FriendsMail - 2/22/26

February 22, 2026

One more week of cold and gloomy February and then Everything's Coming Up Spring!

Rather than wishing it all away in hurried hopes of warmer days, let's slow down this week and reflect on what this past Winter gave us. Take this time to hold the last few months close to your heart, both tribulations and successes. Sit with it, honor how it helped you grow, and then let go of what will no longer serve you in the new season. Let's be grateful for the experiences of our past, and make space for the blessings of our future.

Have a wonderful Sunday, Friends. ✨

Did you happen to notice the rare, triple-overlap of holidays this past week? Mardi Gras, Lunar New Year, and the first night of Ramadan all within the same 24-hour period.
Preschool students loved each celebration, but something about a Mardi Gras inspired mask just hits different when you're out on the playground with your buddies.

This week at the Middle School Meeting for Worship, Cameron invited us all to reflect on times when we’ve had to persevere, even when the easier choice might have been to give up. His message felt perfectly timed. With the first hints of spring in the air, there’s a sense of renewal all around campus, a time for fresh starts, new growth, and the energy that comes with the warmer air after a pretty cold start to 2026.

I shared with our students that this week also marks the beginning of Lent. Having grown up in a Catholic household and attended Catholic schools, Ash Wednesday was always a day of both symbolism and sacrifice. I remember clearly the mark of ashes on my forehead and, perhaps more vividly, the Friday school lunch of a smelly tuna or curried egg sandwich, in place of my standard strasburg and tomato sauce sandwich. In Australia, we hardly need an excuse to eat fish and chips for any meal, especially when they come wrapped in old newspaper or butcher’s paper, but still, the Friday night ritual carried meaning during Lent.

In those days, Lent was about giving something up, about sacrifice in its most literal sense. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to see it differently. Rather than what we deny ourselves, the season can also be defined by what we add. More kindness, more patience, more generosity, more grace. Faith, for me, has evolved into something rooted in everyday opportunity. To serve, to care, and to do better.

I challenged our middle schoolers to think about their own relationships, with each other, their teachers, and their families. How might they persevere with kindness and good intention, even when it’s easier to give up or withdraw? How might they choose to do more in small but meaningful ways?

This invitation, I reminded them, isn’t limited to those observing Lent, or any faith tradition at all. In times when our larger world can feel divided, it feels even more important for our community to pause and reflect on how we connect, how we listen, and how we extend understanding, even to those we don’t always see eye to eye with.

May this season of early spring bring each of us a moment of renewal and a reminder of the power of perseverance grounded in compassion.

Thank you to all of the generous parents who helped organize the bagel breakfast in honor of Teacher Appreciation this past Friday!

We love to celebrate our teachers in a different way each month, so be on the lookout for the next Teacher Appreciation event!

From left to right:
Bea Franklin, Luc Adams, Rose Fimbel,
Tilley Battle, Marlowe Kresge

Earlier this year, our 5th-grade students began a dynamic cross-curricular experience as they explored the significance of water through visual storytelling. Connected to their year-long thematic science unit, this project challenged students to apply their understanding of water's importance in authentic and creative ways in the art classroom.

For the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority "Value of Water" contest, students developed thoughtful, visual statements about the role water plays in their lives. We are proud to share that five students' artworks were selected for the 2025-26 CFPUA calendar-- an exciting honor that celebrates both their artistic achievement and academic learning.

Congratulations to our talented young artists!

This year, our 8th grade scientists have taken a deep dive into the study of water quality through hands-on fieldwork and real-world experiences.

The journey began in August when students investigated our own campus retention pond. Using a battery of UNCW Vernier loaned sensors, they collected and analyzed water quality data just like environmental scientists in the field.

In October, students traveled to Lake Waccamaw, where they met with the Waccamaw Riverkeeper to learn how water quality is monitored in natural ecosystems. During this visit, students had the opportunity to work with high-end professional monitoring interfaces, expanding their understanding of advanced data collection techniques.

Last week, students completed this year-long throughline with visits to the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant and the Northside Wastewater Treatment Plant. At the Sweeney facility, they learned about the city’s new PFAS carbon filtration system and how drinking water is treated to meet safety standards. At the Northside plant, students saw firsthand how wastewater is processed and returned safely to the environment.

These fascinating tours brought classroom learning to life and provided students with a comprehensive look at how water quality is monitored, protected, and maintained on a municipal scale.

Earlier this week, we were delighted to welcome Nora Keane from the Loblolly Garden Club to our campus. On behalf of the club, Nora donated four beautiful new bluebird boxes to our school community! In the next two weeks, we'll decide where to install these boxes so our campus bluebirds (or wrens, titmice, or chickadees) have a place to raise their young. Thanks to Nora and Loblolly Garden Club for their support of our wild birds at Friends School!

Eastern Bluebirds are year-round residents in NC and begin building their first nest of the year in late winter or early spring. As secondary cavity nesters, bluebirds depend upon natural cavities or nest boxes provided by helpful humans. For more info about Eastern Bluebirds, check out this link to Cornell Lab's All About Birds.

Click on the image to be taken to the registration page

We're always looking for volunteers to help with our monthly dinner shifts at Good Shepherd Center! Follow the link HERE to sign up for any of the upcoming shifts, now through August!
We serve on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 4:30-7:00 PM at 811 Martin Street.
Come lend a hand and be part of this meaningful community effort!