The 2025–26 campus theme of “Unity” inspires students, faculty and staff to elevate each other by honoring one’s unique gifts.

The Unity theme, introduced and adopted at the beginning of the academic year, is being fully embraced across campus. 

Each school year, a committee made of students, staff and faculty selects a schoolwide theme that is not only adopted but exemplified and lived up to throughout the academic year. A banner is displayed at the school’s entrance gate, postcards are posted on classroom windows, bulletin boards and high-traffic areas as reminders for the community, and the theme and its meaning are reiterated in chapel. The printed materials showcase original student artwork and this year’s design is created by Fan Yu Hung ’26. 

In a recent chapel service, Head Chaplain Rev. Aimée Eyer-Delevett told students this year’s theme was inspired by the movie “Encanto.” 

The premise of the animated fantasy film shows how individual gifts can lead to division if used solely for personal worth or appearance, but true unity is found in using these gifts cooperatively to support and love one another. 

“The message is that unity is not sameness but the shared commitment to building each other up through our differences — highlighting the importance of each individual's unique contribution to the school community,” said Eyer-Delevett.

Eyer-Delevett also referenced Apostle Paul’s letter to the early Christian community in Ephesus, sharing that Paul painted a picture of a community, not made up of identical people with identical roles, but a varied community where each person's gifts matter for the good of the whole and are “necessary for the common good.”

“Your gifts — seen and unseen — shape this community in ways that matter deeply without which we would not be who we are,” said Eyer-Delevett.

The Unity theme further aligns with St. Stephen’s Episcopal identity, mission and core values. The school is committed to upholding and advancing our founders’ bold, progressive vision for a diverse, inclusive and equitable school community that respects and celebrates the unique individuality and dignity of every human being.

Maya Quiroz-Ibañez Spindler ’30 said her takeaway from the message is that “everyone is accepted and you can always be yourself.”

New Spartan Nicholas Gilbreath ’30, who has been busy settling into life as an 8th grader on The Hill says, “I’ve just been trying to be friends with people and help people where I can.” 

St. Stephen’s faculty, staff and fellow students have been encouraging each other to live out the Unity theme in all aspects of their lives: in the classroom, on the fields, in the arts studios and during all the times in between.

Upper School Spanish Instructor Jesús Cadenas says the Unity theme was front and center in a recent assignment his Spanish V class tackled. The students read a short story about a group of poor children in the town of Ollantaytambo, Peru, who approached a tourist not knowing he was a famous Latin American author, Eduardo Galeano. The children asked Galeano to give them his pen. Instead of handing it over, he offered to draw sketches of small animals in their hands. When Cadenas asked his students to reflect on the one thing that unites the kids and Galeano, their answer was imagination and fantasy — two things that unite people all over the world. The students went on to create posters to illustrate the literary encounter in Ollaytambo.

Community events provide more opportunities to see the Unity theme in action. The recent campus Block Party and dedication ceremonies were extraordinary ways for students to connect, build community, school pride and find common ground in being Spartans. Together, they played games, dunked their teachers, enjoyed food and danced together before cheering on the varsity athletic teams.

There are plans for the  Theme Committee to spearhead a large fall art project across the Middle and Upper Schools that will bring the uniqueness of Spartans together, and be displayed across campus. Stay tuned!

Learn more about St. Stephen’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion