In the recent upper school Chamber Singers concert, students sang “Be the Change” chosen by music teacher Margaret Anne Butterfield who noted in her introduction that the piece adapts texts of Gandhi; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; The Gospel of Matthew; and the composer, Laura Farnell, and employs a phrase in Swahili.
She shared these quotes from some of the students regarding their insights about the message of the piece:
The lyrics of this song are particularly important with all of the conflict that's happening in the world right now. It combines original lyrics with those of "This Little Light of Mine", a song known for inspiring hope in the hearts of its listeners.
As we are faced with climate change, racial inequalities, Covid-19, and other issues, this song motivates us to make any impact we can on the situation. The overall message of the song is to act if you feel passionate about a certain issue. In relation to this year's spice, equality, it can motivate us to strive toward the ultimate goal of equality.
“Be the Change” is very special to us because it embodies one of our core values; equality. The piece has the repeated phrase, “Be the change you want to see in the world” which is especially important now when African Americans and the AAPI community are fighting for racial equality. As students, we are all trying to "be the change "whether it is through our clubs, like Black Student Union, Asian Student Union, or Diversity Club, or just by learning how to be an up-stander. As a choir and as Friends students, we are taught to “let our light shine” and to speak out against injustices we see happening in our community and the world at large. So, we encourage all of you to “Basi mwanga wako uangaze”; Let your light shine.
Margaret Anne also noted that the Martin Luther King, Jr. quote that is part of the lyrics is also on a banner that hangs in the Wilmington Friends middle/upper school meeting room:
“Darkness cannot drive out the darkness; only light can do that.
Hatred cannot drive out the hatred; only love can do that.”
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma is often considered the highest standard for college preparatory education. This year, 29 members from the Class of 2025 were IB diploma candidates.
Max Leffler ’22 recently hosted his 5th Annual Disc Golf Tournament, raising $5,200 in support of The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation and its mission to fight childhood cancer.
At the start of summer break, 15 Wilmington Friends Upper School students traveled to El Paso, Texas, as part of a QUEST Term Service/Leadership Trip. This immersive experience combines global education, leadership development, and community engagement.
The mastery program in middle school is a semester or year-long, student-initiated and student-produced project designed to develop that student's talents, interests, and skills. The emphasis is on achievement and completing a finished product that is either presented or displayed publicly in a polished, masterful way. Mastery projects may include academic research papers, visual and performing arts projects or performances, special teaching units, and physical projects.
Thank you for joining us for the Alumni & Friends baseball, lacrosse, and soccer games this past Saturday! It was a fun day of friendly competition, school spirit, and reconnecting with the WFS community—whether you were back on the field or cheering from the sidelines.
We hope you'll stop by campus to catch a game or say hello next year!
So much laughter and fun (for the grown ups, too!) at this week's lower school field days. Bring on summer! For more photos, visit our Smugmug page (password can be found in the Friends on Friday message). Photos courtesy of WFS Yearbook
For Mental Health Awareness Month, middle and upper school students answered the question "How will you take care of your wellness this summer?" The Quaker Cares committee then created a vision board with the many responses!
Celebrations for the Class of 2025 have begun, and last night was Senior Exploration Night, where members of the Class of 2025 presented the projects they’ve been working on for the last month.
Our final Lower School Culture Quest was a celebration of Juneteenth! Students explored the significance of Juneteenth through hands-on activities, music, food, and arts and crafts. It was a fun and meaningful way to learn about and honor this important day!
We wrapped up our spring concert series today with a preschool "informance," where our youngest students showcased their singing, dancing, and instrument playing!
One of our most beloved spring traditions...the middle school 5K! Costumed students (everything from the cast of Scooby Doo to famous athletes) walked and ran the Alapocas neighborhood all to benefit a good cause.
L-T Alleyne '26 sparked a chain of kindness in our upper school with a simple idea: write a thoughtful note to someone you don’t usually talk to—and pass it on. Thanks to everyone who took part, this sweet gesture made its way through our community, one kind message at a time.
Our Pre-K students took the stage last week with their performance of "Zog and the Flying Doctors" by Julia Donaldson! Each spring, pre-kindergarteners put on a play to celebrate how much they have grown since September. From choosing their own roles to working as a team, our young performers showed that you're never too small to be part of something big.
Statement of Nondiscrimination as to Student Enrollment
Wilmington Friends School admits students of any race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of these schools. Wilmington Friends School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.