I have been going to Quaker schools for the past six years of my life, which rivals the amount of time I’d spent in secular elementary school and the brief moment I had spent in a Presbyterian preschool. At first, I didn’t fully understand how it worked, which led to me yelling across the room in my first-ever meeting for worship, and many more meetings where I was disengaged. Now that I’m looking back on these memories, however, I cannot help but be happy that I got to experience being in a Quaker school.
Growing up, I was raised in a church that found the spirit of God in clapping and dancing, passionate sermons, and vivacious music. I thought the only way to have a higher being hear my voice was to yell out for him every Sunday. But now I have Wednesdays when I sit in contemplative silence to have that same spirit simply come to me.
Something that I love about Quakerism is the core belief that there is light within all of us. There is no hierarchy, no one is above anybody else; we simply are. There is a great sense of relief in knowing that I am holy regardless of how I show up in life.
I find this same belief permeates through the way I am taught in my classes. I have been met with kindness, understanding, and love by my teachers, even when I am not doing the best in their class. It feels as if my light never dims, and it gives me hope that I am still capable of greatness.
To be honest, I am not a scholar of Quaker beliefs and values, I am just pulling from the knowledge that I have accumulated throughout my time in Quaker schooling. However, that does not change the fact that I would not be where I am today without a Quaker education.
Ianka • Nov 8, 2024 at 9:35 am
I agree with this persons point of view on quakerism and this school in general. I know that I don’t fully appreciate meeting for worship but I can say that I appreciate it more than I did from the first week of school. It is a space were we all come together and people feel many emotions. I love that it gives us a chance to reflect on ourselves and the situations happening in our life’s. This environment is really different then from what I grew up around and I am very glad. I love how welcoming this community is and I am forever grateful to be here.
Ben Cui • Nov 7, 2024 at 9:13 am
I agree with this point of view very much. I was born in a Christian family. My parents, grandparents, and even my grandparents’ parents are Christians. I am also a devout Christian, which makes me feel very honored. I don’t know when it started, but at least since I can remember, I go to church every Sunday to worship God. God also loves me very much and has allowed me to witness many miracles. I think if I were to say specifically how much God loves me, this website would not be able to contain it.
Jahz • Nov 6, 2024 at 7:22 pm
I agree with her perspective on Quakerism at this school and how it is different from others. She talked about how she feels everyone is equal in this school and how classes feel open and safe, both of which I agree with. She also speaks about how meeting for worship is very different from church, which I feel is the same. I have gone to a Quaker school for 8 years and the more I do meetings for worship the more grateful I am for it. It is very different from church as she said, where I have experienced brief moments of silence followed by loud music and constant preaching. In church, there isn’t much time to be in your thoughts and even less to be in silence, but at AFS I get the chance to sit in silence and relax for one hour each week. This practice helps destress the school day and is something I am grateful to have since most schools don’t give this opportunity.
Tsukki • Nov 5, 2024 at 3:44 pm
I have been attending this school since first grade and although I am not quaker, a lot of the quaker activities (MFW in particular) that we practice at this school have really begun to grow on me. Having that period of time throughout the busy work week to just sit, think and reflect. I guess it starts to grow/ resonate with you as you transition through the different stages of the school. For example, as a lower schooler you don’t have much responsibilities and you’re also just full of energy, so you wouldn’t see MFW as a necessary activity. However, it grows on you as you move through middle school and high school as the workload becomes heavier and things begin to become more hectic and overstimulating.
Zoe • Oct 31, 2024 at 10:32 am
I agree with this perspective because like the person in the article I am also new to Quaker school. At first I had trouble with meeting for worship and sometimes I still do, but after doing it for a couple weeks it became a place for me to just be able to think without distraction or just be at rest. I also come from a religion where worship is typically in a church and loud, like singing and praise dancing so it took me a while to appreciate what Meeting for worship had to offer.
NJ'28 • Oct 30, 2024 at 10:23 am
I am not of the quaker of “Religion” but I have been going to a quaker school for 10 years now. My religion is similar to Quakerism in certain aspects but not the same. This article gives me new appreciation for meeting for worship. Sometimes I enjoy Metting for worship and other times It’s not my favorite. I am trying to learn to use that space as a space of gratitude for all the things that I do and have. Things like having an education form a private school. Although sometimes I don’t think it’s that big of a deal it does make a difference.
Desmond • Oct 30, 2024 at 8:52 am
I believe the only time I use my Quakerism is during MFW. However from the short amount of time ive attended AFS MFW has helped me more than I think. Although I sometimes look down apart it MFW actually helps me reflect. I can solve certain problems that are going on in my life by simply reflecting in silence. Realizing what I’ve don’t and what I’m doing and how I can be better is helping me everyday as a person. I hope in the future I can find other ways to reflect to keep my peace.
Kevin • Oct 30, 2024 at 8:35 am
Why I am Grateful for My Quaker Education: This article mainly talk about the author journey in Quaker school: from don’t know the rules to be respect to it. So it reflect the change to be in the quaker, it will make a person be respectful to others and so on.The educational philosophy of Quaker schools emphasizes that “there is light in everyone.” Like even they don’t feel well of a day, they will still encourage others and show respect. The author from the past “seeking God in the noise” to the present “feeling God in the silence” really surprised me. This really a big change. As a Chinese, I don’t know a lot about religion, but i am happy to learn it. From this article I know a lot about the Quaker this religion, it belief is really good.
steven • Oct 30, 2024 at 8:26 am
I agree with the article that the inspiration can be expressed through many ways. There is no different between using the action or the silence to express. The ways is different, but we all have the light inside. The thought of the light inside that shows the idea of the equality and the inner worth resonated with me. We have a similar meeting for worship every Wednesday. There are always somebody that says some inspire and teach me. Based on my experience, I notice that the quaker more like to let people think of theirselves and be connected to the god in silence without anyone’s guidance.
Ciera • Oct 30, 2024 at 8:22 am
This is my second year at AFS and second year of being familiar with the concept of quakerism. I completely understand the feeling of only knowing one way to communicate with god. When I first came to AFS I thought MFW was “annoying , stupid, and unnecessary”. I learned in time that Meeting for Worship is a time essentially for you. You have time to sit in silence and be present with my thoughts and the spirits of those around me. I grew up Jewish so we share many of the same values and aspects as Quakers. I find that a lot of times in temple we sit in silence with each other and mourn for those who have left us or give our prayers to someone in need. The quaker path is all around us and we may use it more than we think.
Quincy • Oct 20, 2024 at 5:57 pm
I agree with your perspective, it gives me a better understanding of how my peers experience MFW but also how I can also experience it. From my first MFW until now I have found that it serves as a contrast to the traditional mass that I attended at church, and in catholic school for 5 years. It also served as a comparison to chapel time where we sat in silence for relatively the same time. This comparison that I have is in essence the same thing, but I feel a slight difference when it comes to chapel time. We sat in the pews in silence without a query or anything like that. Thinking about it now did no good as my mind would tend to wander onto other thighs instead of focusing on the task at hand. Quaker worship serves as a more reflective alternative to what I experienced and in my opinion is a better alternative as well.
Dahlia • Oct 18, 2024 at 11:05 am
I definitely have had a similar experience attending a quaker school. I went to public school up until ninth grade so the contrast between the two types of education has stuck out to me. Personally, I enjoy meeting for worship as a time to take a pause in my week and embrace silence. I have less of a religious understanding of it, but I value the purpose it serves. I also agree with many of the Quaker values, despite not being Quaker, and it is interesting to reflect on how they play a role in the education I receive. I really agree with your perspective on how teachers welcome you in the classroom and think I’ve been able to appreciate the importance of being met this way in a learning environment because I haven’t attended a friends school my whole life.
Natalie • Oct 17, 2024 at 8:28 pm
I have also experienced a variety of religious settings, having been from three different schools, all consisting of three different religions, including a Jewish Elementary School, a Catholic Middle School, and now a Quaker high school. All of these experiences have held me to a certain standard of acceptance and understanding, making me view religions in different ways and fully understand the differences between them and the beliefs and practices that are incorporated into them. All these religions hold core values, but so far, Quakerism has held the most interesting and immersive one, that “light is within all of us.” The perspective that this article offers to me creates an even deeper understanding of what this means, and when Aquilla states that the light within us “never dims,” I feel even more connected and, most importantly, conformed to the Quaker values by, am surrounded by today in high school.
Sam • Oct 17, 2024 at 7:48 pm
Having been at quaker schools for almost ten years, I am very used to meeting for worship and Quaker environments. But I don’t think it is something I have always thought about. It just became a part of daily life. Reading this article invited me to think about how being at a Quaker school has affected my education and my life at school. I agree with how you mentioned feeling valued in your classes even when it’s not your best course. I have always had teachers who honored the light within everyone and didn’t change their perception of me based on a grade, and that’s something I really value. I think AFS is a more supportive environment because it is a Quaker school.
chloe • Oct 17, 2024 at 6:28 pm
I definitely agree with this article because I understand what it is like to not be able to fully grasp the idea of Quakerism and the values that go along with it. I spent about 15 years of my life in public school and I didn’t see any issues in that, I thought there was no other way to school. But, after being at AFS for 2 years now, I understand why Quaker schools are still a very prominent thing. At my first meeting for worship, I didn’t fully understand it. I honestly felt a bit uncomfortable by the silence and I had a hard time sitting still. But, sure enough, I’m now well adapted to it and I look forward to the silence it brings. MFW allows me to collect my thoughts and connect with myself deeper than I thought was possible, something I greatly appreciate. Although I’m not very religious, I completely understand why Quakerism is a valued faith/ religion because it is rooted in the belief that all individuals are equal, and that is something that holds much value.
Casey Smothers • Oct 17, 2024 at 1:47 pm
I think this article is really beautiful in the way that it touches on the simple ways in which AFS’ Quaker values shape its students and school culture. I think that especially the use of silence, not just in meetings but at the start of class and meetings is integral to keeping students centered. Providing that little moment to simply be with your thoughts can be a great tool for processing whatever you just came from, preparing for what comes next, or simply allowing yourself to exist free of outside distractions for a little while. I think oftentimes the little ways in which our Quaker culture impacts us go unnoticed but without them, this would be a very different community.
Ethan • Oct 17, 2024 at 1:42 pm
I do agree that a quaker education is by far the best foundational based learning that I have had an experience with. Even though I can’t say I have connected directly to meaningful worship in school I can say that it definitely say that it has prompted me to develop meaningful spiritual practices individually outside of school. I think that over my years of quaker education I have developed some of the benefits of quakerism in terms of a more peaceful and open mindset towards identifying groups outside of my own. I completely resonate with the difference between meaningful worship and my traditional church. they are at a complete contrast from one another, whilst manful worship is completely silent my church doesn’t have a moment that is quiet. The closest my church gets to being quiet is when the pastor is praying and even then he is speaking through a microphone. I am very thankful for the experience of being apart of another form of worship that respects my beliefs while giving me insight on a different culture.
Jenny • Oct 17, 2024 at 12:40 pm
I highly agree with the perspective in this article that “ I would not have become who I am now without Quaker education, I also think all the experience I had made me who I am now because of the butterfly effect. I am also grateful for this Quaker education with an expectation of gaining the Quaker spirit in the future. What’s more, to certain extents, Quakerism avoids me lots of troubles that I might have had such as racism, competitive classmates and mean people. I didn’t have similar experience during MFW but I do like it. I get to have the opportunity to relax and meditate. I didn’t participate in other faith, but I do know in some faiths, people don’t collaborate, they compete against each other and reach out to their “God” for being better than others.
Henry Goldstein • Oct 17, 2024 at 11:13 am
I think the only time I really think about my Quaker education and exposure to Quakerism is during MFW, but I think it’s very important. Like most students at AFS, I am not a Quaker. Whenever I go to ciabatta or holiday services, there is rarely a moment of silence during prayer and worship. But I think Quakerism is special because it is more personal. IN MFW you can worship, pray, think, and believe whatever you want. I think that makes Quakerism stand out from the rest, which makes AFS and Quakerism important to me.
John • Oct 17, 2024 at 10:58 am
I am super grateful for my Quaker education. I have been part of Quaker communities since I was 4 or 5. I used to go to a Quaker meeting despite my opposed religious beliefs purely for the morals and ethics that I stand within the Quaker community. I have attended a Quaker summer camp since 9 where I now work as a camp counselor for the past 3 years. I’ve found wonderful trusting communities in every Quaker environment I’ve been to. No other school leaves their lockers unlocked and has no issues with it. The public school I used to go to would have lockers broken into. Going to AFS has been a great experience for me and helped me grow as a person. I’m very happy I chose to go here.
Cat • Oct 17, 2024 at 8:56 am
I also have a great appreciation for attending a Quaker school. While I’ve only experienced four years of a Quaker education (all at Abington Friends School), opposed to six, I also feel that the connections I have made with Quaker ideology will last me a lifetime. My understanding of my inner light, and acknowledging that that of God exists in everyone, is something I too have gained from Abington Friends. I do not attend any other religious meetings, so I have no experience to compare meetings for worship too, but what I do know and love about Quaker meetings in comparison with others is that there isn’t a higher power mediating your connection with God and yourself.
Jaydon • Oct 16, 2024 at 7:30 am
I really like this perspective on Quaker learning, I also grew up in church so I have a pretty similar understanding of worship. I first started participating in Quaker worship when I joined AFS in 9th grade so it was pretty hard for me to make that adjustment from screaming, shouting, and singing, to utter silence. But as I’ve grown and changed over these [past few years it has become easier for me to find some sort of solace in the silence that takes place in meeting for worship. It allows me to think about both myself and my faith in a different light than I usually would. This also applies to my learning, I think the Quakerly meetings that I’ve been attending have helped me approach my schoolwork differently, they have allowed me to process my thoughts in a more peaceful and less sporadic way
Grace Moore • Oct 16, 2024 at 7:26 am
I agree with the perspective of this article, I think that Quaker education is a very unique and impactful experience to have. Not many schools have the same perspective on teaching as a quaker school does, and that is a valuable education to be able to have.
I often just use meeting for worship as a way to decompress and to relax, but I agree with the idea that it is a time when the spirit is able to find individuals, and I think that is what moves people to speak.
I think I have had a very similar experience as the author, I occasionally go to church on Sundays and I went to a catholic middle school. There are a lot of rules and structure on the ‘right’ way to worship in a catholic church, but that isn’t really seen in Quaker worship, you don’t have to recite a specific prayer, move your hands in a certain way, etc, etc.
Aly • Oct 16, 2024 at 7:20 am
This article really touches on the childhood Quaker experience a lot! Many of us including me wrote college essays or supplementals about it so the timing is really telling. Growing up quaker was hard, I really hated Meeting for Worship when I was in like 2-6th grade but around when Covid started to hit I really started to appreciate all it has done for me! I was a very emotional kid and so learning how to settle in silence really grounded me and helped me to calm down in moments of stress. It is a great way to be raised as a kid and I don’t regret it at all
Lauren • Oct 16, 2024 at 7:16 am
Hi Aquilla! This is a beautifully written article, good job. I completely agree with your point about not being where you are today without a Quaker education. When it comes to AFS specifically we are a Quaker and a college preparatory school. As a result, AFS is teaching you how to carry yourself in everyday life, socially and academically. Although I am a Christian and I go to Church every Sunday, I believe that peace and equality should be a key aspect for everything and everyone. Quakerism and Christianity are closely intertwined with the belief of finding a light in each person and AFS help each student nourish their natural gifts!
Daniel • Oct 16, 2024 at 7:16 am
I agree with this perspective. I’ve also spent the majority of my education, elementary and middle school years, in secular schools. AFS is the first school where the curriculum/school is built around a belief. Quakerism at AFS/meeting for worship allows me a different kind of worship to what I believe in. I’ve also grown up Christian and I attend Church services; everyone interacts through singing and praising with a loud voice. During meetings for worship, I get to think about God in a silent setting. I’m still getting used to staying quiet and not moving. I’m grateful that this quaker practice has given me a new experience in worshiping God.
John McCracken • Oct 16, 2024 at 7:14 am
to be honest, I have overlooked my quaker education and I sometimes forget that I am attending a “religious” school. I like how its all a similarity between all the students and people in the community at AFS. Its something we all share and we all have a different perspective of the same thing. We all get something different out of it. I don’t consider myself to be a quaker but I agree with a lot of the quaker values and it goes give me a sense of peace within. I have been at AFS since 4th grade and over the course of my schooling at AFS my feelings and opinions on MFW have changed several times, but now that I am here as as senior, I have come to live in the moment and let myself enjoy the moment.