Lincoln School Viewbook - Life at Lincoln

Life

at Lincoln

IT ’ S ALL HERE

Shine at

Lincoln Girls come to Lincoln for a great education; and our students thrive both in and beyond the classroom. They also put the best of themselves into all activities that are part of life at Lincoln: sports, arts, clubs, and community service.

Lincoln is the only K–12, all-girls, independent school in Rhode Island and the only all-girls Quaker school in the nation. That means there are opportunities, experiences, and ways of growing here that you won’t find at other schools.

Read on to learn more about who we are, what we do, and how our traditions make Lincoln the unique place it is.

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WHO WE ARE

What

We Share Lincoln students live in different towns, embrace a variety of cultural and religious traditions, and hold diverse perspectives on the world. What we share is a love of learning, respect for all people, and the belief that each one of us can make a positive impact on our community and in the world.

One of the great advantages of being an all-girls school is that, on an everyday level, we worry less about how we look and care more about what we believe. Spend time on the Lincoln campus, and you’ll see that we feel very comfortable voicing our opinions and just being ourselves. Lincoln nurtures our self-confidence, which is so important to what we achieve in school—and later in life.

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The Lincoln community Who Goes to Lincoln? is great because it provides Scholars, athletes, and artists of all kinds come together at Lincoln to form a student a nurturing home away body with a variety of talents, interests, and life experiences. Lincoln welcomes the unique from home. At Lincoln contributions of each student, and everybody finds a way to shine here. Could you be you not only have the our next regional finalist in the Siemens opportunity to receive Competition in Math, Science & Technology, or the next middle schooler to win a national a fabulous education, Promising Young Writers award? Will you you are also able to make grow into a standout on the soccer team, a lead organizer of a conference on friends with extraordinary become diversity, or land a part in the school musical?

At Lincoln, you’ll have the chance to find out people who enrich your what you are capable of in a community life as much as the that’s both supportive and stimulating. education does.

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Brooke Buckett ’13

At a Glance If you want an excellent education in an environment geared for girls, all roads lead to Lincoln! From Foxboro to Newport to Providence—our students come from over 60 different towns and communities in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Everybody is somebody. There’s no anonymity at Lincoln, where we generally have fewer than 300 students in Grades 6–12. Our small size gives each one of us a good sense of self-worth and a great feeling of community.

Lincoln School Trivia Question: What is the appropriate length of the Lincoln kilt?

A. The shorter the better B. Ankle length C. Slightly above the knee

Answer: C

Lucky 13! That’s our auspicious average class size. When classes are small, every student has a chance to speak and be heard.

We are ready for today’s diverse global world.

We know that diversity makes us stronger.

Lincoln embraces students from a variety of racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Making your educational dreams come true is possible. Many of our students rely on financial assistance, and Lincoln awards over two million dollars in scholarships and financial aid each year.

We’re going places. Our graduates attend many of the nation’s most selective colleges and universities—and go on to make successful lives all over the world. There are more than 3,500 Lincoln School alumnae living from coast to coast and across the globe.

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WHAT WE DO

The Thrill of

Athletics What’s the best complement to a day of academic challenges? For many Lincoln students, the answer is athletics! Interscholastic sports are not required at Lincoln, but it’s easy to see why so many girls want to participate in the Lynx athletic tradition.

You can explore a sport you’ve never done before, develop your physical strengths and skills, learn from enthusiastic and caring coaches, and play on competitive teams. We practice hard. We play hard. Novices can expect to be challenged. Aspiring college athletes will find coaches and programs that will push them to develop their full potential.

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Interscholastic Teams for Grades 6–8

Interscholastic Teams for Grades 9–12

Fall

Winter

Spring

Fall

Field Hockey Soccer

Basketball Swimming

Lacrosse Tennis

Field Hockey Tennis Soccer Cross Country

Winter Basketball Swimming Squash

Spring Lacrosse Crew 8

“

I participate in three varsity sports at Lincoln, and I really love being a part of the athletic program. The spirit at Lincoln is strong and positive, and I love cheering on my friends and having them cheer me on.

”

Maggie McNamara ’13

Lincoln School Trivia Question: Lincoln teams participate in:

How many championships has Lincoln won since 1985?

The Rhode Island Interscholastic League (for field hockey and tennis)

Answer: 34 (Field hockey leads the

The New England Prep School League (for squash and swimming)

list, followed by tennis and basketball.)

The Southeastern New England Independent School Athletic Association (for soccer, cross country, lacrosse, and basketball) The New England Interscholastic Rowing Association (for crew)

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One

for

One:

Meet one of our talented coaches and one of our respected athletes.

photo by Fred Rickey

Kim White Head Field Hockey Coach

Andrea Rickey ’09 Harvard Rower

The girls at Lincoln are really great, the most coachable kids I've ever worked with. In my opinion that’s a result of the whole environment here. There are a lot of expectations on them, but in a good way. They’re expected to work hard, to do their best, to advocate for themselves, and to be respectful of others. And the high expectations are paired with a high level of support. Teachers and coaches go above and beyond. So the girls learn how to come out of their shell and have a dialogue with adults and peers. And it’s not just me who sees how special they are. We’ve been to seminars on sportsmanship and so on, and every time we go to those workshops the other coaches say the same thing.

Lincoln taught me how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable—to test myself, to push my limits. Crew became a lens for the way I go through life. As coxswain, I had to ask people to go somewhere that was going to be painful, both physically and mentally. I couldn't ask them to be vulnerable without doing the same myself. And the all-girls environment was essential. Because women want to win, yes, but they're also very attuned to the emotional and communal aspects of the task. Not just, “Here’s what you have to do to succeed,” but, “Here’s what we have to do to succeed together.” And the teachers and coaches did the same. Everything they asked of us, they were absolutely willing to do themselves. That’s the environment Lincoln fosters. You know you’re going to be pushed; you know it’s not going to be easy; and you know it’s completely worth it.

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Sports Stats and Facts Lincoln School offers nine varsity sports.

That means the sports you’re good at—or the ones you’ve always wanted to try—are here!

Our coaching staff of 35 has both enthusiasm and expertise to share. You can learn from former college coaches, as well as professional, collegiate, and all-American athletes.

We love to play. Although there is no curriculum requirement for athletic participation, an average of 80% of our students participate.

We’re a small school with big facilities.

Lincoln’s 33-acre athletic complex, Faxon Farm, is a 15-minute drive from the campus. It’s home to the only synthetic turf field in Massachusetts or Rhode Island that is lined exclusively for girls’ sports. Plus there are two gymnasiums and the Amy Leeds Fitness Center at our Providence Campus.

We’re leaders. Lincoln School was the first Rhode Island secondary school to offer interscholastic rowing for girls. We now have 3 teams, 4 boats, and 40 rowers!

Lincoln has helped me become an advocate for myself in the classroom and on the sports field.

Talented Lincoln athletes have opportunities.

Since 2000, twelve of our graduates have gone on to compete in Division I college athletics programs, and 18 have gone on to Division II and III programs in crew, field hockey, lacrosse, tennis and basketball.

We’re competitive. Since 1994 the field hockey team has qualified for 18 Rhode Island interscholastic league state championships.

We play to win. Lincoln School has captured thirteen state and league interscholastic titles since 2000.

Elizabeth DiSandro ’13 11

WHAT WE DO

The Fun of

Clubs & Activities Girls hold the leadership positions in all areas of school life at Lincoln. That means your role models are everywhere. As a potential leader, your opportunities are endless. You’ll graduate from Lincoln with leadership experience that makes a difference not only on your college applications, but also in your life.

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Getting Involved

Student Groups, Grades 9–12

Our many student clubs and organizations are a testament to our dynamic and engaged student body. Getting involved comes naturally to our students, in part because there are so many rewarding endeavors and meaningful activities to choose from.

You can work on your public speaking and problem solving skills, publish your writing, explore political issues, work to better the lives of others or to improve the environment... There’s so much to do that we have a clubs period built in to our academic day.

2B1 Ambassadors Amnesty International Asian Culture Club Cooking Club Current Events Debate Environmental Club GSBA Honor Council

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International Women’s Day LifeSmarts Lincoln Green (Literary Magazine) Mock Trial Multicultural Club The Plaid Post (School Newspaper) Ski Club Student Council Tuesday’s Branches

International Women’s Day Organized entirely by students, International Women’s Day is a day of education and celebration. A number of accomplished women come to our campus to speak on topics such as the status of women in developing countries and women’s issues in business, engineering, art, sports, education, and medicine. We listen, learn, and celebrate the leadership of women who are making a difference in the world.

Speakers have included Lisa Belkin, a New York Times columnist and author of Life’s Work: Confessions of an Unbalanced Mom; Lydia Barlow, a 1999 Lincoln alumna and researcher on women’s legal status in the Middle East; and marketing strategist Robin Koval, co-founder and president of the Kaplan Thaler Group and the woman who introduced the world to the Aflac Duck quack.

Gender Equality Women in Decision Making Women in Leadership Global Equity These are a few of the themes students have established for International Women’s Day.

Center for Peace, Equity, and Justice through Service If making the world a better place is an ideal you embrace, you’ll want to make the most of Lincoln’s unique Center for Peace, Equity, and Justice through Service. The Center is an educational space and a gathering place where students, faculty, and friends of the school meet formally and informally to research, develop, and coordinate service projects and events that reflect our values. With mentoring from faculty members, students who get involved with the Center can take leadership roles in promoting peace, equity, and justice in our school and in our community.

“

I started as a Junior, and I didn’t think there would be any opportunities for me in student government. At my old school I was very involved, and I thought it was something I’d have to sacrifice. But by the second week of school I was elected class secretary! Lincoln welcomed me right into their student leadership program.

Reegan Smyth ’13

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Community Service At Lincoln School we embrace service, both as an essential aspect of our Quaker heritage and as an opportunity to directly affect the lives of the less fortunate. In the Middle School, interested students and community service representatives from each grade meet weekly to plan student-driven community service projects. These include collecting clothing and raising money for Rhode Island Family Services and making and selling breast cancer awareness ribbons to benefit breast cancer research at Women and Infants Hospital.

Students in the Upper School participate in service projects both in and outside the classroom. Class Coordinators facilitate a wide range of opportunities, and individual classes integrate service projects into the fabric of the curriculum. The goal for students in the Upper School is to create a portfolio of service learning as an integral part of their experience at Lincoln. This experience culminates in the Senior Project, in which each senior partners with an organization for two weeks of in-depth service learning. Some of the organizations we work with include RI Community Food Bank, RI Special Olympics, Amos House, Providence Public Schools, Sophia Academy, Camp Street Ministries, and other local and international organizations.

A School-wide Effort We really get into the spirit of community responsibility on our annual Day of Service.

Small groups of students set out to make a difference in dozens of ways, for example by visiting shut-ins, doing environmental clean-up, and painting a mural to brighten the stay of children at a local hospital. The Day of Service also brings faculty, staff, and students together to address ways we as a school can be a better neighbor. In one Day of Service initiative, we all made designs for original plates for our dining hall. Good-bye Styrofoam, hello artistic and environmentally friendly dishes!

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WHAT WE DO

The Rewards of

The Arts The arts enrich life at Lincoln as part of our academic curriculum as well as something we pursue for recreation, personal growth, and fulfillment. The arts enable us to compose and create, to develop a unique artistic vision, and to enjoy the collaborative experience of playing and performing together.

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photo by Glenn Osmundson

Any Upper School student may be a part of a vibrant Vocal Ensemble, and those who wish to audition may also be a part of our select group, the Lambrequins. Courses include the study of music history and theory. Our handbell ensemble performs at concerts and around town, and our chamber group is available for students who study an orchestral instrument. Students in Middle School choose between chorus or handchimes for their musical ensemble. We also coordinate music lessons for any student (and their siblings) who would like individual instruction.

Theatre Upper School students can select from theater courses ranging from Introductory level 20

through Advanced, including technical theater as well as performance-based studies.

Each year, the department mounts three productions, including a very popular musical, which includes our Middle School girls too.

In Middle School, each grade presents a project each year. Grade 6 works on a staged play, Grade 7 focuses on performance and public speaking techniques and writes their own theatrical piece using poetry, and Grade 8 mounts a fully staged musical.

photo by Glenn Osmundson

Music

Art Facts and Stats Pounds of clay used by ceramics students each year: 1,300 Most unusual materials used for sculpture projects: dead bugs, dog fur, bread dough, and melted plastic bottles Museums and galleries visited by Lincoln art classes: MFA in Boston, Rhode Island School of Design Art Museum, Bell Art Gallery at Brown University, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston Art/Photography majors: Some years we have as many as 9 out of a class of 40 Art Competitions that Lincoln students participate in: Scholastic Art Awards, Hera Gallery Art Competition, the Small Independent School Art League

Visual Arts Painting, drawing, ceramics, photography, and sculpture are among the media featured in our visual arts offerings. In addition to showing their art in school exhibitions, students also enter state and regional art contests. The most committed artists may participate in our Art Majors Program, through which they’ll develop portfolios suitable for submission to leading art schools.

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The Lambrequins

photo by Glenn Osmundson

Members of the Vocal Ensemble may audition for the Lambrequins, a distinguished singing group that has been a Lincoln tradition since 1957. Performing 16th-century madrigals to contemporary jazz songs, the Lambrequins are famous for their exciting and challenging repertoire of music—both a cappella and with accompaniment from instrumental groups.

Special Opportunities in the Arts Handbells What do you get when you add 61 bells, 5 octaves, and 12 ringers? An opportunity for novice and experienced musicians to create heavenly music! Our handbell choir uses a set of handbells from England’s Whitechapel Bell Foundry, famous for casting the Liberty Bell.

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Recent Lincoln School Productions Annie, Jr. Big River Comic Potential The Women Pride and Prejudice The Boy Friend A Midsummer Night’s Dream Oklahoma

Fiddler on the Roof, Jr. Willy Wonka, Jr. The Crucible The Dining Room Comedy of Errors Bye Bye Birdie Once Upon a Mattress Anything Goes Li’l Abner

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Art is the period where I can forget about all of my other classes and just completely enjoy myself. The atmosphere is simply comfortable, and every idea you have can be brought out within the piece you are working on. Art allows a Lincoln girl to have the perfect balance of fun and education and in my opinion everyone should take it to see what they are capable of.

”

Alexa Faria ’12 Art Major

photo by Glenn Osmundson

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OUR TRADITIONS

Lincoln School was founded in 1884.

Our traditions keep us connected with past generations of Lincoln students—and give us unique ways to celebrate our school today.

Eight Reasons to

Love Lincoln

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The Motto: Love+Loyalty+Lowliness In a nutshell: love is how we feel about each other. Loyalty is how we feel about our school. Lowliness is the capacity to put others before ourselves and to acknowledge that service is key to leadership.

The Kilt: Q&A A) A shortcut to knowing what to wear to school B) A visible symbol of how Lincoln students feel connected to each other C) One of the most beloved traditions at Lincoln

Answer: All of the above! More than just a school uniform that takes the stress out of deciding what to wear, the kilt is a symbol of solidarity and belonging, and it reminds us of the school spirit we share.

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The Start Students entering Grades 6–8 begin the school year with an orientation trip that combines off-campus fun, friendship, and adventure. Trips have featured camping, hiking, and whale watching. What a great way to get to know each other!

Silent Meeting Take time to sit quietly and reflect upon your day, to think about the people in your life, to remember that you are learning and growing in a community that supports you.

Integral to our Quaker foundation, silent meeting provides us with the opportunity to share our thoughts with other members of the community. When our students leave for college, it’s one of the things they miss most about Lincoln.

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Lumina: A Celebration of Light The day before winter break, when the days have grown short and the nights have grown colder and longer, we hold this solemnly joyful and beautiful ceremony of light and song. It reminds us of the light within each person and the warmth of school community.

Step-Singing Held the evening before Commencement, Step-Singing is a lively exchange of original songs between the graduating senior class and the juniors who will inherit not only the front steps to the school, but also a number of responsibilities and privileges. Thus does school leadership pass from one class to the next!

The Pancake Breakfast Pour it on! (The syrup that is.) The most important meal of the day becomes one of the most enjoyable at the annual Pancake Breakfast. The whole school comes for a morning feast prepared by faculty and staff just for the fun of it.

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“” 8 “

Lincoln has a spirit like no other school... students can express themselves safely and freely while enjoying the power of being treated as an individual.

Lincoln helps girls develop mature voices that can be heard across the world.

Alexia Williams ’13

The Rhode Island Festival of Children’s Books and Authors Lincoln is the site of the annual Rhode Island Festival of Children’s Books and Authors. Chris Van Allsburg, Natalie Babbitt, and Giselle Potter have been among the authors and illustrators to come to campus for the two-day event, which features presentations, book signings, and a fundraiser for scholarships.

As a deaf student at Lincoln, my teachers and classmates have always embraced me for who I am.

At Lincoln, I have never been made to feel like I don’t belong here. I think that says a lot about the school spirit and community.

Olivia Williams ’14

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Simplicity

Lincoln School 301 Butler Avenue, Providence, RI 02906 (401) 331 9696 www.lincolnschool.org