MLK Day Celebrations and Observances

Anne Burns on April 21, 2026

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, all three divisions studied his work and legacy. In Lower School, students had a Day of Service, collecting donations of basic necessities for families in need in partnership with the non-profit Circle of Giving 2020. Service is not only central to the mission of Westtown School, but also an essential part of our Quaker beliefs, alongside social responsibility, justice, and peacemaking. Lower Schoolers started their day in Gathering, honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Civil Rights activists through readings, poetry, and song. Then they rotated through stations to package the donations and reflect on the shared readings.

Lower Schoolers putting together donations for their service project

In Middle School, January was dedicated to community learning and celebration centered on the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Over the course of the month, the three grades each had a unique focus. Eighth graders learned about the role music plays in the Civil Rights Movement. Seventh graders focused on community by exploring the Ubuntu philosophy, a South African concept of “I am because we are.” Sixth graders learned about service, to begin to understand service learning, and engaged in service projects. Some of the activities included a performance of the musical Bridges by the Philly Sound Exchange, a special Meeting for Worship rooted in Dr. King’s teachings, and a visit from folks at CityWorks that prepared sixth graders for one of their service projects. Finally, seventh graders interviewed members of the school community, reflecting on the impact that we all have on each other.

Middle Schoolers on their feet during the Bridges performance by Philly Sound Exchange

In Upper School, students explored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy of nonviolent direct action through a screening of the film Boycott, which chronicles the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Dr. King’s emergence as a national leader, before breaking into advisory groups for reflection and dialogue. Students examined Dr. King’s understanding of nonviolence as a disciplined, intentional practice rooted in moral courage and preparation—not passivity. Drawing clear connections to Quaker testimonies of peace, justice, and integrity, students reflected on the four steps of nonviolent action—information gathering, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action—and considered the responsibility each individual holds in working toward a more just and compassionate world.

In these Upper School discussions, students also examined how nonviolent movements can be strengthened, or undermined, by public perception. Drawing on research and historical examples, students explored how negative stereotypes and delegitimizing language have often been used to justify repression, even in nonviolent campaigns. They reflected on the importance of allyship, the role of narrative and moral clarity, and the responsibility individuals with privilege may hold in advancing justice. These themes echoed the film Boycott and Dr. King’s insistence that nonviolence is both a moral commitment and a strategic practice, grounded in courage, discipline, and collective responsibility. Students also reflected on the historical role Quakers played in shaping traditions of nonviolent resistance and the ways these practices continue to inform movements for justice today. Through discussion, students considered their own gifts, responsibilities, and the moral courage required to live out the values of peace, social responsibility, and active engagement—core commitments shared by Dr. King and the Quaker tradition.

Lettuce…Learn!

Anne Burns on December 19, 2025

Sixth graders in Carlos Charriez’s science class worked with the kitchen to provide Westtown-grown lettuce, using a hydroponics growing system. Food and agricultural science are hallmarks of Westtown’s Middle School science program and are an excellent illustration of how our students learn. They have a hands-on educational experience steeped in problem-solving and critical thinking. Most importantly, the lived experience of the classroom opens the way for the development of essential understandings and skills.

Charriez shares, “When our students learn to cultivate food, they are not just learning about plants. They are also learning about chemistry and geology. These lessons prepare future science students for astronomy and physics classes and culminate in their Middle School capstone work on climate change and sustainability. They can apply this learning across the curriculum, like how it sharpens their understanding when they study agriculture in ancient cultures. They sharpen their skills in observation and collaboration, which support success in all of their academic and social learning. Learning stops being about a task to memorize and becomes part of their understanding of the world. This is a tangible example of what the Westtown approach to learning looks like—and, in this case, tastes like.”

Students delivered their crop of lettuce to Assistant Director of Dining Services Geoffrey Hillman where it was promptly used to help feed our community.

Equity and Access Conference and College Fair

Anne Burns on December 19, 2025

More than 300 students and their families attended this year’s Equity and Access Conference and College Fair. Westtown has hosted this biennial conference and college fair since 2005 with a goal of creating space for substantive conversations with students and their families regarding issues of belonging, equity, access, inclusion, and allyship in the college application process. The event had a variety of panel presentations, student-led discussions, and a college fair with nearly 100 colleges represented.

Many alums and current students participated as well! Tray Hammond ’18, Shereem Herndon-Brown ’92, and Brennan Barnard ’92 all presented various sessions, and Shereem and Brennan were part of the keynote panel. Jess Lord ’90 represented Haverford at the college fair. Jhan Setthachayanon ’22 (Yale), Jon Ebataleye ’23 (MIT), Sydney Kostal ’23 (Santa Clara), Kaelin Martin ’24 (Spelman), Abena Onyinah ’24 (Davidson), and Lucia Sanchez ’24 (Swarthmore) joined the Young Alums Panel on Zoom. Current seniors Logan Luo, Tiantong Hu, Lucy Smith, Tessa Kipnis, Addison James, Angela Wang, Insaaf Imtiyaz, and Melissa Freeman all led sessions about various kinds of student activism.

It was a wonderful event and we’d like to thank our amazing College Counseling team, alum and student participants, volunteers, and all who helped make it such a success!

Enjoy more photos of the event here!

National Association of Physics Teachers

Anne Burns on December 19, 2025

On October 25, Westtown hosted the Southeast Pennsylvania Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers’ annual Demo Day. Physics teachers around Philadelphia and its neighboring areas (both active and retired) flocked here to share resources and ideas for physics demonstrations to use in classrooms. The attendees included high school teachers, college professors, and retired physics educators, including Westtown’s own former teacher Barry Feierman.

Niral Desai, who teaches physics here at Westtown and helped host the event, shared, “At the meeting we learned about ways to examine rotational motion, wave interference, electric fields, mechanical tension, general relativity, dark matter and much, much more within the confines of our classrooms. The attendees were all very grateful to Westtown for hosting this event, and all left with new perspectives and tools for teaching physics. We look forward to the next opportunity to host science conferences such as these!”

Quaker Activist Dwight Dunston Visits Westtown

Anne Burns on December 19, 2025

Dwight Dunston, a West Philly-based facilitator, hip-hop artist, educator, and activist, gave an assembly for our 7th-12th grade students about his work and Kingian Nonviolence, a philosophy and methodology for nonviolent conflict reconciliation developed from the work of Martin Luther King Jr. During the assembly, he led a few exercises with the audience and volunteer panelists, which inspired reflection and conversation.

Dwight also visited history teacher Marissa Colston‘s Peace and Justice class and religion teacher Lara Freeman‘s Environmental Justice class to discuss Kingian Nonviolence, and there was also an open session in the South Room for students to drop in and talk with Dwight to learn more about his life and work.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

Anne Burns on December 19, 2025

The following is an excerpt from the Friends Council on Education’s newsletter. The piece was written by Nic James and edited by Westtown’s Kelly Yiadom, Director of Equity, Justice, and Belonging for Lower and Middle Schools, and Anne Burns, Dean of Communications. Photos courtesy of Westtown School.

SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT

Westtown School is supporting student conversations around Native American Heritage through several authentic initiatives and programs.

All-School Initiatives

Westtown’s Equity, Justice, and Belonging team partnered with Beth Pellegrino, Director of Dining Services, to bring Mariah Gladstone to all three divisions of the school as a virtual speaker. Gladstone, an enrolled member of the Blackfeet and Cherokee Nations, is an environmental engineer, chef, and founder of Indigikitchen, an online platform dedicated to Indigenous food traditions and food sovereignty. Her presentation introduced students to the connections between culture, health, and land stewardship and highlighted the importance of preserving Indigenous knowledge.

Lower School

Lower School students welcomed Delaine “Dee” Tootsie-Chee, the grandmother of one of the students, to visit during their weekly Gathering. Tootsie-Chee is a member of the Hopi Tribe and belongs to the Asah/Roadrunner Clan. She demonstrated elements of Hopi hand-pottery making—sharing how she learned by observing her maternal clan relatives and describing traditional methods for pigmentation and burnishing with river stones, among other techniques.

Middle School

Over the summer, 8^th graders read Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. The story of sweetgrass parallels the experiences of Indigenous peoples facing displacement and the loss of ancestral lands to invasive species.

Also, along with their teachers, a few Middle School students with Native American heritage presented to their classmates this month. The goals of their presentation were to expand knowledge of and connection to Native Americans, celebrate the varied contributions of First Peoples to society, past, present, and future, and to move beyond recognition toward accountability and action.

Finally, Lenape Voices is an ongoing art and service project that seeks to honor more than 10,000 years of Lenape stewardship of the land. Throughout campus, 21 painted stones (ahsëna) display Lenape words and English translations. Visitors are invited to reflect on both the absence and presence of the Lenape people in this place.

Upper School

During Community Collection (the Upper School’s weekly student and faculty gathering), one of four Upper School students whose roots extend into an Indigenous nation spoke to their perspectives on ancestry, identity, relationship with the natural world, and governance systems built on peace, equity, and a collective responsibility. They urged their school community to not only remember the gifts and challenges of their heritage but also recognize their present and their future.

Excerpt from remarks by Oronhiatehka Maracle ’27:
“So as we celebrate Native American Heritage Month,
let’s not confine our thoughts to the past.
Let’s look forward to the faces yet to be born,
to the futures yet to unfold.

We are not relics.
We are not victims.
We are nations who endure.”

Exploring Westtown’s Quaker Roots

Anne Burns on December 19, 2025

On September 20, Joseph Daniels, Chair of Westtown’s History and Religion Department, offered a presentation on the history of Westtown School and Westtown Township’s Quaker tradition. With support from School Archivist Sara Mullen, Daniels traced the story from the Lenape roots of the land and the arrival of Quakers, to the founding of Westtown School as a boarding school envisioned by Philadelphia Friends in the late 18th century, to the present day.

Highlights included the story of John Dickinson—known as the “Penman of the Revolution”—who advocated for the creation of a Quaker school, and the history of James Gibbons, who received the land as a wedding gift in 1708 and whose descendants sold it to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in 1795 for the new school. Daniels explored how Quaker ideals of “useful and practical” education shaped the student experience, how the township and school influenced one another across the 1800s and 1900s, and how these traditions continue to inform Westtown today.

The presentation was warmly received by an enthusiastic audience, offering a window into the connection between community, land, and Quaker education.

Earth Day Celebrations

Lynette Assarsson on June 12, 2025

A focus on sustainability and the environment is embedded in much of our curriculum and practices, but on Earth Day, we enjoy special activities and celebrations. Some of the ways we celebrated on Earth Day included an all-school Meeting for Worship in the Greenwood, an all-vegan and a locally sourced lunch in our Green Star Certified Dining Room, an assembly with a student panel, and workshops centered on the theme “Finding Your Why and Empowerment.” The 17 workshops offered—which covered topics from bioremediation to clean energy at Westtown to environmental justice, to seed sharing pollinators, to name just a few—aimed to help to inspire students to get involved in sustainability work and to find the ways their passions and interests intersect with sustainability guided by the 17 Sustainable Development Goals created by the United Nations. Special thanks go to Mira Hartmann ’25 who was integral in organizing the day’s schedule, activities, and workshops in the Upper School.

In Middle School, teacher Courtney McKinley‘s eighth grade students headed outside to race the solar powered cars they had made. As Middle School Principal Will Addis shares, “The call to be stewards of a better world is implicitly and explicitly woven throughout the Middle School. In sixth grade science, the work STEM teacher Carlos Charriez and the students do cultivating plants in the greenhouse fosters a keen understanding of nature. In eighth grade social studies and science classes, students gain a broader understanding of climate change from both scientific and sociological perspectives. In Abby Lausch‘s seventh grade English Language Arts class, students learn to write persuasive letters to community leaders, which will alone them to hone their skills to be change makers. In the dining room, students eat food cultivated locally and debate which items go in the compost bowl and the Green Captain helps them get the decision right. Our outdoor education trips create a meaningful relationship with the world around them, with a ‘leave no trace’ focus. Our athletic program teaches our students to have positive personal lifelong health practices by exercising on our beautiful campus. Our Visiting Artist program also took a sustainability focus this year. Stephanie Rowley centered on using found materials to create a new work of art. Students manipulated the materials in a variety of ways, including sewing and knitting, to create a new work of art. The process had a zero waste focus, and highlighted the connection between us and the natural world. While we celebrate Earth Day each year, we observe the principles every day.”

Enjoy photos from this special day here!

Beyond the Classroom

Anne Burns on June 12, 2025

A signature experience for many students at Westtown are the school-sponsored trips which provide a variety of opportunities to learn and broaden their experience beyond the classroom. This year’s spring break trips offered cultural and language immersion, biodiveristy exploration, service, and political activism. Groups went to Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, and Washington, DC.

Puerto Rico
Spanish teacher and Puerto Rico trip leader Mercedes Ureña Durán shares, “I had the opportunity to travel Puerto Rico with 18 amazing students and two wonderful colleagues: Fernando Gomes and Franco Yannielli. Throughout the trip we enjoyed the richness the island has to offer through its music, customs, biodiversity, and vibrant culture which allowed for an unforgettable experience.

“Our trip was a mix of fun adventures, immersive learning and service experiences, sprinkled with opportunities to relax and soak in the island’s beauty. We started the trip in Old San Juan and learned about the history of the island and visited some important landmarks like El Morro. We then traveled and hiked deep in the tropical rainforest of El Yunque. It was a challenging uphill hike, nonetheless it was wonderful to have the opportunity to connect with nature in such a majestic setting surrounded by a lush forest of a variety of trees, including the native Yagrumo. The students were then rewarded with the chance to cool off by skidding down a natural rock slide into the refreshing waters that run through the forest.

“Visiting a local sustainable forest project called Casa de la Selva was a highlight of the trip for many students. Being deep in the forest and surrounded by nature allowed them to disconnect from technology and engage with each other. They supported the project by clearing the trail by cutting brush and fallen bamboo. It was tough work, but rewarding. Some students dug ditches that helped re-establish drainage to help proper water flow while others built steps along the trail which help to create easy access to the forest. After a day’s work, students got to be in community with each in a more connected way. One student brought yarn and taught other students how to make intricate braided bracelets, which became a favored unwinding activity after a day of work. As the sun set in the evenings we were delighted by the croaking of the endemic Coqui frogs which, although they are pretty small and sometimes hard to see, in unison they can make a cheerful and impactful sound.

“We traveled to Loiza to visit Samuel Lind, a local artist that celebrates Afro-Puerto Rican history and his passion for nature through his art and sculptures. Dancing was also an important part of the trip, as the students learned about Bomba and Salsa. We visited historic cities such as San Juan and Ponce and learned about the history of the Puerto Rican people. A favorite and unforgettable experience for many students was to experience the magic of nature at the Bioluminescent bay at La Parguera.

“Throughout the trip, Spanish immersion was our goal and it was wonderful to see the students practice their language skills outside of the classroom in authentic settings. To keep sharpening their writing skills students were encouraged to journal in Spanish throughout the trip as a way of encapsulating their daily experiences.”

Costa Rica

Science Department Chair and Environmental Science teacher Ryan Black led the trip to Costa Rica along with Megan Williams and describes it here:

“Students had a rewarding experience in Costa Rica during our biodiversity exploration! We spent the majority of the trip in Caño Negro, a remote wetland area and crucial migratory stopover for many bird species. The students did a fantastic job on several service projects, which included trail maintenance behind the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Mixto SINAC facility, camping platform sanding and staining, turning soil and building a greenhouse structure for a community garden, and conducting trash cleanup and recycling along local roadways.

“Several students made the most of our time there by waking up at 4:30 a.m. to observe birds, howler monkeys, and other wildlife at dawn. Highlights in Caño Negro included a biodiversity boat tour down the Río Frío, as well as a biodiversity talk and walk with local experts.

“After five days of hard work and manual labor, we traveled to Arenal Volcano, where we encountered sloths, coatis, and eyelash vipers during a unique hike to a scenic lookout point. There, students learned from our guide about the history and ecology of this impressive active volcano.

“We then visited the cloud forest in Monteverde, where students got a reprieve from the heat and were able to immerse themselves in a completely different ecosystem. Among the highlights was a thrilling night hike, where we spotted scorpions glowing under UV light, camouflaged glass frogs, hidden walking sticks, industrious leaf cutter ants, elusive kinkajous, stingless “blue cheese” bees, and a variety of other exotic wildlife. Students also zip-lined over the rainforest, bravely conquering the longest zip-line in Latin America, and explored the farming and processing of sugar cane, cacao, and coffee at the Don Juan Plantation. Many of the amazing species we encountered can be viewed on our iNaturalist project.“

Washington, DC

Teachers Lara Freeman and Jake Norton took a small group of students to Washington, DC, for the Friends Committee on National Legislation’s (FCNL) Spring Lobby Conference. FCNL is a”national, nonpartisan Quaker organization that lobbies Congress and the administration to advance peace, justice, and environmental stewardship.” The Spring Lobby Conference welcomes about 300 students from across the country to learn about active legislation, engage in trainings about lobbying, and meet with their representatives in Congress. This year’s conference focused on the threat to healthcare and food assistance. After their training sessions, students met with their representatives to lobby them to protect healthcare and food programs. Freeman shares, “We had a great trip and the students were fabulous advocates for protecting Medicaid and SNAP benefits as Congress works on its reconciliation budget.”

Upper School Welcomes Dr. Victor Garcia ’99

Lynette Assarsson on June 12, 2025

We recently had the honor of welcoming Dr. Victor Garcia ’03 to campus. Dr. Garcia is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at New York Medical College, where his groundbreaking research led to the discovery of a receptor (GPR75) involved in regulating obesity, diabetes, and cancer. He holds a patent and has contributed to the development of several drugs targeting these diseases. He is also deeply passionate about mentoring and empowering young scientists. Dr. Garcia visited classes, met with students, and spoke at the Upper School Assembly where he talked about his professional journey, his work, and his time at Westtown. Students were excited to engage with Dr. Garcia both in and out of the classroom.