Quaker Roots & Social Justice

Fostering peace, inclusion, and unity at Friends Select School.

QUAKER EDUCATION

In addition to its college preparatory academic mission, Friends Select School is fully committed to the Quaker testimonies—simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equity and justice, and stewardship (SPICES)—and practices of the Religious Society of Friends, which are integral to the life of the school and its community.

This Quaker influence manifests itself daily in the practice of peaceful resolution of conflict, service toward others, and respect and inclusion. Friends Select is in a “care relationship” with the Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (Race Street) and the Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia (Arch Street).

Community

QUAKER COMMUNITY

Quakerism is also incorporated into social-emotional learning in our school. Students are encouraged to manage their conflicts peacefully, to advocate for each other, and to seek resolution in ways that are developmentally appropriate. Our curriculum emphasizes social justice as central to the promotion of peace.

Worship

MEETING FOR WORSHIP

From an early age, Friends Select students learn what it means to experience and participate in Meeting for Worship. Once a week, each of the school's three divisions walks to the Race Street Meetinghouse. In the manner of Friends, Meeting for Worship takes place in a silent search for truth; those who are moved to speak rise to do so out of the silence. At times during the year, the entire school community gathers together for Meeting for Worship.

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“The intersection of our Quaker roots and the heart of social justice work does not exist; it is one and the same.”

Toni Graves Williamson

Director of Equity and Inclusion

Social Justice in Action

Students Participate in the Mayor’s African American Historic Statue Advisory Committee

Two Friends Select students had the privilege to serve on former Mayor Jim Kenney’s African American Historic Statue Advisory Committee convened by the Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy (OACCE).

Students Lead Voter Registration Drive at Shackamaxon Powwow

Friends Select upper school students facilitated a voter registration drive last September at the Shackamaxon Powwow at Penn Treaty Park. Hosted annually by the Native American House Alliance (NAHA)—a nonprofit organization that supports family, housing, and employment services to the local Native American community—the Shackamaxon Powwow honors Lenape culture and heritage.

Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape: A Q&A with Author Amy Cohen ’82”

Amy Cohen’s first book, Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape: Deep Roots, Continuing Legacy, was recently published by Temple University Press.

The Growth of Our Big Sibs/Little Sibs Program

The Big Sibs/Little Sibs program was piloted in a virtual format for less than 10 pairs of students at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It now enrolls over 35 pairs of Black students, as well as other students of color in the school’s Latine and Asian communities.

Students Participate in the Mayor’s African American Historic Statue Advisory Committee

Students Lead Voter Registration Drive at Shackamaxon Powwow

Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape: A Q&A with Author Amy Cohen ’82

Amy Cohen’s first book, Black History in the Philadelphia Landscape: Deep Roots, Continuing Legacy, was recently published by Temple University Press.

The Growth of Our Big Sibs/Little Sibs Program

Sat, 30 Nov 2024

Michael Gary Speaks: Fall 2024

By working together, we can provide future generations with the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.

Wed, 20 Nov 2024

Integrating Green Spaces into Our Educational Curriculum

Philadelphia’s diverse green spaces are thoughtfully woven into programming at Friends Select School, providing students with hands-on learning experiences that leverage the natural environment for educational enrichment.

Tue, 19 Nov 2024

Making Major Strides as We Advance Friends Select

As the school looks to a future that includes continued increases in enrollment and plans for a monumental transformation of the Parkway Building’s back lot, updates to Advance Friends Select ensure the school remains at the forefront of educational and institutional excellence.

Tue, 19 Nov 2024

Above Board: Lessons in Stewardship

With the feedback and support of the Sustainability committee and the administration, Friends Select's board of trustees enthusiastically and wholeheartedly approved the addition of Environmental Sustainability as the fifth pillar to Advance Friends Select this year.

Mon, 18 Nov 2024

FSS Community Pantry: Serving Our Neighbors in the City

Friends Select School marked a significant milestone this year with the official launch of the FSS Community Pantry during the Family Association’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day event.

Mon, 18 Nov 2024

Creating a Gender and Sexuality Curriculum for Lower School

An innovative lower school program is creating a foundation for understanding gender and sexuality for Friends Select’s youngest learners.

Sun, 17 Nov 2024

Caring for Our Community: In Conversation with Recently Hired Employees

In the past four years, Friends Select has welcomed many remarkable employees who embody the school’s commitment to excellence in teaching and learning and dedication to its students and alumni.

Sat, 16 Nov 2024

Long-standing PMA Partnership Empowers Students to Study Art More Deeply

A nearly three-decade-long partnership between Friends Select School and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) fosters a unique educational experience for ninth-grade students.

Fri, 15 Nov 2024

Deepening the Alumni Experience: Q&A with Martha & Ben

Earlier this year, Martha Eisenberg ’85, P’22, ’24 and Ben Behrend ’12 became co-presidents of Friends Select’s Alumni Association.

Thu, 14 Nov 2024

Giving Back: Max Berger ’73

As I reflect over 50 years to graduation, and the previous seven years while a student at Friends Select School, I see the foundation—though not fully recognized at the time—that grew to form the person I have become.

OUR COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE

Friends Select is committed to being an antiracist school, as evidenced by professional development for employees, as well as our efforts to shape our curriculum to include a range of perspectives. We have social justice projects woven through all divisions, a Big Sibs/Little Sibs program that pairs upper school and lower school students of color, and affinity groups and spaces where students can speak freely. We are proud to provide high-quality education rooted in the Quaker values of respect for all, simplicity, the peaceful resolution of conflict, and a constant search for truth. Our teachers lift up student voice and agency, educating and empowering students to challenge the status quo regarding social justice, climate justice, LGBTQ+ rights, disability rights, and more. In this way, Friends Select students are prepared to become active citizens for the whole of life.

Social Justice

Quaker Roots & Social Justice