Victory
1,655 signatures
Mrbeast
- 4,830 supporters taking action on this topic.
- 0 petitions started in this community.
Start a petition
Topics related to Mrbeast
Stories and updates from petition starters
Victories in Mrbeast
10 supporters are talking about petitions related to Mrbeast!
I am a Quaker, member of Bethesda Friends Meeting, and parent of an alum who graduated from Sandy Spring. It is unthinkable to me that the Board would make this decision with no transparency or appeals to alums, parents of students and alums, and other Quaker institutions to determine if way might open for a future for a much-beloved school. The decision is very sad but also the process does not appear transparent or Friendly. I hope both aspects are revisited for more discernment.
Leslie supported: Reconsider the Closure of Sandy Spring Friends School — Let Our Lives Speak!I remember seeing one of the early document — SSFS promotional booklet — through intersession community service opportunity. In the document was portrayed the early image of the campus land donated by Esther W.Scott and the vision of S. Brooke Moore to “[give] opportunity for full personal development and participation in a school community dedicated to finding and giving scope to that of God in each youngster, [hoping] to provide the sympathetic and friendly atmosphere of a good Quaker home, in which many degrees of talent may exist, in which both obedience and growing self-dependence have their place... a cooperative community to be shared by everyone. This sharing will be an important part … everyone will be enabled to use his talents toward the creation of the full individual and corporate life for which our Society strives”
Within his vision and unique culture, SSFS has become a place where everyone is welcomed and appreciated for who they are. Many of who experienced some others part of the world to be harsh found this ‘home’ to be caring, warm, comforting and healing. SSFS have always been highly diverse, with many different types of students being able to meaningfully engage in the community and be welcomed. This school has been a big part of identity for many of us.
Every year, I am amazed by the emphasis the school places on the value of community. Across all grades, school levels, and roles, the Sandy Spring community consistently brings its members together and maintains strong bonds through various traditions and cultural events, as seen in Community Day and OPOP Day.
Such specialty of community I believe is truly rare, especially in these days. Those are truly what I have never seen before, and it still will be hard to experience in my remaining life.
The spirit of Sandy Spring Friends School to live out their quaker value and vision meaningfully and successfully have lasted for more than 60 years. It has been largely meaningful for many of community members including those who were were once part of it, and the disappearance of such legacy and spirit will leave incurable scars for not only the Sandy Spring community members, but also for broader local community.
The identity of this Quaker school and their devotional mission toward living out their sublime ethos extends even back to the Civil War era, as can be seen from the Underground Railroad trail right next to the campus. The spirit that the school embodies has been influencing the world since long ago and continued to engage in shaping a better world by cultivating students and allowing community members invaluable experience for long SSFS history.
Students not only have learned such spirit but actively engaged in the broader world by demonstrating their talents all over the local region and nation, shining their own “God in each youngster” and letting their lives speak.
If we are left with no choice but to let it go, then as we each walk out to the world for our own paths, we would carry with us the memories, the love, and the spirit of Sandy Spring in our hearts, but I believe, as far as our efforts can reach, we should try our best to preserve this community from its end. It deserves to be continued despite the suboptimal operation and management of recent years. We cannot let it fade into history, given how deeply it has touched the lives of those who have walked through its halls.
Doc supported: Reconsider the Closure of Sandy Spring Friends School — Let Our Lives Speak!Parent of a current junior and a graduate. This is a wonderful school and it’s heartbreaking to see it closed due to mind boggling mismanagement by the Board of Trustees.
Brian supported: Reconsider the Closure of Sandy Spring Friends School — Let Our Lives Speak!HI i am Holly Abramson Zendels. I was at SSFS for two years and loved it. I will never forget the people I met and how they helped me grow and heal in so many ways. Please lets try to keep this school going. It is an amazing place to live learn and grow.
Holly supported: Reconsider the Closure of Sandy Spring Friends School — Let Our Lives Speak!I was a student (‘88) and a teacher there in the 90’s. The school was incredibly foundational to me, and I have many lifelong friends and a sense of community from my years there. The community was never perfect, but always transcendent when the Quaker principles of deep listening, and honoring the voices of all the lives within it when they were speaking, were centered in the process of discernment. I am very saddened that this has not happened more during such an important process of discernment.
Katy supported: Reconsider the Closure of Sandy Spring Friends School — Let Our Lives Speak!Parent (‘27) and alumna (‘94). SSFS changed my life and has been transformational for my son. We are devastated by the announcement and stunned that the school’s dire financial situation was not shared earlier and in a productive way.
Carrie supported: Reconsider the Closure of Sandy Spring Friends School — Let Our Lives Speak!I have a junior who loves the school and was looking forward to being with his community for his final year of high school. This is devastating and the decision should be reconsidered!
Halley supported: Reconsider the Closure of Sandy Spring Friends School — Let Our Lives Speak!Although I’ve only been at SSFS 3 years, I can confidently say they have been the best years of my life. This school has given me opportunities, memories, and life long friends I never would have come across if not for SSFS. This school means everything to it’s community and the fact that the people make it the place it is we’re just suddenly told their safe space is gone in less than 2 months is disturbing and disgusting in my opinion. To drop that information on hundreds of students and staff that have dedicated years and their life to this place is beyond shameful. Anyways we can point out all the many many things done wrong in this situation but that won’t help or change the fact of Sandy Spring possibly being gone forever. If not for yourself or for your community, please sign and donate if you are able to so we can finish our experience at SSFS.
Giuliana supported: Reconsider the Closure of Sandy Spring Friends School — Let Our Lives Speak!I'm class of '92, aunt of a current student, niece of former faculty, sister of a '94 alumn. The way this happened and was shared at such a late date is devastating and has left current families/faculty/staff scrambling. I am shocked this decision to abruptly close the school and upend lives was made without turning to the community for assistance.
Erica supported: Reconsider the Closure of Sandy Spring Friends School — Let Our Lives Speak!This is my dream school for my son (and I’ve known many schools) so to say THANK YOU ALL will never quite be enough. You are all such good people and your children will be too.
Cecilia L supported: Reconsider the Closure of Sandy Spring Friends School — Let Our Lives Speak!You’re not alone — a community of supporters is ready to back you.
Start a petition