Carolina Friends School

Looking back on a special moment from this spring: Lola Richardson ('26) signing to play basketball at Randolph-Macon College! 🏀

Only 3.5% of high school girls basketball players go on to compete at the collegiate level. After years of hard work on the court and in the classroom, Lola has earned this opportunity to continue her basketball career.

Congratulations, Lola! You're a Yellow Jacket now, but you'll always have Friends cheering for you. 💛🖤

School's out, summer's here, and our last-day-of-school alumni frisbee tradition lives on! ☀️🥏

Thanks to all who came out for a friendly (and fierce) game and to Brian Whitter '79 for the great action shots!

A message from our Head of School:

It is with a profound sadness, and an even deeper sense of gratitude, that I write to inform our community of the passing of our beloved co-founder, Peter Klopfer, last Friday.

Peter was a true visionary who helped reshape education and civil rights in the South. In 1962, guided by Quaker values, he co-founded Carolina Friends School as one of the first racially integrated schools in the region. As a lifelong Quaker, Peter didn’t just advocate for these values. His life was an example of Quaker values well-lived.

He was deeply committed to the ideal of Carolina Friends as a sanctuary where children could learn, play, and grow in harmony with each other and nature. Peter valued simplicity, living simply himself, and demonstrating that deep and joyful learning thrives when stripped of pretension. His financial stewardship ensured the School grew on a foundation of sustainability, while his educational leadership helped establish a community where "that of God in everyone" is honored.

Peter's dedication to Carolina Friends was not just foundational; it was a lifelong, active engagement. Over the years, he stepped directly into our classrooms to teach, always willing to share his deep scientific expertise, wisdom, and personal story with new generations of the learning community. His guidance as a member of the Board of Trustees has helped ensure that the School never strayed from its founding principles and spiritual groundedness.

Beyond our campus, Peter’s legacy as a passionate activist and leader has permanently impacted the broader Durham-Chapel Hill community and the world. As a distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biology at Duke University, his research in ethology led him to co-found the Duke Lemur Center, now home to the world’s largest collection of lemurs. Fueled by his love for community and running, he also founded the Duke Track Club in the 1970s which afforded women the opportunity to participate in varsity athletics when Duke did not offer this. His commitment to equity and peace famously culminated in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case (Klopfer v. North Carolina, 1967). The result was a historic, unanimous decision that permanently applied the Sixth Amendment’s right to a speedy trial to all state courts. Throughout his life, Peter directly touched tens of thousands of lives as an educator at both Carolina Friends School and Duke University and through his extensive global research and community initiatives. His was truly a life of purpose.

On a personal note, my own experience of Peter will always be defined by his steadfastness, unending quest for intellectual growth, willingness to share his gifts, and deep care for humanity. He possessed an unwavering belief in this School and its power to transform individuals and society. He was incredibly generous with his time, his spirit, and his mentorship, never wavering in his dedication to our community even as the decades passed. I will miss him.

Peter Klopfer lived a life infused with the spirit, the search for truth, a courageous commitment to a life of peace and activism, a focus on stewardship of his community and the natural world, and a deep love for Carolina Friends School. Peter’s story, alongside that of his wife Martha, is intricately woven into the very fabric of Carolina Friends School. While we mourn his physical absence, his enduring legacy lives on in the thousands of families and children who have been shaped by his vision. We remain steadfastly committed to carrying forward the dream he so beautifully manifested.

In the coming days, we will share more information about opportunities for us to gather and celebrate Peter's extraordinary life. In the meantime, please join me in holding Peter, Martha, his daughters—Erika Klopfer Honore, Lisa Klopfer ‘77, and Gretchen Klopfer Wing ‘79—and the entire Klopfer family in the Light.

We ask that you join us in respecting the family’s privacy at this time, but we are happy to collect well thoughts and well wishes to pass along to them, either by replying to this post or by writing to them at our mailing address, 4809 Friends School Road, Durham NC 27705.

In sorrow and gratitude,
Karen Cumberbatch
Head of School

Our aim is to prepare students for the life journeys of their choosing and, most importantly, to learn and live with purpose.

As our seniors graduate this morning, we celebrate not only where they're going, but who they have become.

Seniors, we are grateful for the gifts, perspectives, and friendships you've shared with our community. May you carry forward the values you've practiced here, continue to seek truth, and make a difference in the world.

🎓 Post-graduate destinations:

👏 Appalachian State University
👏 Boston University
👏 Case Western Reserve University
👏 College of Charleston
👏 College of William & Mary
👏 Duke University
👏 Durham Tech
👏 Earlham College
👏 Elon University
👏 Gap Year
👏 Grinnell College
👏 Hollins University
👏 Macalester College
👏 NC A&T State University
👏 NC State University
👏 Northeastern University
👏 Oberlin College
👏 Randolph-Macon College
👏 Rhode Island School of Design
👏 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
👏 Sarah Lawrence College
👏 Savannah College of Art and Design
👏 UNC Chapel Hill
👏 UNC School of the Arts
👏 UNC Charlotte
👏 Virginia Tech
👏 Williams College

Congratulations, Class of 2026. Wherever your path leads, know that you will always have a home here. We hold you in the Light. ✨

This playground is much more than a model. It's a reflection of a year's worth of learning. 🛝✨

Throughout the year, our youngest Durham Early School students explored big ideas like simple machines, problem-solving, and accessibility. To showcase their learning, they worked together to construct a playground for tiny-world people of all abilities.

Complete with ramps, swings, slides, and even a pond, the final creation is an astounding accomplishment for these 3- and 4-year-old designers. We're so proud of the creativity, collaboration, and care they brought to this project.

Now there's only one thing left to do... let the toys play!

Big news! ☀️🎉 Our Summer Programs were voted INDY Week's Best Camp in Orange/Chatham County!

Huge summer camp secret handshake to our incredible staff, camp counselors, and campers who make summer at Carolina Friends so joyful, creative, and unforgettable. 💚

Open camp spots as of 5/26 include:

𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗘 𝟭𝟱-𝟭𝟵
• Comic Design (9-16)
• Crafty Camp Nostalgia (6-9)
• Disney Villain Workshop (5-8)
• Eras Extravaganza: Everything Taylor Swift (8 -12)
• Kitchen Chemistry (12-16)
• Leadership Challenge (12-16)
• Picture Time: Through Your Lens (10-14)
• Sports Action (10-15)
• Sports Shorts (6-9)
• Stop Motion Animation Creation (12-16)
• World Travelers (6-9)

𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗘 𝟮𝟮-𝟮𝟲
• Dance it Out (5-7)
• Forensic Science Detectives (14-18)
• Jazzy Jewelry (8-10)
• Let’s Make a Movie (12-18)
• Mythic Worlds (12-16)
• Play Builders Circus (6-9)
• Sports Shorts (6-9)
• Stage Combat (11-18)
• WhizBizKidz (8-12)

𝗝𝗨𝗡𝗘 𝟮𝟵-𝗝𝗨𝗟𝗬 𝟯
• Advanced Comic Design (9-16)
• Creative Coding (6-8)
• Embroidery Explorations (11-16)
• Jazzy Jewelry (6-9)
• LEGO Explorers (6-9)
• Nature Artists (5-7)
• Space Exploration (4-5)
• Water Wonders (4-5)

𝗝𝗨𝗟𝗬 𝟲-𝟭𝟬
• Comic Design (9-16)
• Cozy Camp Crew (9-14)
• Cozy Crochet (12-16)
• LEGO Explorers (6-9)
• Magic the Gathering, Math, and More (11-18)
• Music Magic: Songwriter’s Workshop (9-15)
• Nature Lab Jr. (6-9)
• Play Builders Superhero(6-9)
• Storybook Lovers (5-7)
• Triangle Ultimate Frisbee (7-12)
• Triangle Ultimate Frisbee (11-16)

𝗝𝗨𝗟𝗬 𝟭𝟯-𝟭𝟳
• Creative Coding (6-8)
• LEGO Explorers (6-9)
• Sports Shorts (6-9)
• Poetry Playground (7-11)
• Weave it Wild: OUT LOUD! (9-13)
• Comic Design (9-16)
• Anime, AI, and the Art of the Story (11-18)

𝗝𝗨𝗟𝗬 𝟮𝟬-𝟮𝟰
• Adventure is Out There: Disney Heroes (5-7)
• Comic Design (9-16)
• Fiber Friends! (9-14)
• Improv 301: Harold (13-17)
• LEGO Explorers (6-9)
• Q***r Joy: Celebrating Ourselves and Our Communities (10-15)
• The Secret Life of Bees (12-18)
• Triangle Ultimate Frisbee (7-12)
• Triangle Ultimate Frisbee (11-16)

𝗝𝗨𝗟𝗬 𝟮𝟳-𝟯𝟭
• Advanced Comic Design (9-16)
• Body, Memory, Motion: Creating Dance from Life (10-14)
• Cozy Camp Crew (9-14)
• Fantastic Fermentation and Fungi (10-14)
• Game On! (9-11)
• Holiday Greetings from the CFS Kitchen (10-14)
• LEGO Explorers (6-9)
• Sports Action (10-15)
• Sports Shorts (6-9)
• Stitches and Stories: The Art of Bookbinding (12-18)
• Storybooks! (4-5)

𝗔𝗨𝗚𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝟯-𝟳
• Flavor Fundamentals (7-11)
• Life’s a Picnic (10-15)
• Move, Write, Film (10-14)
• Summer Slide-In (6-10)
• Triangle Ultimate Frisbee (7-12)
• Triangle Ultimate Frisbee (11-16)

Since 2018, in partnership with CompostNow, we’ve diverted more than 41,013 lbs of organic matter from landfills, helping turn food waste into nutrient-rich soil while preventing over 3,808 lbs of methane emissions. 🌱

Throughout the year, our Campus Early School students compost their snacks and lunches and proudly drop them off at our campus collection site. It really is easy being green! ♻️ 

Bon voyage to our Upper School students and staff heading off on their End-of-Year Experiences! ✈️🌎

These teacher-led immersive trips and explorations turn the world into a classroom, taking students across our community, state, and beyond for hands-on learning, connection, and adventure.

Swipe to see this year’s experiences 👀 Which one would you choose?