Community Engagement

Aligned with the GFS program and mission, community engagement celebrates the Light in everyone: our neighbors, families, and students. Led by Dr. Zarah Adams and teachers in every division, our students are encouraged to learn about issues impacting our city and world. They ask questions and research solutions, identify partners, and engage in a meaningful, ongoing manner.

About Community Engagement

WHAT IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT GFS?

Our engagement with the community is guided by GFS’ strategic vision to continually strengthen our role as an active participant in a larger system of thriving organizations within our community, and deepen our relationships with teachers, students, and neighbors throughout the city, across the country, and around the world.

Together we focus on a range of projects and needs from building the teacher pipeline, to addressing food insecurity, to promoting sustainability, to providing academic enrichment. We invite you to continue exploring and join us at our next event!

HOW IS THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY INVOLVED?

While many activities are student-driven and led, teachers and adults serve as guides, ensuring that everyone fully understands the important roles our neighbors play in our lives and our world. Student clubs, including the Community Engagement, Gardening, and Education Justice clubs, support local drives and initiatives that combat food and clothing insecurity, partnering with other schools and organizations, and tapping into the collective power of our current family and alumni bodies. With some of our signature programs, our teachers lead, sharing their expertise and love of teaching and learning with others outside of GFS.

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

Once a month during the school year, our community donates to the food missions at three organizations:

St. Luke's Food Cupboard
Whosoever Gospel Mission
Holsey Temple

We also hold seasonal drives for school supplies, clothing, toys, and holiday meals.

We collaborate with Cradles to Crayons and the SPOT Period Hub to aid them in fulfilling their missions.
GFS teachers share their expertise and love of teaching and learning with Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia teaching scholars, as well as students teachers in our year-long Teaching Fellowship.

We encourage all to join us. If you'd like to participate in Community Engagement at GFS, please email Dr. Zarah Adams, Director of Community Engagement, or call 215-951-2325.

LEARNING THROUGH COMMUNITY

Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia

Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, one of Germantown Friends School’s signature community education programs, is a tuition-free academic accelerator with a dual mission: it supports highly-motivated and traditionally underserved students in grades 5-12 through a year-long program on campus; and it provides pre-professional teacher training and mentorship to inspire high school and college students to pursue careers in education. Through academic and co-curricular enrichment, Breakthrough prepares middle school students who have limited educational opportunities to attend and succeed at competitive, top choice high schools. High schoolers in the College Bound program attend six school-year sessions that include resume-writing workshops, mock interviews, and visits to college campuses.

GFS faculty provide leadership and mentorship to Breakthrough Teaching Fellows and the Community Connections initiative pairs GFS Upper School students with seventh and eighth grade Breakthrough Scholars for academic support and relationship building. Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia reflects our commitment to equity, access, and the transformative power of education.

LEARN MORE ABOUT BREAKTHROUGH

Community Basketball & Enrichment

Founded in 1970, the Community Basketball and Enrichment Program (CBE) is GFS' longest-running summer camp. It offers a four-week program that combines basketball and classroom instruction for students in rising grades 3-9.

Basketball instruction focuses on skill-building, teamwork, and sportsmanship, offering students from different schools the opportunity to play ball together. CBE’s experienced teacher-coaches reinforce fundamentals in math, reading, and writing—providing a full day of physical and mental wellness, friendship, and activity.

Contact the GFS Summer Camps Office for more information at camps@germantownfriends.org or 267-323-3474

Community Engagement Club

The Community Engagement Club at GFS brings together Upper School students who are passionate about making a positive impact in their communities. Through regular meetings, student-led initiatives, and partnerships with local organizations, members identify needs, plan service projects, and take meaningful action—both on campus and beyond. Whether organizing drives, supporting local nonprofits, or raising awareness around social issues, the club empowers students to lead with empathy, initiative, and a deep commitment to justice and connection.

Community in Curriculum

At GFS, community engagement is integrated into the curriculum from the earliest grades through graduation, encouraging students to explore their role in the wider world with curiosity, compassion, and purpose.

In Early Childhood, students begin by learning how to care for others through activities like the annual Turkey Drive. Lower School classes build on this foundation through monthly community drives, neighborhood visits, and partnerships that bring academic topics to life.

Middle School students deepen their awareness by exploring issues like food insecurity, housing injustice, and environmental stewardship through both classroom study and hands-on projects. In Upper School, students lead service efforts and partner directly with local organizations—serving meals, packing groceries, and supporting mutual aid initiatives—gaining meaningful experience as contributors to their communities.

Community Drives & Partners

Through ongoing relationships with community organizations and initiatives, GFS supports neighborhood needs through supply drives, service projects, and collaborative efforts that strengthen our shared community.

Some of our partners:

Teaching Fellowship

The Teaching Fellowship at GFS is a yearlong, immersive experience designed for aspiring educators seeking mentorship, professional development, and hands-on classroom experience in an independent school setting. Fellows work alongside lead teachers in K–5 classrooms, participate in weekly seminars, and explore topics such as culturally responsive teaching, identity, and Quaker education. With support for graduate coursework and a collaborative cohort model, the program prepares future teachers to lead with confidence, compassion, and curiosity.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TEACHING FELLOWSHIP

Signature Events

Through a series of signature events, GFS teachers and staff lead with purpose, sharing their expertise and deep commitment to service, connection, and joyful learning beyond the classroom. These gatherings bring the school and wider community together in meaningful ways—from acts of service and reflection to celebration and fellowship.

Signature Events Include:

Turkey Drive
Stenton Family Dinner
Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service
Lower School Community Day
Community Engagement Day for Seniors

Community Highlights

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Meet Zarah Adams: Director of Community Engagement

Dr. Zarah Adams

Dr. Zarah Adams has been a part of the GFS community for over a decade and has long been a leader of community engagement efforts, making the classroom community, family, and the local neighborhood a central focus in her work. As the Director of Community Engagement, she has led monthly community food drives, the GFS Thanksgiving Turkey Drive, and our annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

She created community partnerships with GFS students and students from Logan Elementary, Lingelbach Elementary, and Mastery Pickett Charter School, and earned a Community Partnership Award from the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Children and Families for her work with James Logan Elementary School. She is also a faculty advisor for the Upper School Community Engagement Club, works with the seventh grade team on the Seventh Grade Service Collaborative program, and has mentored an eighth-grade capstone class in community engagement. Each year, she collaborates with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on Diversity Dialogue Day and Unity Day.

Zarah holds a Bachelor of Arts from Pennsylvania State University, a Master of Arts in Education from LaSalle University, and a Doctor of Education degree from Arcadia University. Her dissertation focused on the impact of affinity groups for students of color who attend predominantly white schools. Zarah is an advocate for students and families through her deep commitment to educational equity and her work with both public and independent schools throughout the Germantown community.

Contact her at zadams@germantownfriends.org or 215-951-2325