The focus on these values, such as integrity, community, and equality, have impacted me deeply and helped to shape the person I am today. I understand the importance of treating people with kindness and respect, and I have learned what it means to be a good community member. Being taught these things at a young age, and having these values modeled to me by the adults in the community, have helped me to become a caring and kind person, and have enabled me to use my voice for the common good of the community. With the help and support of my teachers through the years, I have learned how to build strong friendships and how to take care of those friendships. I would not trade my experience at FFS for any other school.

As I prepare to leave this special school, I know that I am ready to tackle the challenges of high school and to apply all of these values which now guide my life. Even though it saddens me to have to leave FFS after all these years, I am able to look forward to new experiences in a new environment. I will be going to another Quaker school for High school, where I will be able to carry these values with me and continue to learn what it means to let my life speak through my actions. I am eager to help enrich a new community, and to build bonds with new friends. FFS has always encouraged me to be open minded and to build bonds with people from many different backgrounds. FFS has also taught me to work hard and to take pride in my work, and I know that these values will help me to apply  myself to my work and be a successful high school student.

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One of the experiences I am most grateful for is being our school mascot, Frankie the Frankford-friendly River Otter. I have loved being Frankie this year because of how the younger students look up to and appreciate me. I feel so happy knowing that they will treasure their memories of time spent with Frankie, whether at special school events or during surprise visits to their classrooms. Being chosen to be Frankie is a great honor, given to one 8th grader who exemplifies what it means to be a good community member and student. I take pride in how I have helped and treated my community here at FFS, and in all of my academic achievements.

When I was a younger student here at FFS we did not have a school mascot, and I am grateful to have been part of giving this experience to the younger kids who are here today. Frankie exemplifies Quaker values by modeling kindness, respect, and stewardship to our students and campus, and by being inclusive and welcoming to everyone. I’m glad to have been a part of passing these values down to the younger children of FFS.

Noemi Wong Shing
Frankford Friends School, Class of ’23

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