The Quaker Process at Moorestown Friends School was explained in detail during Community Time on May 27. At the culmination of several weeks of planning, the new clerks of Agenda Committee, Andrew Mercantini ’23 and Haila Desai ’24, and Diversity Committee, Shelby Noel ’23 and Avani Verma ’24, came together with Meeting for Worship for Business Clerk Daniel Sorokin ’23 and Recording Clerk Shay O’Connor ’23 to present on the future of Quaker decision making in the Upper School during Meeting for Worship for Business. This event was orchestrated by Ms. McCourt for the intent of educating the student body at Moorestown Friends on the significance and value of incorporating Quaker decision-making in our school community.
A photo of the six Upper School student government clerks. (L-R) Shelby Noel ’23 (Diversity Committee Co-Clerk), Avani Verma ’24 (Diversity Committee Co-Clerk), Daniel Sorokin ’23 (Meeting for Worship for Business Clerk), Shay O’Connor ’23 (Recording Clerk), Andrew Mercantini ’23 (Agenda Committee Co-Clerk), and Haila Desai ’24 (Agenda Committee Co-Clerk).
When asked about the breakdown of MFWFB, Meeting for Worship for Business Clerk Daniel Sorokin ’23 said that the meeting “was in two main parts, the first discussing what Quaker leadership is, different committees we have, what each of them do and how there’s Quaker decision making outside of those committees.” He subsequently detailed the second half of the event, which was akin to a standard MFWFB and focused on the US student government moving forward. Sorokin explained that students “[are] going to go through Quaker decision making themselves through worship sharing and discussing what they want to have in community forums and community time” next year.
The returning Agenda Clerk, Andrew Mercantini ’23 detailed the significance of the meeting in the context of its impact on the larger school community, stating that “it is important to remind ourselves of Quaker values.” He added before the event that “this will be the first time that all of [the clerks] will be together.” When asked about his outlook on the role of Quaker values at MFS, Mercantini expressed, “[Quakerism] is ingrained in our school identity, whether it is through student government, the honor affirmation, or even how the teachers act; all of it is through that Quaker lens, and I think having these workshops are important.”
Melissa McCourt, the Chester Reagan Chair at Moorestown Friends, said she was “excited and hopeful that the community will have more ideas and information [about Quaker processes] going into next year.” When describing her role in planning this MFWFB presentation, McCourt explained that even though she played a prominent role in organizing the meeting, a special emphasis was placed on ensuring that the gathering’s focus was on how the student body could practice the Quaker process, and particularly how Quaker process can be implemented in student-led efforts such as committees and grade-level leadership. She expressed her desire for greater incorporation of Quaker decision making in the coming years.
According to McCourt, presentations that focus on the Quaker decision-making process may continue in the future, depending on student reactions to the presentation.
