Friends Academy Head of School Stephen Barker has a message for his graduates. Anyone can be a superhero, including his students.

Speaking at the school’s Class Day Exercises on June 7, he let each of the school’s 28 eighth grade graduates know they don’t have to be a Superman or a Wonder Woman to make a difference.

“Some superheroes think big, while others address smaller issues closer to home,” Barker said in his speech. “The scale is not important, because it all adds up. One can always start with kindness and a simple commitment to putting others first.”

Co-President Liam Cogliano highlighted the ways in which his class is already working to make that vision a reality. Students raised money throughout the year for two big projects to improve the Friends Academy campus, including the construction of a gaga pit and an outdoor function area.

Fellow Co-President Ella Meninno recalled her favorite moments of the year in her speech, including TED Talks, reading through “A Midsummer Night's Dream,” and bonding as a class.

Friends Academy, located on Tucker Road, enrolls students in grades preschool through eighth grade.