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."

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. 

Friends Select teachers embarked on this school year’s blended approach to teaching and learning equipped with new tools and skills stemming from their quick shift to iSelectLearning in the spring of 2020.

As they continue to adjust to the many changes COVID-19 has presented in their daily lives, Friends Select’s classes of 2020 and 2021 also adapted their college search and application processes to fit the changes implemented within the world of higher education owing to the global pandemic.