On Tuesday, the Upper School helped Potomac kick off our 34-year Sandwich Day tradition. This initiative helps students learn about and address food insecurity and food equity in our local community. Grades 10 and 12 made 820 sandwiches for our partner, Cornerstones, in Reston. Many thanks to our fantastic parent volunteers for helping to make this service opportunity possible! 

Last Friday, the Upper School gathered in the Crossroads to recognize Indigenous People's Day. The assembly began with a land acknowledgment read by Nadia Pardesi, Lower School math specialist and DEI coordinator. Following this acknowledgment, Charaun Wills, Upper School science teacher and DEI coordinator, helped to explain the purpose of land acknowledgments and the purpose of our assembly. Robert von Glahn, Upper School history teacher, and grade 12 dean, and Austin Davis, Upper School English teacher and director of student life, then walked our students and faculty through an activity that would help not only acknowledge the history of indigenous people but center their voices in describing the present reality of their communities. To conclude the assembly, students were encouraged to visit a map produced by Native Land Digital to explore which indigenous communities have lived in places important to them. Once students identified these communities, they followed links provided in the map to learn more. Overall, students and faculty alike were able to identify the historical presence of indigenous peoples in our country and challenge commonly held myths and stereotypes about indigenous peoples and their communities.

Student clubs, affinity, and alliance groups in the Upper School have officially started their meeting rotations. Last week, students in the Clubs A rotation had their first gathering. One of the clubs, Students for Environmental Action (SEA), led by Arielle Kouyoumdjian '25, Auden Easter '24, and Brooklyn Williams '24, harvested peppers from the Upper School garden to make homemade salsa. This activity provided a nice bonding experience for new members while highlighting the benefits of gardening.

Sponsored by the Byrnes Family Foundation, the Charles Kenney World War II Legacy Trip honors the legacy of Charles Kenney and provides the opportunity for three to four rising seniors at Potomac to travel to Paris and Normandy to gain first-hand experience of the realities of World War II. During a recent dinner hosted by Flint Hill School, Maddie Magielnicki, Rachel Robbins, Zach Lighthammer, and Laith Weimer presented their profound reflections on their summer journey to France's important memorials and historical sites. Speaking with heartfelt sincerity, they spoke about the importance of remembering and honoring American soldiers of World War II and exploring the lasting impact of their sacrifices on French soil. Alongside four other students from Flint Hill and chaperones from both schools, our students also recognized the powerful educational and emotional impact of walking through history – of treading the sands of Omaha and Juno Beach, of visiting the somber Normandy Cemetery, and of experiencing first hand, the many important sites in France that have borne witness to our collective past.

Friday afternoon ended with a strut down the catwalk by members of the Senior Athletic Committee. Introducing the Upper School to their Spirit Week themes, several seniors donned their finest holiday apparel and jerseys and showcased how to pull off the Barbie versus Oppenheimer theme for Thursday. The SAC Fashion Show provided plenty of creative ideas for our students to ponder as they planned their Spirit Week outfits.