Kicking off the academic year with the annual opening assembly, Upper School students and teachers came together to welcome one another with cheerful enthusiasm and curiosity. Members of the Class of 2024, who had just finished their uproarious welcome back line-up in front of the School, were seated on stage as a symbol of their role as leaders during their final year at Spence.

Student body president Kate S. '24 welcomed her peers and teachers with excitement for the year to come. “I can’t wait to get to know each one of you better and to see all of the amazing things we can accomplish together.”

Head of School Felicia Wilks bolstered the sense of community by focusing on Spence’s mission, remarking on its enduring principles. “I love how ambitious this mission is: it calls out to the power of women, girls, and young people more broadly to make a difference in the world.” Wilks reflected on the “lifelong transformation of self,” what she considers to be one of the mission’s most powerful elements. “It speaks to who you are and who you’re becoming, and it acknowledges that each of you has an impact on your own life and on the world.”

“I want you to keep your eyes open for new things that you’re interested in,” Wilks continued. “Our lives were never meant to be a task list. You’re meant to pay attention to yourself, to find things you’re interested in, and to follow those trails. This is for your entire life: it’s not just for now, and it’s not just for school. It’s for life.”