Illuminating the Inner Light: A New Grade 9 Course Anchors Quaker Practice

This fall, Friends Seminary introduced Friends Foundations, a new required course for all ninth graders that places Quaker values at the center of the Upper School experience. Conceived by the Center for Peace, Equity and Justice (CPEJ) and led by Kara Kutner and Kirsti Peters, the class is designed to help students begin their high school years by engaging deeply with the principles and practices that shape life at Friends.

Although not a traditional history class, Friends Foundations asks students to consider the intersections of Quakerism, citizenship, service, and identity. They are examining the bold witness of modern Quaker leaders, connecting the Society of Friends’ legacy of activism with contemporary movements for justice, and reflecting on what it means to belong to a school community rooted in equality, peace, and stewardship. Click here to learn more.