FALL 2005

Friends School Report

Messages from the Graduating Eighth Graders

To provide a fertile learning environment, rich with the nutrients
that help us cultivate the intellectual growth, creativity,
scholarship and social conscience of each student,
within a community of values rooted in the Quaker tradition that advocates
mutual respect and nurtures the spirit as well as the mind.
—Friends School Mullica Hill Mission

n Tuesday, June 7, thirty 8th-grade graduating students had a chance to share a short commencement speech about their experiences at Friends School. I heard three dominant themes.

The family and community: Several students thanked their parents for sacrificing material goods in order to give them an opportunity to attend Friends School, and several students acknowledged the role of their classmates' families in their Friends School experience.

The academic challenge: Many students noted that their teachers had been their mentors who had challenged them to venture beyond their "comfort zone." They remembered their experiences from pre-K through middle school and recognized how teachers from all of the levels had contributed to molding their character and scholarly achievements. They also expressed their gratitude for the kindness of the administrative team, from the nurse to the office manager to the bus drivers. The students dedicated their yearbook to Teacher Marge, who has been with Friends School for over 30 years.

Social conscience and mutual respect: A third message was about being "Friends School Friendly." This is a phase that I've heard many times at Friends School, most often to remind disruptive student(s) to settle down. While it often had been effective in settling a student, I had wondered if students really understood what it meant.

The students' graduation speeches convinced me that they had not only received the "Friends School Friendly" message, but that they planned to carry that message into their futures. In their speeches the students shared enthusiastically about the values they had learned at Friends School, including respect for other people; tolerance of different ideas and people; compassion towards others less fortunate; and their goal of becoming contributing citizens.

For me, the student's speeches were a confirmation of the value of the Friends School mission.

Finally, I am happy to share with you that graduating 8th grader Chloe Collins-Young has been awarded the Anderson Scholarship from the George School. The Anderson Scholarships are awarded to students who embody the principles of social involvement, respect for others and a commitment to academic excellence.

For Friends School,
Patti Burns

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