Called together by the ringing of the bell by Zachary McCleave ’33 and Matteo Basil ’32, the school community gathered on Tuesday, April 8, to honor the spring season. Students of numerous faith traditions shared reflections on their most holy days and spring celebrations. The student-led Spiritual Task Force planned the schoolwide event in partnership with Assistant Director of Admissions Sean Kelly.

Grace Axler ’26 welcomed students, faculty, and staff, and Anati Patel ’32 led the community in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Jackson Bubar ’25 shared his faith-based reflection on Easter. “For Christians, Easter is the foundation of what we believe,” he said. Further sharing that the Easter miracle, referring to the death and resurrection of Jesus, is “at the heart of our faith, symbolizing hope, the forgiveness of our sins, and new life.” Jackson explained the 40 days of Lent and the traditions of “giving something up — something that challenges us or takes discipline— as a small way of honoring the sacrifice Jesus made.”

Next, the school community enjoyed special music, “Cascade,” performed by the Upper School String Symphony, accompanied by Austin Green ’25 on drums and S.K. Chipley on keyboard.

 Linh Tran ’26, reflecting on what makes this time of year unique in the Buddhist faith tradition, shared that on May 5, Buddhists celebrate the birthday of Buddha and commemorate the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who later became the first Buddha. “According to the Buddhist canon, as soon as Gautama was born, he instantly took seven steps towards the North with lotus flowers blooming under each step,” she said. “He said the phrase, “Between Heaven above and Earth below, only I am the Honored One” and explained the significance of Buddha declaring himself to be the leader and sage of all realms.”

Upper School Math Teacher Meagan Stone shared the poem “Spring,” authored by an anonymous Ravenscroft student: 

A little sparrow, singing true
A song of love and life anew.
Its merry tune and pitch so sweet,
A tale of flowers and honeybees.
Her nest sits ready,
Sturdy and neat,
To turn white eggs
into hungry babies
From shell to feathers,
And feathers to wings
The next generation
flies off and sings.
A little sparrow, singing true
A song of love and life anew.

To share a reflection on the Hindu holiday Holi, Ashvik Poli ’28 offered that Holi, known as the festival of colors, “marks the arrival of spring and celebrates the victory of good over evil. It’s also a time to honor the divine love between Radha and Krishna, which reflects the spirit of playfulness, devotion, and togetherness that defines the celebration.” She also went on to say that each color has its own special meaning. “Red stands for love; yellow, often made from turmeric, represents purity and healing; blue symbolizes Lord Krishna and his divine compassion, and green signifies new beginnings,” Ashvik said. “When we play with these colors, it’s not just about having fun—it’s also about spreading joy and reminding ourselves of these deeper values.”

Head of School Derrick Willard provided closing remarks that included a brief explanation of May Day. May Day, more commonly celebrated in Europe, has “roots in ancient spring festivals — a time to mark the arrival of spring and the beginning of summer, when our world is blooming and budding and flush with flowers and green leaves,”  Willard said.

Before dismissing everyone, Willard expressed gratitude to the Spiritual Task Force and to Sean Kelly, the faculty sponsor, while acknowledging the senior leaders in the group: Sunny Donthi ’25, Faris Othman ’25 and Ethan Silverman ’25. The Spiritual Task Force is a student-led group dedicated to sharing different faith and non-faith traditions through our All School Gathering programs. 

 “As a school, we are committed to supporting students as they learn about themselves and the world around them,” Kelly said. “Gathering as a community allows students to respectfully share their traditions, learn more about others, and spend time as one Pre-K through 12th-grade community. Especially powerful in this program is the opportunity for Lower School students to see themselves and their own family traditions in the older students leading the way.”