Upper School

Our Quaker school is a community of ongoing inquiry and reflection. Students are encouraged to be seekers, deepening individual and collective awareness.  As we cultivate curiosity and they explore diverse thoughts and perspectives, our students become active questioners responsible for their learning. Students begin to see possibilities and approach challenges as opportunities, resisting singular answers as they recognize complexity; they start taking risks and trying new approaches to explore their evolving questions and interests. As learning happens when students actively construct ideas and test approaches, Friends students collaborate and interact directly with relevant materials to uncover new ways of thinking about issues of importance for their lives.

The Friends Academy History department champions historical inquiry and the way historians themselves study history, forging a curriculum that is global in scope, inclusive in content and culturally responsive in practice.

At Friends Academy, students engage in the work of historians, marshalling evidence-based arguments in their written and oral work, delving into thoughtful research papers and discussions, and reflecting critically on learning experiences. Students wrestle with competing interpretations of the past, exploring primary sources from a spectrum of historical voices and developing skills in articulating their own critical conclusions.

We employ the Harkness Method, enabling students to engage with others in meaningful discussions, guided by principles of civil discourse. Students bring their diversity in thought, perspective, and experience to reflective conversations on topics that matter.

This student-centered, inquiry-based approach is anchored by dynamic and global curriculum, preparing our students for enlightened, active citizenship in the world beyond the classroom.

In the Upper School program, students become fluent in the language of Mathematics, communicating their thinking clearly and using a variety of strategies and techniques to approach problems authentically.  They learn to see problems in multiple ways, and to evaluate and use many different techniques to approach problems flexibly.

Students increase their awareness of problem solving, promoting their appreciation of different applications, and providing a solid foundation for further study in mathematics. Our curriculum provides relevant, multidimensional learning experiences with special emphasis on the processes of mathematics. Because we focus on fluency and understanding process, math students at FA have more agency over their own journey towards understanding.  We also foster a growth mindset in our students, and encourage them to seek out challenge at every level, from Algebra 1 to Multivariable Calculus, and everything in between.

Our Upper School Science program seeks to stimulate curiosity, promote collaboration, and inspire careful investigation. Students learn to embrace science as a deeply creative and essential discipline for their lives, knowing that as citizens and as human beings, their decisions and awareness will shape the future of our planet.

Through a deep understanding of scientific principles, students practice critical thinking as they become informed, knowledgeable citizens. Our graduates engage the world with curiosity, embracing complexity and applying the fundamentals of science, as they think clearly and analytically.

Students explore and analyze ethical issues in science and technology through experimental observation. By testing ideas and asking open-ended questions, students develop scientific explanations based on evidence. The program integrates the higher-level mathematics of applied concepts and laws. Students also hone their scientific literacy and writing through journal reflections, research notebooks, and lab reports.

Mastery of technology in the Upper School is developed through Computer Science and Digital Arts classes, and a wide array of interdisciplinary project work which incorporates research, information literacy, and digital citizenship.

In Computer Science classes students develop and deepen their understanding of computer systems and coding to hone problem-solving skills, learn about logical operations, appreciate attention to detail, and the value of iteration and learning from failure. Students apply their skills in Robotics and Engineering classes and through participation in coding and other competitions.

Our world is a global village where both communication and cultural understanding are increasingly important. The World Languages and Cultures Department helps students build proficiency in a second language – Mandarin, French, Spanish, and Latin – and to help build cultural understanding and further world language proficiency, we arrange cultural trips and exchange programs for Upper School students in Spain, France, and China. 

Learning about a variety of foreign communities deepens self-awareness while promoting greater empathy and international understanding. As a Quaker school, we educate students beyond their intellects; students' moral, emotional, and social growth takes place when they move beyond the self to try to understand others.

The breadth and depth of cultural studies within Mandarin, French, and Spanish courses at Friends Academy elevates a student's linguistic proficiency. Chinese students learn about the diversity of Chinese ethnic groups; French students learn about many of the countries and territories where French is spoken; Spanish students develop a broader appreciation of global interconnectedness and cultural differentiation.

Every year, our language students receive gold medals in the National Spanish, French, and Latin Exams. Our Chinese students also perform in the top percentiles of the Youth Chinese Test, an international standardized test of Chinese language proficiency.

The Arts is where our students develop creative thinking, discover their passions, sharpen their skills, and learn to express their own unique voices. We offer comprehensive courses of study in ceramics, drawing, painting, digital design and illustration, motion arts, photography, vocal and instrumental music, theater, and dance.

In the Dolan Center, student-artists work in purpose-built spaces, developing photos in our darkroom, exhibiting in our gallery, or performing in our state-of-the-art theater. Every student’s artistic journey is unique, and at Friends Academy, we are uniquely fortunate to have the faculty and facilities to support, guide, and honor each student’s artistic development.

Upper School students enjoy an engaging and energizing Physical Education program.

The Friends Academy Physical Education program aims to educate students to become lifelong learners of health and wellness by participating in activities that develop behaviors that encourage lifelong physical activity in and outside of the educational setting, healthy decision making, and appropriate social skills.

The unique nature of Physical Education affords an individual the chance to not only develop skills that will allow them to become physically fit and remain active but to take ownership of their own health and wellness. Individuals learn to value activity and movement, develop appropriate personal and social behavior, and develop an understanding that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment and social interaction, and helps to create a hedge against chronic disease.

JV and Varsity sports count as physical education credit during regular sports seasons (fall, winter, spring).

Students that do not partake in sports have the choice of a diverse change of physical education electives:

• Cardio-fitness
• Weight Training
• Dance
• Yoga
• Sport Education

The Kumar Wang Library is the central hub of Friends Academy. The building hosts five classrooms along with event spaces, private study areas, and social areas. On any given day, most students use the library for some purpose whether that includes studying, relaxing, or group work.

The Upper School library program provides students with access to a diverse range of digital and print resources. Upper School students have access to the Kumar Wang Library holdings. Academic databases like JSTOR, ProQuest, and Academic Search Complete provide an immense opportunity for students to access high-quality, relevant information. A complete list of Upper School digital resources can be found at the Upper School Library LibGuide.

By graduation, our students develop advanced research skills to prepare them for postsecondary education. Students can break down research questions into keywords and limiters, use advanced search techniques in academic databases, and conduct literature reviews all while staying organized. Students also practice media literacy by learning how to read and evaluate news sources for accuracy and reliability.

Beyond the extensive book collection, many other items are available for checkout including Chromebooks, board games, headphones, and art supplies.

Upper School Health & Well-Being centers around a semester-long course in ninth grade, and a trimester-long course in eleventh grade. Each course is interactive and student-centered, and is designed to assist students in learning about contemporary and critical health issues. This learning is then contextualized and applied as they explore their own personal health habits and goals. These courses cover topics that students can take with them long after they leave Friends Academy.

In addition to the curricular component, Upper School students' health and well-being is supported and prioritized by student advisors, grade-level Student Life Deans, school psychologists, and learning specialists. 

Our school cherishes the chance to gather each week in Quaker Meeting for Worship to share space, voice, and time together and to reflect, both in silence and in listening, upon our own inner voices and those we are privileged to hear as students share their thoughts. Through Meeting for Worship, students develop lifelong skills, such as empathy, active listening, critical thinking, public speaking, and the ability to use silence as a powerful tool for discernment. 

Upper School TASQUE (Teachers and Students for Quaker Education) clerks our weekly Meetings for Worship and plans occasional alternative Meetings for Worship such as Meetings for Singing, Mindfulness, Worship Sharing, and Business. These additional Meetings provide dynamic opportunities for students and faculty to come together around their personal passions and share their thoughts in a safe and structured space that supports personal growth.

Quaker practices are infused within the culture, experiences, and programs of our school, as we honor the lights and lives of each of our students in the school community as they each search to live with more honesty, compassion, integrity, courage, and commitment to justice and truth.  

Students learn to discover the needs of others and refine their commitment to using their talents and skills to address these needs as they engage in concrete service projects in our community. 

Throughout each student’s four-year experience in Health & Well-Being and advisory, we intentionally embed co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities for our young people to identify and understand needs like hunger, affordable housing and health care, and education, and to discover ways to support community wellbeing and emergent needs in their own communities and the world.

Ninth-grade advisories partner with local organizations to build experience-based, deeper understandings of community needs. Tenth-grade students participate in a two-day overnight Youth Service Opportunity Project in New York City, working in a shelter and in soup kitchens and food pantries that support people experiencing homelessness. Through Grades 11 and 12, students work to develop a deeper commitment to an area of human need that culminates in an individually designed senior service project in the spring before graduation. 

Our after-school programs offer opportunities to work with service organizations both on and off campus. Friends Academy’s Service Learning Program maintains partnerships with important organizations like Glen Cove Men's Shelter, Interreligious and Human Needs Council, and the Glen Cove Boys’ and Girls’ Club. Through these partnerships, Upper School students have the opportunity to understand the impacts certain systems have had on the well-being of their neighbors.

The W.A.T.C.H. (We Are The Community Helpers) committee keeps a list of volunteer opportunities and provides support for students to actively pursue these. By giving time and energy to others, the student-run committee empowers its members to recognize the reciprocal nature of service and supports others in broadening others’ understanding of the importance of service.

The Independent Service Project (ISP) gives graduating seniors an opportunity to explore how their personal passions could have a real difference on the world around them. The ISP is a graduation requirement for seniors and takes place over 2-3 weeks in the summer.

Each senior designs a project that is reviewed by an ISP committee composed of faculty and students. The student also chooses a sponsor to work with on the project. Finding an outside sponsor is encouraged; a faculty advisor then acts as a liaison between the sponsor and the school.

Upon completion of the project, the student gives a presentation to the seniors and the ISP committee. The ISP committee rates the project as satisfactory or unsatisfactory, and this rating goes on the student’s official transcript. The student must earn a grade of satisfactory to fulfill the graduation requirement.

DIVERSITY: We, the Diversity Committee, believe that we are to unite and embrace students of all religions, races, genders, political beliefs, socio-economic levels, and lifestyles. We feel it is a necessity to celebrate different cultures in an effort to enhance our community. We firmly believe that it is our duty to carry these principles within our community and throughout our society. As a club, we raise money through fun events like Fall Fair, Diversity Grant Fund Dinner, and bake sales for the Diversity Grant Fund, which provides funds for expenses and fees that are part of a student's educational experience (and is not covered by tuition or financial aid).

INKWELL: Inkwell is the school’s informative, student-run online newspaper. We are here to spread the news about a wide range of topics and do so in a way that is easily accessible to Friends Academy students. Whether it be news directly related to what is going on at FA, or news related to current events in the world, we are ultimately here to establish a connection between Friends Academy and the outside world. Furthermore, by creating this platform for students who are aspiring journalists or writers (or students who just want to be involved in the article-making process), everyone has the ability to be as creative as they want to be with the spreading of news to the FA community. 

NATURAL HELPERS: The Natural Helpers committee is built around the basic premise that every high school has an informal helping network, inaccessible to most teachers and adults. We strive to create a safe and supportive school environment by assisting our peers with a myriad of issues, from everyday problems to greater serious ones. This committee is designed to enhance the skills of those who have a natural affinity for helping others as well as enabling students to take care of themselves by knowing their limits and practicing problem-solving. 

We uphold aspects of our quaker mission by developing skills that help us understand, empathize with, and accept others, all of which are based on the basic principles of listening and communication.

Special Membership Note: Unfortunately, you can not join this committee like other committees. Students get volunteered by their grade to become a natural helper.

STUDENT FACULTY BOARD: SFB is the Student Government of the upper school. Members have the opportunity to work with fellow students and faculty to represent their grades and the school. We meet once a week to discuss changes that will benefit our community. The responsibilities of a student-faculty board representative include contributing opinions to the discussion, offering new business by communicating with their class, planning events, and leading grade’s morning meetings.

SUSTAINABILITY: The sustainability committee’s goal is to bring awareness to environmental issues that our world and community face. We hope to teach our community various ways they can make small changes in their everyday lives that will help the environment. Sustainability is a part of the Quaker “spices” and we believe it is important for everyone to recognize and help keep our environment and school clean for the next generation of students.

TASQUE: The mission of TASQUE (Teachers And Students for Quaker Understanding and Education) is to nurture the spiritual health of the community and stay true to the testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, service, and stewardship. We do this by being the keepers of the meeting house, facilitating discussion among students and faculty, helping organize Peace Week, Founders Day, Community Groups, Worship Buddies, and all Alternative Meeting for Worships. One of our goals over the past few years has been to increase student involvement in Quaker life at Friends by making sure that the Meeting House is a comfortable space for all.

WATCH: In WATCH (We Are The Community Helpers), it is our goal to serve the FA community and beyond in various positive ways. In particular, we strive to participate in direct service activities to help organizations such as AHRC, SCO, Glen Cove Boys and Girls Club, Glen Cove Men's Shelter, North Shore INN, St. Patrick's food pantry, and Rock CAN Roll. It is our job to educate the Friends Academy community about local service opportunities. By giving time and energy to others, we hope that our members also recognize the reciprocal nature of service.

3D Modeling Club (w/Blender)

3D modeling with blender is pretty self-explanatory within its title. The club works with 3D modeling (NOT 3D PRINTING), which students could use for game design, architecture, movies/animation, 2D & 3D artwork, and more. Blender is a vastly useful tool with tons of variety for its user to play around with. The only limit is your imagination. This club is meant to give students an opportunity to explore their interests within the aspects of the technological world. It's mostly a club where students can relax and chill with friends while working on projects together within the club. It is meant to create a nice techy/artistic environment. It is my hope that students will get time to relax and blow off some steam by creating things that could dream of, and now finally bring them to life. 

Action Sport Club

As a group during community time, our club plans to discuss current and relevant events pertaining to the broader world of action sports (inclusive of all extreme sports, be it skateboarding, surfing, bmx, skiing, etc.), as well as engage with each other and learn about our individual interest in action sports. We can also discuss our individual progress, and even plan to organize weekend trips for members who'd like to skate/bike/scoot, etc. outside of school. We will be very clear about which gatherings will be purely organized by students on their own socially outside of school. These events would not be school-sanctioned due to liability and other limitations, but we will discuss this more in real-time and share very clear logistical details. Most of all, we plan to have fun and engage with our community while sharing a common passion for extreme sports. 

Admissions Club

The Admission Club hosts open houses, gives tours, and provides support to new students through a buddy program. The mission of our club is to showcase students of all different aspects and interests to prospective students and families in order to give them a comprehensive view of our school during their application process.

Animal Cruelty Awareness Club

Our goal is to spread awareness of animal cruelty around the world, to the students of FA as well as host fundraising activities in school like bake sales to raise money for charities for animal cruelty, like the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to animals) and the North Shore Animal League America. 

The Animal Helpers

Raising awareness, volunteering, and donating to local animal shelters and programs dedicated to helping the environment. We hope to expand Friend Academy's concept of community to not only include people in our local community, but also the animals and nature that we share our home with. We also hope to spread awareness of the responsibility that we have to take care of and protect our environment.

Art With Friends

This club is made for making art with other students from other schools. Our intention is to design art sessions that will be engaging for students who identify as disabled in some way.

Babysitters Club

In the Babysitters Club, we will learn about basic childcare. We will come up with tips and tricks useful for children of all ages involving games, toys, snacks, and emotions. If you are looking for experience with children, this is the club for you!

Becoming a Witness

Our club is an educational and service based club. Our club is meant to educate people about the Holocaust by sharing first person accounts. By doing this, we will spread messages of standing up to injustice and prejudice. Additionally, our club will bring awareness to the struggles facing Holocaust survivors today by getting students involved in supporting the survivors.

Bioethics Club

The Bioethics club is a student organization dedicated to learning about ethical issues and concerns related to the scientific community. Meetings will include guest speakers, philosophical discussions, possible collaborations with other clubs, and fundraising for bioethical problems club members are concerned with.

The Bone Marrow Foundation

The Bone Marrow Foundation Club at Friends Academy is a chapter of the Bone Marrow Foundation. The Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation supports patients, their families, and caregivers every step of the way during a cancer diagnosis or bone marrow, stem cell, or cord blood transplant. Our goal is to raise money to send to the foundation so they can achieve their goals. 

Book Club

Book club is a fun, low commitment club, where we read and discuss books. If you love to read, or want to get more into reading outside of school, this is the club for you. Our goals are to get better at analyzing and discussing books, and to have fun too!

Breast Cancer Awareness Club

BCA hopes to raise awareness as well as funds to support those suffering from this illness. We raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation in hopes of advances in research. We want to bring this awareness to Friends Academy because this illness is very common that people around us suffer from. We want to offer our support in every way we can.

Cat Club

A place to discuss (and implement) ways and raise money to support cats. We will raise money via bake sales for the feral cats of the streets and support nonprofit organizations as well. 

Coding Club

This will be a club for people interested in coding. We will be both coding in competitions such as Hackathons but we will also be coding for causes such as coding programs for kids with autism. For students who are looking for coding competitions more than what is offered in computer science courses this is for you. Also, this is for people who are trying to give back to the community through service. On a weekly basis we will

Comic Book Club

We will talk about comic books and specific topics related to comics, such as movies, tv shows, and video games that will help us get ideas to add to our comic book.

Contigo

This club is called Contigo, which means "With You" in Spanish, and in Contigo, we raise money through fundraisers, events, and activities which we then proceed to find a Latin American place that has been struck with a natural disaster and needs help. Our mission/goal for this club is to be able to donate to many Latin American places in need. No matter how much or how little we donate, it will make a difference.

Chess Club

Chess club is for the wider chess community. Some players may choose to join the chess team where we compete against other schools. We teach chess to newcomers and help players become more advanced. Our mission is to teach the game of chess to all age groups and bring more people to the chess community

Children's Hospital Care Club

Our goal as a group is to make a child’s stay at the Cohen Children’s Medical Center as pleasant as possible. We host bake sales, fundraisers, and toy/clothing drives to raise money/necessary items for the Cohen Children’s Medical Center. This year, as we will not be able to go into the hospital to decorate for holidays, we would like to provide/send decorations.

Choose Your Charity

The purpose of our club is to explore and bring attention to local charities and give members of our club the opportunities to focus on selected charities of their choice. We plan on doing more hands-on activities that vary and are specific to each charity. By doing so, we can give back to our community by going beyond raising money and learning a variety of ways to give back. 

Debate Club

The Debate Club focuses on argument and the ability to articulate different points of view in a competitive environment. We will be focusing on underclassmen's leadership and in-school debates. 

Doctors Without Borders Club

Our mission is to fundraise for the organization of Doctors Without Borders.

FA Bakes

The club will combine our shared interests in baking and community service! Each monthly bake sale will contribute 100% of its proceeds to a charity of choice (agreed upon at meetings).

FA Photography

It will be a committed time for photography, either looking at photos we took throughout the week or we can take time to take some during the time to strengthen our photography skills. We will enter competitions and such (if wanted) which can benefit our futures. It will also just be a casual place to hang out.

FA Today

FA Today will be a video coinciding with the weekly update, including weather reports, other announcements, and news updates of the world. This will be a more permanent version to go along with the assembly, but adds a fun and creative spin, as well as a direct relation to the career in Broadcast Journalism. Many spots will be open to members including an editing section, a videographer, etc. 

Fashion and Design Club

We hope to positively impact the community by creating new ideas and help people feel comfortable expressing themselves through fashion while also learning more about it. This is the first club that has anything to do with fashion which is a huge industry in the world that people are interested in so allowing them to get the chance to learn more about it at school would be amazing.

The Filmmakers Club

Focusing on improving filmmaking ability in our community, the Filmmakers club/student group would focus on meetings that discuss how to enhance our film and members would then take that information out of school to create films based off of that advice. Towards the end of the year there would be a film festival/award show to recognize the use of filmmaking skills we discussed throughout the year, and to celebrate the creativity of our members. 

Friends Helping Friends

“Friends helping Friends” is a club created to educate club members on the way the minds of those with special needs work, raise awareness, acceptance, and understanding of their differences, and explain how to interact with them considering their special needs. We also plan to eventually connect our club to a special needs children's program. 

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)

In FBLA we focus on combining business, innovation, and leadership skills through group activity, competition, and learning.

Giving Gamers

Giving Gamers aims to inform FA students about the growing esports Industry, donate to local children’s hospitals, create experiences that generate happiness for patients, and establish a competitive gaming environment for FA students.

Giving Gamers is a club for anyone who has an interest in gaming. We hope to help introduce different varieties of games and to expand the gaming community at Friends Academy. We will be playing an assortment of games, such as Smash Bros and Minecraft, during club meetings, and we plan to eventually host and compete in tournaments within Friends Academy and with other high schools in the future.

Gnosis Art and Literary Journal

GNOSIS works to create a published literary journal of student work by the end of the year, which helps promote student independence and engagement in the humanities and arts.

Hearing all Voices (HAV)

This club is a safe place where students can come together and talk about things that affect their lives as individuals or as a whole school. We can talk about things such as dealing with racism or sexism or etc, mental health, personal well being, strengthening relationships, building confidence, social identity, and many other topics. Though there are clubs, committees, and student alliances that focus on educating around these topics as a part of their mission, the main functionality of HAV as a club is to focus on conversations that our peers want to be a part of every session in an informal, unprogrammed way. We are here to support our peers by creating an inclusive space for dialogues about things that matter most to them.

Hope Jr.

Hope Jr. is a service oriented student club, and a school-sanctioned chapter of an outside organization called, 'Hope'. The mission of Hope is to empower victims of abuse to take steps to remove themselves from their dangerous situations. Hope Jr. will be focusing on continuing to fundraise for the Hope Centers while also raising significant dollars for the Safe Center Shelter. Safe Center is looking to raise money to help purchase the property and build the infrastructure needed for the shelter.

Hulusi Club

The Hulusi Club will teach students the basics of the Chinese instrument, hulusi. We will also be talking about other Chinese instruments, their culture and background as well. We are looking for ways to do community service such as playing for seniors homes or children’s hospitals and spreading joy.

The IDEA Club

The I.D.E.A club is a club designed for entrepreneurs and young inventors to share and receive feedback on product, engineering, or industrial ideas. As a group we will nurture, incubate, and hopefully add insight, opinion, and constructive criticism regarding our peers products. As the leader of this club, I will set up various activities, one of which would be a Shark Tank like activity. Students will pick a partner(s), design a product, make a pitch, and we will set up a vote and consult (either on instagram or contact actual investors in our FA community) on which product investors would be interested in!

Language History Club

The Language History Club is a club that explores how language (both real & fictional) were created and have developed over time. The club could also look into how to create a language if members are interested.

Math Club

Our purpose is to spread our love of math through all divisions of the FA community. We also want to create a space for people who love math to pursue more complex topics and develop problem-solving skills.

Me Time Mental Health Awareness Club

In today's day & age students are just that; students. Children are so focused on being the best academic version of themselves that they lose any aspect of their personal goals. Students are more than students. They're also children. From being on top of our school work, maintaining a social life, to stressing over college. One fourth of American high school students have developed some form of depression & the vast majority have self confidence issues. Me Time will be a safe space where students will be able to relax & get to know themselves through journaling, meditation, as well as a place for mental health advocacy.

Medicine as a Career

The purpose of this club is to gain a deeper understanding of the medical world as well as what it takes to think like a doctor. A club where students who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine can gather to listen to doctors who would describe their experiences in the medical field.

Mock Trial Team

Mock Trial is a club team where kids in law can join to simulate a real courtroom experience and compete against other schools by creating a prosecution and defense of a case made up solely by the students.

Model UN

Model UN is a club where students prepare statements about different issues from the POV of another country, modeling typical UN conferences.

Music Analysis and Therapy

In this club we will be listening to a variety of different artists' most popular songs and analyzing those artists' musical abilities. We will also reflect upon how music helps those in our community. If music is a big part of your life, this is the right club for you. We hope to have a lot of fun, expand our music taste, and discover the effects music can have on us.

One Love Club

The One Love Club is going to be made a place to educate students on healthy vs unhealthy relationships and friendships and the signs for these. It’s going to be a place to identify toxicity to make sure we can avoid these types of relationships at all costs because it can affect our mental health and well being.

Peer Tutoring

Students provide free tutoring in every subject to any student who wants it at FA.

Period Poverty Awareness

The mission of the Period Poverty Awareness Club is to spread awareness about and advocate for issues surrounding period poverty in the United States. Students will join efforts in raising money for this every important issue, that is often left undiscussed.

Physics & Astronomy Club

We gather to explore the interesting concepts in the Physics and Astronomy field, specifically where they overlap. We will discuss cool things such as whether or not time travel is possible, or how the speed of light can lead to things that seem impossible instinctually, like length contraction and time dilation.

Planting Shade

The club will be a branch of the organization Planting Shade created by Eli's friend. We would be working with the Long Island chapter. We raise money and awareness for the importance of trees and saving the environment. We will use the money we raise in bake sales or such to buy seedlings/saplings to plant at local destinations.

The Poetry Society 

The Poetry Society is for any and all students who have or want to explore a passion for Poetry, Slam Poetry, Writing etc! It is a chill and fun environment for anyone to come and express themselves through these creative outlets. We would meet and write, (about whatever!) connect, and have fun!! It is generally a space to bond with people with similar interests.

Political and Civic Discourse Club

The mission of the Political And Civic Discourse Club is to empower people to re-evaluate or develop their beliefs on civic and political questions through civil discussion. It is also a club that empowers student voices while paying heed to the need for decorum, civility, and equal and fair space for all points of view.

Rap History Club

In this club, we will be focused on learning about the origins of modern day rap music, and looking back to analyze and examine the stories of the people who revolutionized the way we experienced rap music.

Robotics Team

The robotics team works together to design, build, and code robots with the aim of participating in competitions during the school year. It is open to all students regardless of previous experience or skill in engineering. As part of the team, members are encouraged to contribute in whatever ways they choose, whether that be by sketching ideas, problem-solving, programming, building, or driving the robot.

Science Olympiad

We work to prepare our members for a Science Olympiad Competition, where we make teams compete against local schools in a variety of science-related subjects. Science Olympiad is a great way to have fun while learning about a subject you may not have otherwise known about! We are looking for people who are willing to learn, try new things, and have fun!

Sports Analytics Club

Sports Analytics Club will dive into the analytics of predicting the scores and winners of sports games.

Sunrise Club

Sunrise Club is a student-run club that will help to support Sunrise Day Camp and Association. Sunrise Day Camp sends kids to camp who have cancer, along with their siblings, who otherwise couldn’t afford it. The goal of our club is to raise funds for the organization, to collect things for children in the hospital, like puzzles for example, and make things like cards for children in the hospital.

The Stock and Finance Club

The purpose of our club is to educate the students of FA on the basic fundamentals of the Stock Market and the financial sector. We look at stock simulations and apply basic economic principles to track returns and learn about global economics. It is our goal to prepare the youth of Friends Academy to become the leaders of the future business world. 

Tournament Club

Tournament Club strives to raise school spirit while simultaneously raising money for The Safe Center LI. Our goal is to promote school-wide fellowship through friendly competition. Our members brainstorm possible ideas for school tournaments such as Student vs. Faculty games, 3v3 basketball tournaments, etc. 

Trivia Club

The mission of this club is to train to participate in New York Academic Team contests.

Venture Capital Club

With this club, we’d like to focus on teaching the ideas and skills needed in business startups from the sides of the startup (the investor and the entrepreneur). We would like to show episodes of Shark Tank and later discuss the involvement of the entrepreneur and the investors.

Voices of Change

The VOC channel will upload “hot topics” and current events from the viewpoint of young adults. It will cover many ideas that interest high schoolers, some topics may be controversial to viewers. The channel will be a safe space for high schoolers. The videos will discuss different topics within our community. I will always encourage student participation.

Women in STEM

We want to create an environment where women can pursue their passions in STEM. STEM is the future of the world and it is important that all  people have the opportunity to be successful and explore this field.

Yearbook Club

The purpose and the function of this club annually is to create the Upper School yearbook.

ASIAN AWARENESS CLUB (AAC): AAC aims to celebrate and promote diverse Asian and multicultural backgrounds in order to gain a deeper understanding. Our mission is to learn about our own identities, represent various cultures, but also encourage others to lean into their curiosity as well. This will be a safe space where we hope to educate, grow, and support our community. Let’s all work hard and open our minds. We strive to cultivate a stronger sense of allyship/solidarity through presentations, sustained dialogues, and more. We want to hear your voices!

BLACK STUDENT ALLIANCE (BSA): The BSA will strive to unite the black members of the Friends Academy community while simultaneously allowing people of all backgrounds to appreciate and learn about black culture, history, and injustice that happens not only in FA but the outside world as well. We hope to build a safe and welcoming space for black members of the Friends Academy community. We recognize that safety depends on respect and cultural competence from all people, and so we hope to create opportunities for people to learn cultural responsiveness. We hope that the BSA will be a space where black students are affirmed in their racial identity. We hope to create a space to process the struggles that black people will experience as a result of their racial identity.

THE HELLENIC YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM (HYEP): A program dedicated to the promotion of Greek culture, heritage, religion, language and customs. Our goal is to spread knowledge and awareness concerning Greek heritage throughout the Friends Academy community.

JEWISH CULTURAL ALLIANCE (JCA): The Jewish Cultural Alliance is a space for education and sharing of the Jewish culture.

SEXUALITY AND GENDER AWARENESS: We, the Sexuality and Gender Awareness Alliance believe that it is our duty to promote the respect and acceptance of all gender identities and sexual orientations within our Friends Academy Community and to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, faculty, and staff members regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Our mission is to cultivate greater awareness about and solidarity towards the LGBTQ+ community through education, advocacy, and social action. We strive to empower, uplift, honor, and respect our members. We are a safe space, and thus we honor confidentiality within our space.

STUDENT ORGANIZATION OF LATINOS (SOL): We aim to spread awareness of the many different heritages that people of Hispanic descent come from. We plan to encourage intercultural exchange through events like sustained dialogues and through speaking our minds as it is a safe space for people who are interested in learning or sharing about these topics.

THE NEW F-WORD: We hope to better our community through female activism and the promotion of gender equality.

Affinity groups are intentional gatherings of people who share in a similar identity; a shared identifier. These groups are places of reflection, dialogue, and support – emotionally safe spaces where students can process their emotions, develop a stronger sense of self, and build a common language to address issues of equity, inclusion, and belonging.

In our Friends Academy Community we believe that every student in our community has gifts to share that are inextricably linked to their identity. In order to ensure that each student’s inner light shines brightly, we must create spaces where they feel both safe enough to be true to themselves and brave enough to engage with others as they do the same.

African-American/Black: The African-American/Black Affinity Group is for students who self-identify racially as African-American and/or Black. This emotionally-safe and brave space offers an environment for (1) meaningful discussions about what it means to identify as African-American/Black in our communities, (2) cultural exchanges that are unique from individual to individual within the same racial/ethnic background, and (3) relationship-building opportunities with others who can affirm and celebrate our lived experiences from the “I” perspective. For Grade 5  - Grade 12

East-Asian: The East-Asian Affinity Group is for students who self-identify racially as Asian, Asian-American, and/or Pacific Islander. This emotionally-safe and brave space offers an environment for (1) meaningful discussions about what it means to identify as Asian, Asian-American, or Pacific Islander in our communities, (2) cultural exchanges that are unique from individual to individual within the same racial/ethnic background, and (3) relationship-building opportunities with others who can affirm and celebrate our lived experiences from the “I” perspective. For Grade 5 - Grade 12

South-Asian: The South-Asian Affinity Group is for students who self-identify racially and/or ethnically as South-Asian in our communities. These would be individuals who have ancestries, cultures, and histories from the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, and/or Sri Lanka. This emotionally-safe and brave space offers an environment for (1) meaningful discussions about what it means to identify as South-Asian in our communities, (2) cultural exchanges that are unique from individual to individual within the same racial/ethnic background, and (3) relationship-building opportunities with others who can affirm and celebrate our lived experiences from the “I” perspective. Our gatherings will allow us to get to know our similarities and differences and allow us to celebrate them as well as find support and solidarity with each others shared experiences. For Grade 5 - Grade 12

Latinx/Hispanic: The Latinx/Hispanic Affinity Group is for students who self-identify racially and/or ethnically as Latinx or Hispanic in our communities. This emotionally-safe and brave space offers an environment for (1) meaningful discussions about what it means to identify as Latinx or Hispanic in our communities, (2) cultural exchanges that are unique from individual to individual within the same racial/ethnic background, and (3) relationship-building opportunities with others who can affirm and celebrate our lived experiences from the “I” perspective. For Grade 5 - Grade 12

Bilingual/Multilingual and/or New to English Language: The Bilingual/Multilingual and/or New to English Language Affinity Group is for students who self-identify as being speakers of more than one language and/or are learning the English language in addition to speaking another primary language. This emotionally-safe and brave space offers an environment for (1) meaningful discussions about what it means to identify as someone who speaks multiple languages in our communities, (2) cultural exchanges that are unique from individual to individual within the same native language background, and (3) relationship-building opportunities with others who can affirm and celebrate our lived experiences from the “I” perspective. For Grade 3 - Grade 12

Student Athletes: The Student Athlete Affinity Group is for students who share in the identity of ‘student athlete’ in our community. All students who identify themselves as such are welcome to join this group regardless of ethnicity, gender-identity, race, etc. This emotionally-safe and brave space offers an environment for (1) meaningful discussions about what it means to identify as a student athlete in our communities, (2) cultural exchanges that are unique from individual to individual within similar identity categories (e.g. ethnicity, gender-identity, race, etc.), and (3) relationship-building opportunities with others who can affirm and celebrate our lived experiences from the “I” perspective. For Grade 9 - Grade 12