Phoenix Mellow '08 served as the 2022 Commencement Speaker.
Since her graduation from Friends, Phoenix has been…busy! She attended The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City for fashion design and The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising for fashion design and film and TV costume design in Los Angeles and has since dove head-first into the entertainment industry.
Her costume design and assistant design work have appeared in film, television, commercials, web-series, and music videos, including Sylvie’s Love, A.P. Bio, Detroiters, Black Panther, Mad Men, Mindhunter, The OA, and Katy Perry’s “Hey Hey Hey” and "Small Talk" music videos, among many others.
Phoenix has a passion for design detail, modern and historical fashion, and bringing characters to life through investigative research. She found her calling in the film industry, which amalgamated her interest in the history behind clothing and the psychological connections between people and garments.
"I am what you call a WFS "lifer,'" Phoenix said in her commencement speech, "Which means I attended WFS from preschool through senior year. So Friends is a part of me, in my foundational bones and core beliefs. I’ve carried around those core values…the “SPICES”...and I like to sprinkle them on everything…a little simplicity here…peace there, a pinch of integrity, stir up community and equality, and clean up with some stewardship. Graduates, I assure you, WFS gave you a fantastic set of spices that are going to continue to season your dish called life!
...Friends school teaches us to be open to life's challenges and to be adaptable. It was during this time that those tools were the most beneficial to me outside of a school setting. I used to believe that College was the only route to becoming successful. I thought the most important thing was getting into the best school, getting good grades, and being accepted by my peers. But what I’ve learned is your degree isn't the only thing that defines you, your character is. Hard work, perseverance, determination, and confidence hold just as much weight on your future as your education.
...Never underestimate the power of networking (especially face-to-face). Social capital is more important than we think. Many new jobs come from previous jobs or acquaintances—recommendations and who you know can give you a foot in the door. Tell people what your goals are, put yourself out there. You never know who you are talking to—it can put you in the position of being presented with amazing opportunities." Thank you, Phoenix, for sharing your insight and perspective with the Class of 2022!
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.