Many have given to the Westtown Fund and to the Lighting the Way campaign already and we are so grateful for the generosity of this community. During our recent annual “thank-a-thon,” 28 Upper School students staffed the phones to call nearly 300 donors to show appreciation! We know the Westonians who spoke to students were happy to receive their calls, and we extend our thanks to our students as well for sharing their time!

In October, we launched Lighting the Way, a comprehensive campaign for Westtown. This campaign is the largest in the school’s history, and our goal is to raise $62 million. 

The campaign will increase our endowment to help ensure that all students and their families have access to and the ability to afford a Westtown education, and that our faculty may continue to engage in professional development opportunities. The campaign will also help us provide thoughtful community spaces that align with the way we teach, learn, and live as a community and sustain our beloved campus. 

But Lighting the Way is more than just a campaign—it is a call to action to sustain and amplify Westtown’s unique spirit. Please consider joining other Westonians in supporting this ambitious endeavor. For more information, please contact Dean of Advancement, Ellen Urbanski or call 610-399-7915.

Learn more about this campaign, our priority areas, see up-to-date details about our fundraising goals and the schedule Friends of Westtown events at our Lighting the Way website.

Westtown School has crossed a significant milestone: 225 years of Quaker education! On May 6, 1799, Westtown opened its doors to an inaugural co-ed class of forty students with the intent of providing a “guarded religious education” for Quaker families in the Philadelphia area. The journey to this historic day started over thirty years before, when prominent Philadelphia Quakers such as George Churchman advocated for the establishment of a Friends boarding school. The idea gained support following the founding of Ackworth School by London Yearly Meeting in 1779 and the publication of Owen Biddle’s “A Plan for a School” in 1790. Finally, in 1794, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting formed a committee to consider the proposal. It was accepted, and in 1795 a tract of land was purchased in Chester County from the Gibbons family. It is on this same six hundred acres that Westtown School still operates today, with over two centuries of experience providing an education grounded in Quaker principles.

Divisionally appropriate celebrations took place in each division. In Lower School Gathering, the students presented Head of School Chris Benbow with a big signed birthday card. Middle School observed a special birthday Collection, and in the Upper School, advisory groups recognized the birthday together. Finally, faculty, staff, and Upper School students gathered in the South Room and after a reading from the Student Body Presidents and a word from Benbow, everyone enjoyed the birthday cake(s)!

 In the fall, we will celebrate the 225th together in style at the all-school assembly at the opening of school, and at other events throughout the year, so stay tuned for more!

Congratulations to the Chinese Program! The Chinese Language Teachers Association (CLTA) just announced the 16 Chinese Programs awarded the “Distinguished K-12 Chinese Program in the United States” and Westtown School’s Chinese program is one of them. The Westtown School Chinese Program website captures some highlights of our Chinese program. We are excited that our program has received this honor and will be recognized nationally. Congratulations to teachers Bei Zhang, Nina Li, and Jie Song for their outstanding work!

The Award Ceremony to recognize the Distinguished K-12 Chinese Programs in the United States was held during the CLTA Annual Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, where Bei Zhang, Chair of the World Languages Department, accepted the award on behalf of the program.

The Westonian: Issue 1 2024 

Look for the latest issue of The Westonian in your mailbox! Remember that you can also always find digital versions of the magazine here on our website.

If you’d like to contribute a note for Class Notes for an upcoming issue, you may submit your note (and photo!) on this page of the website, or email the Alums Engagement Office at alums@westtown.edu. 

One last reminder: if your physical or email address changes, please be in touch with the Alums Engagement Office to update your contact information!

We are thrilled to share that our Dining Room has been re-certified as a 4-star Green Restaurant this year! Special thanks go to Chef Josh Jackson and the Green Coalition, our Upper School sustainability club. Some of the hard work that contributed to the re-certification includes: 

🌱Removing single-use disposables from the Dining Room
🌱Returning to a no-plastic-water-bottle policy in the Upper School
🌱A roll-out of the Green Container Program (a check-out and return system for reusable to-go containers)
🌱Collecting and composting kitchen waste on site
🌱Removing single use sauce packets, switched to AWSM sauce condiments (co-founded by Westtown alum Paul Lehmann ’99)
🌱When possible, products are purchased from local sources first

Wow! We did it! Thanks to the generosity of 542 donors, we not only met our goal of $200,000 but also exceeded it by $91,824! This sets a new record as Westtown’s most successful day of giving.

Gifts to the Westtown Fund provide critical resources for our students, faculty, staff, and community, including financial aid, program support, and professional development. The Westtown Fund is an essential source of revenue, providing 5% of our operating budget. 

In addition to the significant impact of the dollars raised, 1799 Day showcased the spirit of philanthropy from Westonians around the world! Thank you!