Sidwell Friends School is a highly selective Quaker private school located in Bethesda, Maryland and Washington, D.C., offering pre-kindergarten through secondary school classes. Founded in 1883 by Thomas Sidwell, its motto is "Eluceat omnibus lux" (Let the light shine out from all), alluding to the Quaker concept of inner light. All Sidwell Friends students attend Quaker meeting for worship weekly.
The school's admissions process is merit-based. As documented on the school's website, it gives preference in admissions decisions to members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), but otherwise does not discriminate on the basis of religion. The school has accepted vouchers under the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.
Both of President Barack Obama's daughters, Sasha and Malia, attend Sidwell, which has been described as "the Harvard of Washington's private schools". Vice President Joe Biden's grandchildren also attend the school. Previously, President Theodore Roosevelt's son Archibald, Richard Nixon's daughter Tricia, Bill Clinton's daughter Chelsea Clinton, and Vice President Al Gore's son, Albert Gore III, all graduated from Sidwell Friends.
Read more about Sidwell Friends School: History, Academics, Athletics, Current Profile, Campuses, Notable Alumni, Notable Parents
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—Henry David David (1817–1862)