With an eye for proportion and a knack for managing extraordinary photography and art,  local photographer Michael Black and local artist William Snyder III worked for several months to disassemble, digitize, preserve, and reassemble a 6 foot by 17 foot student-created piece of art with a message.  Saturday, September 28th, Head of School Donnan Stoicovy and several middle school students who worked on the mural will unveil it for its first public viewing.

With grant funding from the Southern Poverty Law Center and Friends Council On Education, along with independent funds raised by Middle School teacher Bailey Kellermann, the mural will be shared with other interested organizations or institutions around the country.

Leading up to the school's Martin Luther King Jr. Day recognition last January, Middle School Teacher Bailey Kellermann and 11 of her students came up with an idea to create a mural, depicting the civil rights leader’s Birmingham, Alabama, jail mugshot.   What started out as a painting project on large bulletin board paper kept evolving as the students and Kellermann continued to talk.
The students decided to add graphic details representing information about the Black Lives Matter movement, lynchings and police killings in the United States — all topics which had been part of classroom conversations in social studies.

Titled Until All of Us Are Free, students shared the work of creating Dr. King’s portrait, researching the names of black individuals fatally shot by police in 2017, making  3,446 white paint thumbprints and 223 red thumbprints, representing the black individuals (reported) lynched in the United States since 1882 and the number of black people who were fatally shot by police in 2017.

When the large tempura paint and paper artwork was installed on the school lobby bulletin board, it immediately received attention from parents, students, and visitors to the school.  The size alone resulted in curiosity. Students of all ages learned about the work in ways that were developmentally appropriate. 

As attention grew around the content and creativity, so did interest from outside groups in having the piece on loan.  That's where Michael Black and William Smith lll came into the conversation.  The grant and independent fundraising made it possible to have the piece reproduced in its entirety and now it can be shared with others.

​U.S. Secretary of Education Names State College Friends School 2019 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School
The U.S. Department of Education has named State College Friends School as one of 35 schools among the 2019 U.S.Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award honorees.  The federal department  named Friends School as a community that explores social justice and environmental sustainability the Quaker way.
While there were more than twenty illustrations presented in the award application of the ways in which Friends School participates in stewardship and environmental sustainability such as use of solar panels and all-school recycling, several highlights were acknowledged:

• In 2018 the school received the prestigious Centre County Emerald award from the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority for being a  “Green Business Partner;
• classrooms use composting bins to collect food waste that is added to an outdoor compost container.  This rich organic waste is used on the student gardens to produce vegetables used in school cooking;
• in addition to several daily periods of vigorous outdoor play, students and teachers participate in a Monday morning all-school/all-weather walk  to stimulate deep breathing, aerobic response, and enjoyment of nature;
• faculty members participate in on-going train-the-trainer professional development programs including Project Learning Tree, Project WILD, Project WET, Healthy Water/Healthy People, and Agriculture in the Classroom. In addition, teachers place an emphasis on STEM in their hands-on curriculum in all grades Pre-K through 8.

“As a school deeply steeped in the Quaker testimonies of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Stewardship, we learn the basics of caring for ourselves so that we may care for others, our material possessions, our school and community, and the environment,” said Donnan Stoicovy, head of school.  “As we practice these skills as a school community and continue to learn about the impact of our actions, we become more impassioned and dedicated to care for the earth.”
D. Wayne Bender, director for the Hardwood Development Council of the PA Department of Agriculture commented, “After a one day visit to this school this spring I know this is a well deserved honor.”  Students had an opportunity to participate in an interactive program with Bender earlier this year when he visited the school with the PA Woodmobile, sponsored by the PA Hardwoods Council.  They  learned about soft and hard woods, sustainable use of native trees, the challenges of managing  invasive species and insects.
Across the country, 35 schools, 14 districts, and four postsecondary institutions are being honored for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education.
The honorees were named from a pool of candidates nominated by 28 states. The selectees include 25 public schools, including three magnet schools and two charter schools, as well as 10 nonpublic schools. Thirty-six percent of the 2019 honorees serve a disadvantaged student body.
The list of all selected schools, districts, colleges, and universities, as well as their nomination packages, can be found here. A report with highlights on the 53 honorees can be found here. More information on the federal recognition award can be found here.
 

Intergenerational fair designed to strengthen families, enhance communities
 
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The State College Friends School and Penn State's Intergenerational Leadership Institute are partnering to host the area's first community-wide intergenerational gathering, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 1, at the State College Friends School, 1900 University Drive.
 
Organizers say the Intergenerational Friends Fair is designed to bring together participants of all ages for activities including art, storytelling, music, baking, dancing, gardening and other activities. The day-long event also will feature interactive exhibits and events planned by local organizations working to expand opportunities for intergenerational communication, learning and living throughout the State College area.
 
The event is an offshoot of the intergenerational programming retreat held last fall and organized by members of the Intergenerational Leadership Institute, a certificate training program for adults ages 55 and older. More than 50 concerned individuals and organizations convened to share information about local resources available to older adults; discuss the need for increased opportunities for intergenerational housing, recreation and other services; and brainstorm ways to create outlets for elders to share history, wisdom and skills, while also learning new skills and interests from younger citizens.
 
"There's a treasure trove of history, expertise and creativity among older adults in our community," said Lori Pacchioli, director of advancement for State College Friends School.
 
Having worked with older adults in a retirement community setting for more than 10 years before joining Friends School, Pacchioli said she has experienced firsthand the gifts that older adults have to offer, especially to young children, teens and young families.
 
"Often, in our society, older adults become isolated and then somewhat invisible; their gifts are hidden," said Pacchioli. "When I attended the Intergenerational Leadership Institute workshop and learned about the great work being done locally to build programs that foster the sharing of time, experience, skills and friendship across generations, I knew immediately that Friends School could be a bridge-builder by hosting a community-wide event."
 
Matt Kaplan, professor of intergenerational programs and aging in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and coordinator of the Intergenerational Leadership Institute, noted that the fair will provide a unique opportunity.
 
"By now, most people have heard the saying, 'It takes a village to raise a child.' Well, the Intergenerational Friends Fair is all about strengthening the intergenerational village," he said. "The event will be a multimedia celebration of the bonds of caring and community that connect and enrich the lives of all generations."
 
Stephan Goetz, professor of agricultural and regional economics and director of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, which is providing partial support for the Intergenerational Friends Fair, emphasized the community-building significance of the event. "This event will highlight some ways in which the skills, knowledge and experience of older adults help to strengthen families and contribute to community quality of life for all residents, regardless of age."
 
In many ways, the Friends School is the perfect place to hold the Intergenerational Friends Fair, according to Pacchioli. This pre-K to 8th grade independent school has a long-standing relationship with Foxdale Village, a neighboring retirement community. Highlights from some of the Foxdale/Friends School intergenerational projects will be on display at the event.
 
This family-friendly event also will feature more than a dozen hands-on exhibits and activities developed by other community organizations that run intergenerational programs and activities. Businesses and organizations with related interests can submit requests for programming or exhibit space to Pacchioli at lori@scfriends.org.
 
State College Friends School is an independent pre-K through 8th grade school offering vigorous academics in a nurturing environment, where the Quaker testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship are the foundation of curriculum and culture of the school.
 
The Intergenerational Leadership Institute is a certificate training program offered by Penn State for adults ages 55 and older wishing to develop or expand intergenerational programs in their areas of interest. The institute is co-sponsored by the Centre County Office of Aging, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Centre County office of Penn State Extension, Penn State Center for Healthy Aging, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Office of Multicultural Affairs, and the Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State. For more information, contact Matt Kaplan at msk15@psu.edu.

​It was a partly cloudy day when the State College Friends School went to the Penn State Arboretum on Arbor Day. We Students in grades Kindergarten to eighth grade eagerly exited the buses and began the field trip with singing about how important the planet is. After singing a few of our favorite songs, including “I am the Earth,” the school separated into groups. We explored the Arboretum by going to different stations around the area. We learned about how our water level is decreasing. We also learned how to tell the age of a tree by counting the rings on the inside of the tree.
The field trip helped us to more deeply understand some of the lessons we learn in our classrooms. 

Our 2/3 students sell seeds to raise money for our school gardens.  Seed orders are due by February 7th and will be delivered to Friends School before Spring Break.  All are welcome and encouraged to support this student-led fund raiser by ordering seeds. Link: Seeds

Students in K-4th grade at Friends School will have an opportunity on Friday afternoons to discover new interests, participate in community-building activities, deepen their knowledge in a favorite subject area, and/or develop a new hobby through a new program directed by Karen Maynard.  Karen will work with teachers, staff, community members, parents, and most importantly - students,  to craft a rich mosaic of programming to enhance the Friends School curriculum.

Karen is a Penn State graduate with a B.S. in Childhood Education and a minor in Human Development and Family Studies.  She has served as a Friends School Summer Camp co-director and counselor,  and most recently taught at the Bennett Family Center at Penn State.  In addition to her new role as enrichment leader, Karen will be the  teaching assistant for the 2/3 classrooms.

With a background in music and dance, and a deep interest in handicrafts, nature, and learning new things, Karen will  bring creativity, experience, and passion for working with children to Friends School.  "Once students have an opportunity to settle in to the new school year, we'll start the Friday Afternoon Enrichment Program with a series of multi-age activities to build our own school community," said Karen, when asked to describe her ideas for roll out of the new initiative. These activities will include ice-breaker and team-building games, team-work challenges, and a local field trip. 

"Faculty, staff, and parents have offered so many ideas for rich programming throughout the year -- from photography and journaling to  rocket science, drumming, rock collecting, financial literacy . . . the list goes on,"  said  Karen with a big, bright smile.  Head of School Donnan Stoicovy and other staff say they are eager to hear from students about which avenues to pursue to satisfy their interests.  "We have the scaffolding in place for this new venture, a solid idea of what our schedule will look like,  and a terrific leader to organize and grow the program," said Donnan.  "Now we just need to start school!"