Kent School is among the nation’s first schools and the only Preschool through Grade 8 school in Maryland to join a new national campaign to mobilize middle and high schools to prepare young people to be constructive community members and citizens who create a better world. Led by Harvard’s Making Caring Common project, the Caring Schools #CommonGood campaign aims to motivate schools to take action to help mend our country’s fractures and strengthen democracy.

“It is an exciting honor to partner with the Harvard Graduate School of Education and to be an early leader in Making Caring Common.” said Nancy Mugele, Head of School at Kent School. “As we work each day to fulfill our mission to foster the growth of honorable, responsible citizens for our country and our diverse world, intentionally teaching empathy strategies within our community is essential. We are fortunate to be among a global network of 135 independent schools who see this as a transformative teaching and learning opportunity. Within this global reach Kent School is one of fewer than 20 middle schools to be an early leader.”

The campaign seeks to advance the following specific goals by working with schools nationwide:

1. Deepen students’ care for others and their communities;
2. Increase equity and access for all students in the college admissions process; and
3. Reduce excessive achievement pressure in communities where it is detrimental to students.

These goals align with and build on Making Caring Common’s successful Turning the Tide initiative that has engaged more than 175 college admissions offices nationwide.

“Our country is at a crossroads,” said Dr. Richard Weissbourd, Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Faculty Director of the Making Caring Common project. “We need to mobilize the great strengths of Americans to prepare young people to build strong, inclusive communities and to protect democracy. This work has perhaps never been more important.”