On May 24, 2026, George School celebrated its 132nd annual Commencement. 

While rain and thunderstorms inhibited the traditional outdoor ceremony, there was no lack of spirit, joy and celebration that makes each Commencement special. The community was present to honor the Class of 2026 with signs, cowbells and high energy. 

In his opening remarks, Head of School Justin Brandon reminded the class of what they told him they wanted their legacy to be: “The class who shows up.” “Needless to say, you have shown up so well, Class of 2026, because at George School you have learned who you are and what you value. And in this rapidly evolving world, those are constants you can rely on far beyond your four years here,” he said. 

This sentiment was felt throughout the morning as members of the Class of 2026 shared reflections of their time together. 

Invocation Speaker Diana Zhang ’26 offered a quote by George Fox: “I saw that there was an ocean of darkness and death, but an infinite ocean of light and love flowed over the ocean of darkness.” “You will look back one day, maybe a year from now, maybe 10, and you will see just how much light there was. George Fox saw an infinite ocean of light flowing over the darkness, and so do I. It looks like all of you,” reflected Diana. 

Sarah Zhu ’26 realized that during her time at George School, her perspective of time and productivity has been forever changed. “Time will increasingly feel like something to optimize. But George School taught us something different. Not all valuable time looks productive,” she shared. “Spend time recognizing one another — not simply as roles, titles or passing encounters, but as people carrying invisible accumulations of moments, just as you are.”

The community also got to hear from gifted senior performers for their final time as George School students. Shawn Tang ’26 and Abby Kaufman ’26, accompanied by Ewan Lazzerini ’28, performed “Five Pieces for Two Violins and Piano, I. Prelude IV. Walz” by Dmitri Shostakovich. Charlotte Haubrich ’26 and Lois L’Oiseau ’26 (accompanied by Arthur Esaw ’26) and Arthur Dao ’26 performed modern songs that represented themes of personal growth, friendship and community. 

Kezia Skeete ’26 left the community with messages of gratitude in her reflection, sharing her hopes for the class to leave GS with a full “box of thank-yous and goodbyes” with “the lessons, the people and the love we carry forward” to bring with them to their next destination. 

“I hope that today, though it is our final day on this campus, we don’t just say goodbye, but we keep shining. Keep minding the light,” Kezia said.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

May the lessons you learned at GS guide you to greatness and light in your future.