Take a trip with us on the peace bus! Last weekend, a group of AFS Upper School students embarked on a transformative journey to the Quaker Youth Leadership Conference (QYLC). This conference brings together Upper School students from Quaker schools across the country every winter, from Oregon and California to North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Each school sends six students and two faculty members, often coordinating transportation with other groups traveling from the same location.

Traveling alongside students from Westtown and Baltimore Friends, our AFS cohort consisted of Leila Cohen, Ash Cohen, Maya Gest, Piper Konz, Jeremy Wang, and Luca Wood—accompanied by Erin Bentson (Upper School math) and Ashley Cleary (Upper School history).

“QYLC was a powerful reminder that Quakerism is both a historical foundation and a living force for activism,” reflects Ashley Cleary. “Students were able to re-envision their understanding of Quakerism by witnessing its deep connection to justice and change, seeing firsthand how it stands at the intersection of activism and history.”

This year’s conference theme—Reconnecting to our Roots: Quakerism and the Environment—gave students an opportunity to engage with organizations making a real impact in green and ecological spaces. Their first stop was the Southern Environmental Law Center, a nonprofit legal group advocating for marginalized communities facing environmental harm. There, they learned about pressing issues such as industrial pollution, inequities in transportation policy, and how individuals and organizations in North Carolina played a key role in the environmental justice movement.

Midday, the group visited the Hayti Heritage Center, once the heart of Durham’s Black Wall Street, before its community was fractured by the construction of an interstate highway. Later, they spent time at SEEDS Urban Farm, which provides fresh, locally grown food to families experiencing food insecurity in Durham. In the evening, students heard from the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), deepening their understanding of Quaker advocacy at the national level.

“This experience reinforced that Quakerism is not just a 380-year-old tradition,” Ashley writes. “It is a dynamic and tangible path for seeking justice in the world today.”