From Curiosity to Confidence: How UFS Middle Schoolers Learn to Lead

At United Friends School, middle school isn’t just about preparing for high school, it’s about becoming the kind of person who’s ready to lead with compassion, curiosity, and courage. From 6th through 8th grade, students at UFS grow in a community shaped by Quaker testimonies: Simplicity, Peace & Social Justice, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship.

These aren’t abstract ideals. They’re woven into everyday life, helping students develop their minds, bodies, and spirits in deeply connected ways.

A Dynamic Program That Inspires Growth

The middle school years at UFS are designed to be both grounding and expansive. With a mix of grade-specific classes and blended cohorts, 6th, 7th/8th-grade students experience the best of both worlds: academic focus and peer-to-peer learning. This structure encourages meaningful collaboration, mentorship across age groups, and a deeper sense of community.

Core subjects like Math, Science, and Humanities are taught through an inquiry-based lens that invites curiosity and critical thinking. These are complemented by co-curricular classes in the arts, Spanish, physical education, and Quakerism, offering students a well-rounded, hands-on education that speaks to the whole child.

Students explore Quaker values and principles through dialogue, personal reflection, and open-ended inquiry. Topics are timely and relevant, helping students connect ethical thinking to everyday life.

The school day begins with Morning Meeting, a daily advisory block that does more than set the tone - it builds essential life skills. In this space, students strengthen executive function tools like time management and organization, cultivate personal relationships with peers and teachers, and engage in meaningful conversations around current events, identity, and social justice.

Weekly Rhythms That Cultivate Inner Wisdom

At the heart of UFS middle school life is a rhythm that nurtures both self-awareness and shared responsibility. Each week, students gather for Meeting for Worship, a quiet, powerful practice of sitting together in silence, listening deeply, and speaking from the heart when moved to do so. It’s a space where every voice matters, and where reflection becomes a daily habit, not an afterthought.

On Mondays, students also come together for Meeting for Announcements, a time to raise joys and concerns, share updates, and model the values of integrity and democratic participation. These practices don’t just build community—they build character.

Leadership Through Connection

In a small school setting, leadership isn’t something students wait for, it’s something they grow into. Every child is known, their ideas are heard, and their efforts are seen. Whether it’s mentoring a younger student in a blended class, helping to organize events, or speaking at Meeting for Worship, UFS middle schoolers learn to lead with empathy, intention, and confidence.

By the time they reach 8th grade, students don’t just hold leadership roles—they embody them. Not because someone told them to, but because they’ve spent years practicing in a community that supports them every step of the way.

Learning by Doing: Service and Stewardship

At UFS, service learning is woven into the school day. It’s how students learn to engage with the world, connect academics to real issues, and act on their values.

Middle schoolers help prepare and serve meals to neighbors through local partnerships like Food for Friends. In science class, they monitor water quality in nearby streams, merging environmental learning with tangible stewardship. These projects ground abstract lessons in real impact, and help students see themselves as capable agents of change.

A Journey to Costa Rica: Learning Beyond the Classroom

One of the most transformative experiences of this past year happened far from the classroom: a weeklong trip to Costa Rica. As part of their culminating middle school journey, students explored volcanoes, snorkeled in marine ecosystems, and practiced Spanish with local communities. They stretched themselves physically, emotionally, and ethically—building courage, curiosity, and cultural awareness along the way.

Whether kayaking beneath a volcano or offering care to an injured animal, students were invited to think beyond themselves and connect with the world in meaningful, unforgettable ways. This trip was more than a highlight—it was a reflection of UFS’s mission in action.

Learning That’s Academic, Ethical, and Human

Throughout middle school at UFS, students grow across every dimension of themselves. They build sharp minds through inquiry-based academics. They engage their bodies through outdoor education and physical exploration. They nurture their spirits through Quaker practices that foster reflection, empathy, and community. And they develop strong character by practicing leadership, responsibility, and care for others, every single day.

A Foundation that Lasts

The UFS middle school experience offers more than academic preparation; it provides a foundation for life. In a community grounded in values and built on connection, students become thoughtful learners, confident leaders, and compassionate human beings.

Whether leading a discussion at Morning Meeting, testing stream water with classmates, or ziplining through a rainforest, UFS middle schoolers are learning to live with purpose. And wherever they go next, they carry a sense of purpose.

At United Friends School, our middle school students participate in Robotics, STEAM, and STEM classes that encourage hands-on learning, creativity, and teamwork. They've built 3D printers and benches that are used daily in our outdoor classroom and work with top-tier technology donated by generous alumni. In their ITL (Information Technology Literacy) classes, students also focus on coding and other essential tech skills, gaining real-world experience while developing the confidence and curiosity to be thoughtful, capable problem-solvers.