Weekly Quaker 敬拜聚会 is required. “Meeting,” as it is often known,  is a deceptively simple experience. 社区 members enter the Meeting House — a building with no religious symbols or decoration — in silence. As people settle into quiet reflection, they discover an oasis away from the noise and motion of life. 这里没有牧师或布道, as Quakers believe that individuals do not need an intermediary between themselves and the Divine, and that all have access to God and to Truth. Sometimes a person gains insight from the shared silence and is moved to communicate it with the group by rising and speaking. It is through this silence, even because of it, that those of any faith can worship in this setting.

Quakers believe there is that of God within every person. This is demonstrated in Westtown classrooms as teachers nurture the best in each child, and children accept and respect one another. Students feel seen and heard, their gifts and talents fostered. Because of the basic premise that the inner light exists in us all, everyone’s contributions are both valued and expected.

Our graduates come away with the sense that their education has been a shared endeavor among themselves, 他们的同龄人, 还有他们的老师. 在为基础, 研讨会性质类, Westtown students encounter open-mindedness and the space to exercise critical thinking skills.

Quaker education at Westtown means students are empowered to agents of change. Students’ worldviews are expanded by deep explorations of a multiplicity of voices in history, 文学, 宗教, 和艺术. They consider issues of peace and war, 种族歧视, 非正义与法律, 暴力与非暴力, 道德, 还有环境. They are challenged to see their own place in these issues and in the world. They are encouraged to use their talents and enthusiasm to seek solutions for a just and compassionate future. Our students develop a strong sense of 社会 justice and the courage to act with confidence, 良心, 和信念.

The Quaker belief of the “Inner Light” or that of God in each of us creates an atmosphere of acceptance and openness. Students are led by example not only to respect the identities, 视角, and talents of others in the community but also to 学习 from them. 西镇在文化上, 宗教, 种族, 种族, and socio-economically diverse and we are deeply enriched by this diversity.

When asked about Westtown’s greatest strengths, young alums often talk about the quality of the academic program and a profound sense of community. Being a responsible and active member of one’s community is fostered even from the youngest grades. 服务 学习ing and volunteerism, 工作计划, and a curricular focus on respect for others, 个人责任, and community throughout the divisions engenders a sense of responsibility toward – and belonging to – both the school community and the global community. Our boarding program sets Westtown apart as it challenges students to live, 学习, and work together within a richly diverse residential setting.