Friends Select School | Private Quaker School in Philadelphia

Select News

Advance Friends Select: Transformation Campaign

Feb 17 2021

Friends Select School is excited to announce that we are currently expanding our campus with the purchase of the building located at 1520 Race Street, and we are simultaneously undergoing a major transformation of the first floor of our main building located at 17th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Civil Discourse Panel Discussion: Policing

May 5 2021

On Tuesday, May 11, Friends Select upper school students will moderate a virtual Civil Discourse Panel Discussion between experts that examines the complex issues surrounding policing. The panelists will include Captain Zsakhiem R. James of the Camden County Police Department, Drexel criminology professor Rob Kane, and the Manhattan Institute's deputy director of legal policy, Rafael Mangual.

Youth Suicide Risk: What You Should Know

May 5 2021

On Monday, May 17, Friends Select’s Wellness Program presents Dr. Terri Erbacher in a virtual discussion about youth suicide risk, in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month. The Friends Select middle and upper school faculty recently participated in a training on this topic offered by Dr. Erbacher, and the Wellness Program is now pleased and honored to invite Dr. Erbacher to speak with our wider community.

Standing Against Antisemitism

Apr 29 2021

As a Quaker school, we stand for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and support the Jewish members of our community, the city, and beyond. Please join us in holding in the Light all those who are subjected to and affected by such antisemitism, and let us continue to support one another.

Announcing SummerSessions 2021

Apr 14 2021

Friends Select's SummerSessions program offers an array of virtual and in-person courses that use the school’s Center City location to create in-depth, exploratory learning experiences for students of all ages, as well as professional development opportunities for educators.

In Solidarity with Our Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities

Mar 3 2021

At Friends Select School, we raise our voice as an institution that is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion to support members of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in our school, city, state, and across our nation.

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Alumni Stories

My Friends Select Experience as a Black Student

Steve Lawrence ’81, Friends Select's national alumni board president, writes: "From day one, I was comfortable at Friends Select. I got along with my classmates and teachers. More importantly, the environment allowed me to adapt and evolve in a setting conducive to learning. But it was not my social life—far from it."

Black Alumni Reflecting on Their Experiences at Friends Select

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, Friends Select School has recommitted itself to seeking racial justice, teaching tolerance, and building an anti-racist community. Working with national alumni board president Steve Lawrence ’81 and director of equity and inclusion Toni Graves Williamson, Friends Select has been making concerted efforts to engage with and listen to Black alumni. Recently, Nyeema Caldwell ’20 and Cindy Harper Covington ’84 reflected on their experiences as Black students at Friends Select.

Alumni Helping Communities  Respond to COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, John Chin ’83 P’15, ’18 of Philadelphia’s Chinatown, Mike Fitts ’71 of Tulane University, and Wendell Pritchett ’84 of University of Pennsylvania all had a profound impact on their respective communities.

Success Stories in College Sports: Phoebe Hopkins ’08

Phoebe Hopkins ’08 is the owner of Play College Field Hockey, a consulting firm specializing in collegiate field hockey recruiting.

Success Stories in the Sciences: Dr. Susan Taylor ’75

 Dr. Susan Taylor ’75 sees patients at Penn Medicine, and she is the Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Department of Dermatology and the Sandra Lazarus Professor of Dermatology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania.