College Settlement to Honor Educator

Growing up the son of two educators helped lay the groundwork for Dr. Darryl Ford’s love of education and his desire to pursue a career in the field.

“I always enjoyed school, but really began to thrive in school when I started attending Quaker school in middle school,” said Ford, who, since 2007 has served as William Penn Charter School’s Head of School. “I always knew that I wanted to be a principal or a head of a school. That really came from a love of learning.”

Since becoming Head of School, the Philadelphia native has grown the school’s enrollment, opened a pre-kindergarten and the Kurtz Center for Performing Arts and added Mandarin Chinese to the curriculum.

“We thought it was critically important for students to have exposure to a non-western language,” he said. “We are preparing students in a radically changing world.”

Of his nearly 20 years with the school, Dr. Ford said he is perhaps proudest of the school’s Center for Public Purpose. The 3-year-old program helps students wrestle with issues such as equity in education, poverty and food insecurity.

Dr. Ford has also helped continue the more than 20 year tradition of having lower school students travel to Horsham to experience teambuilding and environmental education at College Settlement’s Outdoor School. College Settlement has been providing their Outdoor School program to private and public schools since 1973.

“Both Penn Charter and College Settlement share the same Quaker roots,” according to Rob Kutzik, Executive Director of College Settlement. “But the program serves many different kinds of schools throughout the region.”

Dr. Ford’s lower School students visit the Horsham-based camps to receive hands-on outdoor experiential education. The program has been in place at his school since before he arrived, according to Dr. Ford, who joined Penn Charter as Director of Middle School in 1997.

“Having any program last that long at a school is unusual and an indication of continued relevance,” adds Kutzik, a former educator in Philadelphia public schools. “We are proud to honor Dr. Ford, and pleased that he has the vision to see the importance of outdoor education and experiential learning in the lives of his students. We hope other folks who are interested in experiential education or who want to honor Dr. Ford, come and join us to celebrate his achievements.”

On Saturday night, November 7th, Dr. Ford will be receiving the Leonard C. Ferguson Youth Advocate Award during College Settlement’s third annual Acorn to Oaks Gala. The event raises much-needed dollars to help provide outdoor education to thousands of young people each year, including nearly 1,000 children each summer at their camps, according Jan Finnegan, Director of Development at College Settlement. Former College Settlement Board President Christopher Weinrich will also be receiving the Anna Freeman Davies Founders Award that night.

The third annual Acorn to Oaks Gala will be held on Nov. 7 at The Sonesta Hotel, 1800 Market St., in Philadelphia from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The event features a cocktail hour, silent auction, dinner and dancing. Cost is $95. To buy tickets or for more information visit www.collegesettlement.org. If you cannot attend but would like to support College Settlement or honor Dr. Ford, please contact Jan Finnegan, Director of Development at jan@collegesettlement.org.