Beneath blue skies on Ackerson field, 290 seniors gathered on June 18 for one final time as classmates before stepping into the next chapter of their lives.
Surrounded by family, friends, teachers and staff, the members of the Class of 2026 crossed the stage to receive their diplomas, marking the culmination of four years defined by academic achievement, athletic success, artistic accomplishments and personal growth.
Throughout the ceremony, speakers returned to a common theme: while graduates may be leaving Hopewell Valley, the community they built here will always remain with them.
Principal Patricia Riley captured that message through one of the school’s most recognizable traditions — the Dawg Pound.
For four years, the student section has been a fixture at athletic events, celebrating victories, lifting classmates through difficult moments and reminding students they are never alone.
“Sometimes, however, when the Dawg Pound is chanting a name, it’s not out of celebration,” Riley said. “Sometimes, it’s in recognition of a hard time… The Dawg Pound may be chanting one of our student’s names acknowledging those hard times and showing support.”
The metaphor, she said, extends well beyond high school.
“As you move forward in life, you may not always have a Dawg Pound following you around and chanting your name,” Riley said. “However, when you have something to celebrate, I want you to think of the people at HVCHS who would be standing behind you… And when you face a challenge or a hard time, I want you to think of the people at HVCHS who would be standing behind you, yelling your name, wanting to support you.”
The principal pointed to a class filled with remarkable accomplishments. Members of the Class of 2026 helped lead Hopewell Valley to back-to-back Black and Gold Cup championships, captured three consecutive winter pep rally dance titles, formed the core of the Bulldogs’ three-time state championship boys tennis team, earned Eagle Scout and Girl Scout Gold awards, competed nationally in athletics, performed professionally as musicians, volunteered throughout the community and even participated in collegiate-level research while still in high school.
Yet Riley also recognized the quieter achievements.
She acknowledged graduates who learned English after arriving from other countries, those who persevered through personal hardships and unimaginable loss, and those who overcame challenges that shaped their high school experience.
Student speaker Grace Corveleyn reflected on those four years through the lens of a fictional “Spotify Wrapped” for the Class of 2026.
Rather than songs, she recounted hundreds of athletic contests, performances and competitions, thousands of hours spent studying, commuting and working, and countless memories made together.
“My fellow seniors,” she asked, “where’d all the time go?”
Her answer wasn’t measured in statistics.
“You have your memories, your community, and hopefully, a little gratitude,” Corveleyn said.
She encouraged classmates to remember not only the milestones but also the perseverance that carried them to graduation.
“High school is HARD, and you did that!” she said. “You put in the work… because you took adversity in hand and battled back.”
Board of Education President Anita Williams Galiano connected the ceremony to the eve of Juneteenth, recalling how many members of the Class of 2026 participated in the Witness Stones Project while in middle school, researching the life of Friday Truehart, a 13-year-old who was enslaved in Hopewell before ultimately finding success in the community.
“I mention these two commemorations as bookends to an extraordinary season in your lives—a journey filled with challenges and triumphs, uncertainty and growth,” Williams Galiano said. “Yet tonight, you sit before us accomplished and successful, ready for what comes next.”
Whether graduates head to college, military service, technical training or careers, she reminded them that they leave equipped for whatever comes next.
“You are capable. You are accomplished,” she said. “And wherever your path leads, Hopewell will be cheering you on through all the opportunities and challenges ahead.”
As the final diplomas were awarded and the ceremony drew to a close, Riley left the Class of 2026 with one final message.
“I want you to remember that you are loved, I want you to remember that you will be missed, and I want you to remember that you will always have a home here at HVCHS.”
Official graduation photos by Mike Schwartz can be found here.
Hopewell Valley Central High School Class of 2026
The following students graduated from Hopewell Valley Central High School during commencement exercises held June 18, 2026, on Ackerson Field.
- Sophia A. Acerenza
- Edgar Alfaro
- Diron EJ Amadoru
- Byron Jose Amaya Perez
- Allan E Anderson
- Benjamin Adam Andreski
- Elias August Angarone
- Jonathan Bosire Angwenyi
- Ananya M Anil
- Scarlett Aniolek
- Sarah Armour
- Amanjot Kaur Arora
- Emil Valentine Backes
- Noah Matthew Baranowski
- Luca Finn Bario
- Ethan Michael Barker
- Vanessa Bartnikowski
- Ty Delaney Becker
- Kaia Marie Bedon
- Jude Thomas Berman
- Valcilda – Carol Nweya Besingi
- Aarush Bhol
- Maria Borgi
- Aidan Richard Brown
- Devin A Brown
- Maya Lorraine Brown
- Rowan Olivia Brown
- Chelsea Josephine Cahall
- Noah D Calhoun
- Sidonie Fairweather Calton
- Lucas Daniel Cardozo
- Autumn Skye Carter
- William John Carter
- Eliott Casagrande
- Haonan Chen
- Anu T Chidambaram
- Travis Christopher Chopyak
- Jonah H Chung
- Gracie Claire Cooper
- Sonia Coppisetti
- Sophie Emma Juliette Coret
- Lianna Izel Cornely
- Grace Elisabeth Corveleyn
- Samuel John Costantini
- Antonio Cowan
- Ariel Croner
- William Wyatt Cubero
- Sean Cui
- Trevor Gavin Buller Daly
- James Betar Damron
- Kellen Smith Danieluk
- Lily Jane Davies
- Kate Elaine Dayner
- Louis DeCibus
- Mikhailo Camryn Vern DelMarco
- Jaya Sanai Doggett
- Jason DeJesus Donis-Yuman
- Eshaan Sohan Doshi
- Karin Anna Dziuda
- Melanie Rose Edwards
- Atalee Leeor Eines
- Christian Mark Elvy
- Rah’Jeir Anthony English
- Elisa Rose Enroth
- Gabriella Morgan Fahmy
- Carolan Rose Falk
- Chloe Malia Faller
- Seamus Michael Fennessy
- Jack Joseph Ferino
- Alejandra Beatrice Figueroa
- Gabriel Raymond Fish
- Connor Robert Foy
- Mateo Franco-Valverde
- Molly Rose Galgano
- Chase Kellington Garrow
- David Nicolas Gawron
- Emma Grace Gaynor
- Vince R Gendusi
- James Edmund Gervasoni III
- Najib Sami Ghandour
- Nikita Sami Ghandour
- Eva Susan Giambanco
- Lindsay Marie Giambanco
- Gavin Edward Gola
- Logan Cajetan Gonsalves
- Tessa Rose Goodman
- Kaylie Rose Gorman
- Joseph Grace
- Alexandra Brooke Graf
- Jael Enrique Gramajo
- Madeline Elizabeth Gresko
- Giulia Guarino
- Raegan Alexis Haaf
- Victoria Hamm
- Austyn Jade Hanley
- Emary E Harding
- Cayden J Harris
- Christian Adam Heide
- Matthew Frank Helmrich
- Lucas J Hemmer
- Jadyn Brook Hermann
- Dylan Scott Hersh
- Kylie Diane Hitt
- Elisha Nicole Hodges
- Meghan Grace Hofacker
- Lynedon Valley Horton
- Carter Shea Reilly Horvath
- Andrew Michael Hou
- Thomas Lai Huang
- Skyler Evan Hulsizer
- Michaela Anna Ialamov
- Jasmine Joy Isaacs
- Liam Jain
- Jasmine Elizabeth Johann
- Maren Elea Johnson
- Isabela Anita Katherine Juleff
- Samson Rylee Keenan
- Dean Connor Kelly
- Sean Edward Kelly
- Oliver Kennedy
- Andrew Robert King
- Peter R King
- Wakana Kobayashi
- Drew Colin Kohlhepp
- Pranathi Kummarapurugu
- Mary Grace Kunkel
- Martin Csaba Kupec
- Jaylli K Kushi
- Madeleine Rose LaChance
- Paul Jonas Laitusis
- Benjamin Aidan Lang
- Nicholas James Lautermilch
- Lillian E Lawton
- Matthew Louis Lebson
- Juno Lee
- Sean M Lento
- Macie Leonardi
- Daniel Jay Lesnever
- Erica Z Li
- Rebecca Leila Stecker Lieberman
- Michaela Elizabeth Linthorst
- Jinrie K Liu
- Lucas James Llerena
- Juvencio Lopez Velazquez
- Isamu Lowe
- Madeline Shea Lynch
- Christopher Cooper Mackin
- Naomi MacQueen
- Kaito Sean Mahon
- Jolinda Marsh
- Sadie Noelle Matuszewski
- Gavin Michael McCaffrey
- Bo McCoy
- Colin David McCullough
- Gavin Connor McDonough
- Aniyha Elaine Merola
- Theodora Sky Milchanoski
- Isaac Floyd Miller
- Jazlene Estela Minaya
- Karim W Moustafa
- Dennis Charles Mulvihill
- Christopher Peter Myers
- Elizabeth Grace Myers
- Dhananjay Nair
- Mira Nair
- Anna Roshen Gwynne Nakra
- Julianna Grace Noto
- Zaria S Nunnally
- Uchenna Adaora Cynthia Patricia Obidike
- Mason William O’Connor
- Nathan J Odaa
- Charles Patrick O’Kelly
- Liam O’Leary
- Matthew Robert O’Neil
- Ryan John Ottobre
- Alik Alphonso Pack
- Colbie Shea Pagnotta
- Adhya Pandit
- Krystian Papiez
- Gabrielle Elizabeth Pasko
- Bennett Thomas Patterson
- Christopher Jonathan Pazdan
- Erik W Petrin
- Lila Kathleen Petropoulos
- Maeve Noelle Petura
- Ivan Plazonic
- Max Philip Pollara
- Lila Rene Pressel
- Zy’aire Matthew Samuel Price
- Gavin Nicholas Prikril
- Gabriella Sofia Procaccini
- Zoe Isabella Prood
- Mario J Radzicki
- Atharvsingh Raghuvanshi
- Roshan Rahmani
- Sohan Rao
- Kayla Reber
- Katherine A Reinhart
- Cambria Celeste Reinhold
- Marek Jacob Rembowski
- Samuel William Renaud
- August Emmet Reynertson
- Joshua Michael Rheinhardt
- Maria Rizvi
- Colin Wright Robinson
- Louis Christopher Robotti
- Luke John Rodefeld
- Nigel Samuel Rodrigues
- Delainey Erin Ross
- Leo Henry Rothman
- Alexandra Fortier Rowe
- Kaitlyn Ruocco
- Adam Hugh Russell
- Finn Stuart Russell
- Caroline Kelly Ryan
- Juliette Nicole Saia
- Louisa Ann Saindon
- Pascal Sajewski-Lee
- Navin Kumar Satish Kumar
- Eric Daniel Savas
- Graham J Saville
- Roman Paolo Scaturro
- Francesca Giada Schiano Moriello
- Evangeline Carlin Schuster
- Gavin Nathaniel Seibold
- Maria Sgro
- Aryan D Shah
- Alexandria Marie Shaltis
- James Thomas Sheehan
- Jaykob Rae Shin
- Sohail Syed Shuaib
- Jeremy Ryan Siegelheim
- Manas Sinha
- Oishee Sinharay
- Benjamin Randall Sparks
- Rachel Noelle Springer
- Austin Rose Stephens
- Owen Murphy Stewart
- Jack Westley Stier
- Evan W Strain
- Caitlin Rose Stubbs
- Colin Michael Subhan
- Marina Kasahara Sugrue
- Emily Claire Suh
- Emmett Suh
- Isabel Suh
- Elle Patricia Sullivan
- Sean Adam Sullivan
- Myla Frances Sullivan-Schuyler
- Kirthi Casimir Suryanarayan
- Ryan Nicholas Szustakowski
- Ryan Shawn Tackacs
- Gehrig Michael Teza
- Emily Maris Tomaro
- Joseph Anthony Troiano
- Pedro Jose Trujillo Mesa
- Joaquin H Trujillo
- Brian Mark Tulli Jr.
- Keira Rose Verdino
- Colin James Vickery
- Grayson Roland Vlasac
- Sofiia Mykolayiuna Voitiuk
- Alexander P Vorona
- Lily Grace Wallauer
- Ethan J Walrath
- Reilly Corbett Walsh
- Brady L Wan
- Benjamin Zebin Wang
- Jerry Zhiwei Wang
- Jue Lai Wang
- Maxwell Zeming Wang
- Nancy Wang
- Jackson C Warner
- Michael Alan Whitlock
- Alison Winsor
- Abram Wojciechowicz
- Kieran Peter Wojciechowski
- Brooke Ashley Wood
- Jonathan Samuel Xec
- Kyle A Yadamiec
- Tyler R Yadamiec
- Lukas Euripides Yiacas
- Julia Bora Yu
- Beichen Yuan
- David Bai-An Yuan
- Catherine Trang Zambrano
- Ethan James Zavaglia
- Elizabeth Rose Zelin
- Aileen Zhang
