Every time a student attends their first day of the school year it represents a new beginning for that individual. The student has a chance to start afresh, improve what needs improvement, and look forward to the wide open future. For St. Paul Academy and Summit School students however, the first day of school on Sept. 1 was particularly special because it represented a new opportunity of growth for the entire community.

The new opportunity is not just the beginning of a new school year at SPA but the beginning of a new culture, brought to the campus by the Huss Center for Performing Arts. Not only will the Huss Center dramatically impact every students’ experiences but it was also one of the first impressions of the school year as students gathered there for a welcoming assembly before any classes took place. Sitting prominently in the center of campus,  the Huss Center is the product of roughly a year of construction and the generous donations of many supporters of the arts, including John and Ruth Huss for whom the performing arts center is named. “Their gift really represented a belief in you and a belief in the culture of SPA and the possibility of the future,” Head of School Bryn Roberts said to the student body as the first speaker of the assembly.

Roberts opened proceedings with his words which reminded students that the Huss Center for Performing Arts belongs to them. “The biggest news of the year is, of course, the opening of the Huss Center for Performing Arts. Look around you. This is your new home,” Roberts said. Following Roberts, Senior Upper School Council Presidents Cait Gibbons and Claire Walsh were the first students to speak to the SPA community from the stage, and Upper School Principal Chris Hughes concluded the assembly. “To me the Huss Center represents the reward of hard work and dedication and I am very excited to see how it will aid in our education,” Walsh said.

Though the welcoming assembly kicked off the entire school year, much of the focus was on introducing the Huss Center of the Performing Arts to the SPA community, the legacy of which will undoubtedly be influential. “This performing arts center is a thrilling and striking vote of confidence in you. In you today and what you will do tomorrow. Think about that,” Roberts said.