Michael Gary Speaks: Fall 2024
By working together, we can provide future generations with the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
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In the spring, I had the opportunity to travel and visit with Friends Select alumni, listening to stories and getting to know them better. Some common themes that emerged were teachers who impacted their lives, missing Meeting for Worship, being well prepared as writers in college, and maintaining long-term friendships with classmates. A recurring sentiment I’ve noticed over the past seven years as head of school is that our alumni care deeply about societal issues, reflecting Friends Select’s mission of education in service to society. |
Recent initiatives at Friends Select illustrate the same commitment to social responsibility that our
alumni fondly remember and value. Our educational curriculum creatively integrates Philadelphia’s green
spaces, allowing students to learn and grow through hands-on experiences outside the classroom. From
studying ecosystems along the Schuylkill River to participating in service activities at an urban farm
to exploring Fairmount Park, our students are learning environmental stewardship—a pillar of our
Advance Friends Select strategic plan—through these rich educational experiences. Additionally, our FSS
Community Pantry is available 24/7 and is a vital resource both for members of the Friends Select
community who are in need as well as for people from our extended community in the city. The
school-wide effort to maintain our pantry actively engages students, faculty, and staff in being of service
to society, exemplifying our collective responsibility to the city and our neighbors here.
To continue fostering impactful experiences rooted in our Quaker values, it is crucial that we grow Friends Select’s endowment. Given our history and mission, our endowment should be significantly higher, and this will be a major focus moving forward. With the continued rise in enrollment and lower school students staying for middle school—both of which I am so proud—we have an even greater responsibility to ensure that those who want to join the Friends Select community can afford to do so. Strengthening our financial resources will enable us to bring in students who represent the diverse fabric of Philadelphia.
One of the Quaker phrases I’ve come to appreciate most is “being in relationship.” For me, it represents the sinew—the connective tissue—that makes our community and journeying together toward common goals possible. By working together, we can provide future generations with the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. Your contributions will help us continue to nurture compassionate, engaged citizens who are well prepared to make a positive impact on the world. Our entire Friends Select community plays a vital role in this endeavor, demonstrating that when we are “in relationship,” our collective efforts truly make a difference.
