April Alumni/ae Newsletter

Thursday, April 5, 2018 | Volume 2 • Issue 8

Dear Alumni/ae,

Spring at FCS is always exciting! This year, we are excited to invite all alumni/ae to join us the evening of Friday, May 11 in kicking off Reunion Weekend at a new opening event called Learning with Friends. Teachers have teamed up with Reunion alumni/ae in their areas of expertise to present dynamic classroom talks followed by a reception. Talks will cover a range of unique topics — from how winemakers balance the flavors of great wine to how Shakespearean actors fight onstage without injury.

We invite you to join us at this event, which we hope will become a Friends' Central tradition! You do not have to be celebrating a Reunion to attend.

I also look forward to seeing many local alums at our Philadelphia Alumni/ae Gathering next Thursday, April 12 as we welcome Beth Davis Johnson '77 back to FCS as the Upper School Principal! There's still time to RSVP here if you would like to join us.

Linda Waxman Wasserman '75

Director of Alumni/ae Affairs

Chelsea Clinton Visits Lower School

"We are so grateful for her message 'Stand up. Speak Out. Dream Big.' "

- Kelly Bird Pierre, Lower School Principal

On Monday, March 12, Friends' Central hosted Chelsea Clinton, author, daughter of former president Bill Clinton and former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and Vice Chair of the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, at the Lower School campus. Clinton spoke to students in Kindergarten through grade 5 about her latest book She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History, which introduces young readers to a group of 13 incredible women who have shaped history, both nationally and around the globe. Read more here.

Student Artist Honors Black History Month

"It just came to me during history class — I wanted to draw a different significant figure in Black History..."

- Kalila Jones '19

In honor of Black History Month, Kalila Jones '19 had an extraordinary idea: "It just came to me during history class — I wanted to draw a different significant figure in Black History for Black History Month." Drawing one or more historic figures every day in the month of February, Kalila's end result was a collage of images highlighting pioneers in Black History. From activists to artists to athletes and authors, this incredible work of art will be hanging in the halls around campus. Check out this cool time lapse video of her work here.

Latest Issue of FOCUS

For over 80 years, students have written about campus life and current events through the student-run newspaper at Friends' Central. Evolving throughout the years, the current student news publication FOCUS is formatted as a tri-annual magazine and buzzfeed-inspired website. Check out the latest issue here, which includes student perspectives on how Meeting for Worship has evolved and interviews with new faculty.

Image: Staff of FOCUS in 1975 (top) and in 2017 (bottom).

A Busy Month on Campus

April is going to be a busy month at Friends' Central! We welcome you to join us for any or all of the following events:

Together with Simon's Heart, we are hosting free heart screenings for children ages 12-19 this Sunday, April 8 from 9 am-1 pm in Shimada. More info here.

On Wednesday, April 11 at 7:30 pm in Shallcross Hall, we will welcome 2018 Distinguished Visiting Scientist Douglas Emlen, Evolutionary Biologist and Professor of Biology at the University of Montana. Emlen will discuss the evolutionary forces that have made animal weapons so diverse. Register here.

We are hosting the Scholar Search Educational Forum on our City Avenue campus next Sunday, April 15 from 9 am-4 pm, featuring talks and workshops for intellectually curious students and parents led by experts in education, including our own Light Lab Director Brie Daley, Makerspace Director Michael Darfler, Coordinator of Equity and Justice Education Dwight Dunston, Director of Technical Theater CJ Keller, LS Principal Kelly Pierre, MS/US Counselor Frederick Pratt, and Sexuality Educator and English teacher Al Vernacchio.