Friends Academy Celebrates Unity Day with First Community Group Meetings

On Thursday, October 10, the Friends Academy community wore orange to honor Unity Day, part of Bullying Prevention Month. The day was also marked with the first meetings of all-school Community Groups, which bring together students and adults in all divisions to strengthen bonds across campus.

On Thursday, October 10, the Friends Academy community wore orange to honor Unity Day, part of Bullying Prevention Month. The day was also marked with the first meetings of all-school Community Groups, which bring together students and adults in all divisions to strengthen bonds across campus.

In Thursday's Community Group meetings, pairings of Upper and Middle, and Upper and Lower School students form the year's worship buddies. After interviewing each other about likes and interests, each pair then spent time finding out what they had in common with one another. "Our sisters are the same age," discovered one pair. "We both love fantasy movies," concluded another pair.

"Sports are a big part of our lives," a third set of buddies learned and then wrote their "uncommon commonality" on a pair of gingerbread figures. From there, a query was posed: What does unity mean to you? Students discussed with their buddies and then shared back with their group.

"Being part of a whole," "working together," and "learning to get along despite differences," were some answers students offered.

Within Community Groups, sets of Quaker buddies meet six times throughout the school year and students stay with the same buddy for the entire year. The groups help to provide a mentorship relationship between older and younger students, and offer thoughtful activities which promote service learning, empathy, and the consideration of multiple perspectives.