texas transplant takes Ram Pride to next level

Merry Grace is a stay-at home mom who’s anything but.

A passionate volunteer with the Maricopa Unified School District, Grace says her mission is to “nudge them to constantly raise the bar.”

Grace volunteers with her sons’ schools and has served on several committees within the district, including the school site councils, MUSD Strategic Plan Committee and override committees.

Grace’s passion for working with the community started at home. She grew up as an only child in San Antonio, and her parents supported her activities from Girl Scouts to school sports and band. They were “great role models,” as they were involved with their church, participating in festivals and parades, she says

She started a family of her own years later. They moved out of her hometown when her husband, Don, got a new job at Intel in Chandler. After moving between Chandler and Oregon for business for a few years, they decided to settle down in Maricopa in 2007 because it was a “small, but growing” town.

When they came to Arizona, Don told her she didn’t need to work anymore if she chose. Although she volunteered with her eldest son’s school when he began kindergarten, it wasn’t until moving to Maricopa that she stepped up to try to make the schools better.

Grace has three sons who all go to MUSD schools; her oldest is at Maricopa High School, her middle child goes to Maricopa Wells Middle School and the youngest attends Saddleback Elementary.

One of her largest and most favorite projects was creating a “bigger and better” homecoming last year for Maricopa High School. Growing up in San Antonio, she was accustomed to high schools being an important part of the community, and longed to bring that to Maricopa.

“Being a Texan, I am used to sports being a big deal with big traditions and huge support from the community,” Grace says. “I was on a mission this year to make the MHS homecoming a community-wide celebration.”

She and other volunteers were able to get local stores to sell “Ram Pride” baked goods, have the mayor declare an official Ram Pride Day and Week, increase game attendance and persuade local businesses and homeowners associations to decorate with “Ram Pride.”

She was “brought to tears” by the end of the week when students, parents and staff hugged her and said it was a homecoming they would never forget. For Grace, it was all about supporting students and staff the same way San Antonio did for its schools.

She is looking forward to making it an annual tradition. Planning is already underway for Homecoming on Sept. 5.She encourages her sons to contribute to the community as well. They already join her in military homecomings and helping local campaigns and city events.
Her oldest son is on the Maricopa Youth Council.

During a Relay for Life event, where Grace banded together a team of students to participate for free by obtaining local sponsorships, she was impressed with her middle son’s commitment to the event from start to finish.

“He refused to go home early and was determined to stay the duration of the event because ‘cancer never sleeps,’” Grace says. “I had no choice but to stick it out with him after he told me that.”

Don puts in long hours, but Merry says he does what he can to help on his days off, and acts as a great support system and encourages her and their sons. She hopes the tradition of generous involvement continues through her own sons.