If you ask Adventist educators what encouraged them to become teachers, you’ll get a similar answer from so many of them—the experiences they had as students.
For Spencer Hannah, the first glimmers of his future in education sparked when he was attending a public junior high school. “I had a group of young male teachers that impacted my life,” he shares. “There were some difficult things happening in my life and these teachers took interest in me and supported and encouraged me both personally and academically. They were a significant inspiration in me deciding to become a teacher.”

Born in Michigan and raised in Ohio, Spencer attended public school through ninth grade, when he had the opportunity to attend Mt. Vernon Academy. There, he found even more inspiration for his own career. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time there,” he says. “The activities, the friendships, and the influence of the teachers—I decided that I wanted to be a teacher at an Adventist boarding school.”
To set himself up for that future, he enrolled in Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a minor in secondary education. It was a good experience for Spencer, who met his future wife there and spent a year serving with her as student missionaries in the South Pacific.

“That year of teaching fifth and sixth grades cemented my desire to teach and enlarged my world view and made me a better teacher,” he says. “After graduating, I was fortunate enough to land a position teaching math and physics at Campion Academy.”
This first job launched him into 34 years on boarding school campuses across the country. “The opportunities to engage with students throughout the day, week, and weekends enabled me to develop deep, meaningful relationships with many students,” he says. “These relationships have enriched my life greatly and have kept me engaged in Adventist education.”

Spencer also stayed engaged in his own educational pursuits. He completed his master’s degree in educational administration, and then spent 35 of the last 36 years working in administration as a principal or vice-principal at seven different Adventist schools. “I love being part of a team, and these years in administration have enabled me to not only be a part of some incredible teams but have provided opportunities to be a part of molding teams as well as individual educators. These experiences are what have fulfilled me in my career,” he shares.

While he treasures his time in the classrooms, hallways, and offices of academies, Spencer explains that some of the deepest experiences in his career journey have happened as he worked alongside students on mission trips. 

“My year as a student missionary broadened my worldview, and when I had the opportunity later to expose my students to similar experiences, I was quick to engage,” he says. “I have organized and participated in incredible, life-changing mission trips to Central and South America, Asia, Africa, and right here in North America. I have watched students when they are taken out of their comfort zones, and they come face-to-face with people that often have something that they are lacking—happiness. This has opened so many eyes and changed so many lives. I always encourage my students to engage in mission opportunities whenever they arise—short-term school trips, yearlong student mission experiences, or even just their youth group serving at a local soup kitchen.”

Spencer explains that his personal and work life have been enriched in so many ways by these experiences and more throughout his career. “Most people think you cannot get rich if you work in Adventist education,” he says. “However, I would argue that my career has enabled me to become rich—rich in experiences, rich in relationships, and rich in my walk with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If you want to have these riches, then I strongly encourage you to commit to a career in Adventist education.”