Students, faculty, and staff gathered at Brick Church for Spence's annual fall All-School Assembly. In keeping with one the School’s most revered traditions, seniors processed into the assembly alongside Kindergarteners, guiding their fellow students into their first all-school event. Head of School Felicia Wilks shared the year’s theme for assemblies, and how it weaves itself into our daily life at school.

“Our theme for this year is the journey of the saber,” said Wilks, referring to Spence’s mascot, the saber-toothed tiger. “While the saber-toothed tiger has been extinct for over 11,000 years, we can still draw inspiration from what scientists have learned from fossils.” Sabers were precise in their approach, incredibly strong, powerful as individual hunters but even more so as a pack member. “It was no mistake that our school chose a saber as our mascot,” Wilks shared. “There are a lot of similarities…we are fierce as individuals, and even more powerful as a pack, as a whole community.”

The assembly included reflections from Lower School students on when positivity helped them move on from a difficult situation. Fourth grade speaker Virginia K. shared a moment during rock climbing when she could not reach a hold: “I realized that if I moved my foot, I could reach it. After that my hands were covered in callouses and they hurt. But I remembered that when callouses heal, your hands become stronger than they were before.”

Middle School students shared stories about perseverance, and an interview between an Upper School student and Assistant Head of Lower School Beth Handelsman on what it's like to learn something totally new and challenging. Spence’s Triple Trio performed a unique arrangement of the boygenius song “Without You, Without Them,” and Select Choir performed "Ave Dulcissima Maria.”

As always, the assembly concluded with the entire community singing the School Song, a moment of togetherness. “That is what today’s assembly is all about,” Wilks said. “Being together as one pack, leaning on our strengths and the strengths of those around us, and moving forward powerfully together."