Every February for the past seven years, the lights rise in the theater, the dress code shifts to semi-formal, and Black Excellence Night takes shape as one of the most anticipated traditions at Abington Friends School. What began as an idea to center and celebrate Black joy, creativity, leadership, and culture has grown into the largest student-driven event on campus, shaped each year by the students who imagine it, build it, and ultimately step into the spotlight to bring it to life.

Built by Students, From the Ground Up

Planning begins well before winter sets in. By late summer, the clerks of the Black Excellence Night committee are already meeting to determine a theme that will anchor months of creative direction and logistical coordination. This year’s theme, Black Entertainment in Hollywood, drew inspiration from award shows like the Grammys and the BET Awards and reflected the interests of the students leading it.

“We want a theme that’s flexible, but follows our interests,” explains Aleena Pilgrim-Brown ’27, one of this year’s clerks. “We want something that’s going to be exciting, but lets people find the performances they want to make.”

For Ella Hawkins ’26, the theme felt personal. With plans to study film and television production, and aspirations that range from sports and entertainment law to opening her own production studio, she saw the night not only as a celebration, but as a creative space aligned with her future.

“I just really adore Hollywood and entertainment,” she says. “So this was a big deal theme for me.”

That enthusiasm sustains the work behind the scenes. The committee functions much like a professional production team, with subcommittees dedicated to fundraising, catering, vendor coordination, decorations, performance auditions, and Middle School engagement. Students raise funds, reach out to keynote speakers, organize auditions in the music room, and design the visual feel of the evening. Faculty members provide guidance, but the vision and the execution remain firmly in student hands.
By the time the curtain rises, the preparation gives way to presence.

“You can prepare all you want,” Ella reflects. “But when the lights come on, you just have to turn on your personality.”

As a host, she carried the energy of the evening alongside Amaya Manigault '26, guiding the audience from one performance to the next in a show designed to feel fluid and continuous.

“I had fun when the mic was in my hand,” Amaya says with a laugh. “Being on stage gives you a really great view of everyone, how they bloom and blossom. The energy. Being next to Ella—I love it.”

Backstage, classmates rotated the set piece that introduced the hosts, while others had earlier transformed part of the theater set from Once Upon a Mattress, painting it black and adding blue accents to match the Hollywood theme. The result was a student-crafted production that felt cohesive and intentional from beginning to end.

When the night concluded and feedback began to circulate, the weight of responsibility softened into pride.
“It wasn’t until it was over that I could fully enjoy it,” Ella admits. “When people told us how much they loved it, that’s when it really hit.”

 

Stepping Into the Spotlight

While Upper School students lead the event, Middle School students have traditionally contributed their own performances, and this year’s Middle School performers left a lasting impression.

Middle School students began rehearsing in September, and more than 15 auditioned for performance slots. The performance committee, made up of student leaders, evaluated each act and made difficult decisions about the final program. The result was a lineup with powerful group numbers and soloists, some of whom had never performed on stage before.

Aleena recalls being struck by their confidence, especially given that in previous years fewer Middle School students had auditioned. “Olivia and her group performed A Beautiful Noise by Alicia Keys, and they nailed it. I saw some parents start crying. That’s when you know you’ve done well.”

For Ella, one of the most meaningful aspects of Black Excellence Night is watching younger students discover something new about themselves in the process.

“Some people don’t know what they’re getting into when they join the committee,” she says. “But it brings something out of them.” That growth becomes visible on stage, in the willingness to introduce a speaker, perform for the first time, or take creative risks in front of a full audience. It also becomes visible at the end of the night, when flowers are passed to the next group of clerks, marking the transition of leadership.

This year’s team handed the responsibility forward to Nalani, Jalyn, and (for a second term) Aleena, already imagining what senior year might hold. The ritual reflects a tradition sustained not only by planning documents and themes, but by relationships that extend beyond a single evening. Alumni return to attend, former leaders send last-minute encouragement, and students carry the experience with them long after graduation.

“You move on,” Aleena reflects, “but it’s still a part of you."

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Photos by Asa White '28