S Wang (’26) emphasized the emotional significance of the event, as it marked the final moment before her class became alumni.
“I’m happy, but it’s a bit sad to see my friends dressed up and graduating,” S said. “I’m reflecting a lot on how much time we spent together. I also enjoyed the speeches during the ceremony. A few of them made me cry, so it was definitely sentimental. My favorite part was seeing my family in the stands and waving at them and also seeing how much everyone supports each other when their name is called.”
Faculty members voted Elie as the student speaker for best exemplifying Harker’s core tenets, academic excellence and intellectual curiosity amongst all Mission Award recipients. Featuring a motif about being “sparkly,” she honored a late classmate and recounted her class’s accomplishments, from winning spirit in the spring to performing in “Something Rotten,” and encouraged her peers to stand up for what matters most. Elie described how she gradually gained confidence and recognized the “sparkly”-ness in people.
“Sometimes others see our light long before we learn how to see it in ourselves,” Elie said. “For a very long time, I was dulling my own sparkle. From elementary school until sophomore year, I felt uncomfortable being myself. I didn’t speak up when something felt wrong, didn’t try out new things out of fear of judgment, and didn’t believe people when they said they wanted to be around me, so not very sparkly.”
To close off the speeches, Head of School Brian Yager shared the story of his late father, who passed away nearly one year ago. Through anecdotes about his father’s humanitarian efforts and humor during difficult times, Yager emphasized the importance of altruism and service to the world, qualities he urged the graduates to carry forward.
“My father’s life checked many of these boxes of success, often in ways which he might not have appreciated,” Yager said. “He always aimed to leave the world a bit better. Graduates of the Class of 2026, may you too find and embrace similar purpose, direction and selflessness in your own lives ahead. On behalf of the entire staff, faculty and alumni body at the school, I wish you a beautiful, successful future. I hope you will fare well in it.”
Senior class dean Meredith Cranston read aloud the names of all seniors, and the graduates posed with Yager and Upper School Head Paul Barsky after receiving their diplomas from Yager. To end the ceremony, the graduates turned their cap tassels from right to left and threw them in the air as doves were released to symbolize hope and new beginnings.
Throughout the event, the 2026 Graduation Chorus, consisting of Capriccio, Downbeat and sophomores from Festival Chorus, performed three songs: “The Star Spangled Banner,” “Always Keep this Close” and “The Harker School Song,” before Barsky’s welcome address, Dr. Venkatesh’s keynote speech and Yager’s farewell to the class, respectively.
Following the ceremony, the Class of 2026, friends and family congregated in the upper portion of the venue to take pictures and celebrate with their loved ones. Many seniors received personalized gifts like leis and flower bouquets in recognition of their completion of four years of high school.
