Elizabethtown Area High School celebrated the graduation of 338 members of the Class of 2026 during commencement exercises held Thursday evening, May 28, as families, friends, staff, and community members gathered to honor the graduates and celebrate the milestone.

The ceremony opened with a performance of the National Anthem by seniors Audra Kuntz, Hayden Simone, Josie Sirinides, and Makayla Weaver.

Senior class speaker Alison Krebs welcomed graduates and guests by reflecting on the resilience, growth, and determination of the Class of 2026 while encouraging classmates to embrace the opportunities that lie ahead.

“What we do matters, and the impact we leave is ours to choose,” Krebs said.

Interim Superintendent Tom Strickler addressed graduates by reflecting on resilience, humility, empathy, and curiosity, encouraging students to approach the future with courage and compassion despite life’s uncertainties.

“Go forward with curiosity, compassion, empathy, courage, and strength—knowing that your story is just beginning,” Strickler told the graduating class.

School Board President Kelly Carter reflected on the growth, resilience, and courage demonstrated by the Class of 2026 throughout their educational journey, reminding students that some of life's greatest lessons come from stepping into the unknown.

“Growth has always waited for you on the other side of uncertainty. Keep taking the step,” Carter said.

Principal Dr. Jason D’Amico reflected on the accomplishments of the senior class while encouraging graduates to cherish the relationships and memories that shaped their time at Elizabethtown Area High School.

“In life, it’s not where you go, but who you travel with that matters,” D’Amico said, quoting cartoonist Charles Schulz.

The Class of 2026 compiled an impressive list of accomplishments during their time at Elizabethtown Area High School, including:

• 257 dual enrollment courses completed
• Participation in 148 athletic roster spots
• 78 internships and 105 work experiences completed during the school year
• More than 70 students participating through the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center
• 68 National Honor Society members
• 64 seniors participating in Advanced Placement exams
• Strong participation in music, theater, Future Educators, Mini-THON, and FFA programs
• One National Merit Scholar finalist

Noa Williams was recognized as the valedictorian of the Class of 2026, an honor awarded to the graduating senior with the highest weighted grade point average over four years of high school. In her address, Williams encouraged classmates to embrace “active gratitude” and appreciate both the meaningful moments and the challenges that shaped their high school experience.

“There is good in every opportunity, because every moment shapes who we are and who we are becoming,” Williams said.

Audrianna Resetar was recognized as the salutatorian of the Class of 2026, an honor awarded to the graduating senior with the second-highest weighted grade point average over four years of high school. Resetar reminded graduates that success is often built in the unseen moments of perseverance, discipline, and growth.

“Who we become matters more than what we become,” Resetar said.

In the days leading up to commencement, graduating seniors participated in several celebratory senior walks throughout the district. Members of the Class of 2026 visited East High Street Elementary School, Bainbridge Elementary School, the secondary school campus, and Bear Creek School, where students and staff lined the hallways to cheer on the soon-to-be graduates.

The evening concluded with the traditional turning of the tassels and cap toss, officially welcoming the Class of 2026 as the newest alumni of Elizabethtown Area School District.

Senior Class Officers:

• President: Annale Nguyen
• Vice President: Kendal Huggins
• Secretaries: Jack Ketchum and Rachel Smucker
• Treasurer: Karin Popdan
• Historian: Hannah Taylor
• Marketing/Social Media: Aliyah Funk and Maggie Hook

Class of 2026 Graduates

Mustafa Abdulwahab, Kolton Adams, Xander Adams, Zane Akers, Julius Alvalle, Gavin Alvarez, Jacqueline Anderton, Nikkolai Bear, Amaya Beckham, Josiah Bernhart, Monisha Bhattarai, Colin Bomboy, Savannah Bradley, Addison Bradnick, Alexander Brandt, Bailey Bresch, Cameron Brosey, Cecelia Bullard, Francis Burke, Karissa Burkepile, Emma Bury, Alexander Bushey, Garrett Buzzard, Paityn Calaman, Joseph Cambria, Lyllian Cantey, Kyle Capello, Janae Carden, Nathan Carey, Gavin Chambers, Jacob Chapman, Dante Checco, Ted Clark, Logan Conway, Camryn Cook, Sarah Corona, Andrew Corson, Addison Corwin, Matthew Coss, William Cox, Alana Cueto, and William Curry.

Katelynn Darling, Jamielynn Darling, Keira Davis, Miranda Davis, Chloe Dellinger, Olivia Diehl, Keagan Dillinger, Daniel DiSanto, Eriyah Doeleh, Austin Dolan, Haylie Douglas, Peter Dunbar, Jennifer Dutcher, Tyler Eberly, Dylan Ebersole, Jennavicia Engel, Josiah Erb, Mackenzie Ernst, Bo Espenshade, River Espenshade, Ivet Ester, Noah Falcon, Hannah Feehrer, Jonathan Felix, Addison Fisher, Trent Fitzwater, Sadie Fleming, Alana Flory, Westin Fouse, Desmond Frederick, Connor Frey, Kayden Fridy, and Aliyah Funk.

Cora Gage, Wyatt Garber, Manuel Garcia, Justin Garner, Lily Garver, Dariya Gencturk, Rebecca Gerberich, Emma Germak, Dia Gilleland, Judah Gilliam, Alexis Gilmer, Reid Gilmore, Adilynn Ginder, Logan Ginder, Sadie Givens, Mackenzie Glass, Ava Glick, Lily-Ahna Glover, Liam Gould, Noah Graham, Emily Gramm, Avery Grosh, Abigail Gubbins, Faith Hamilton, Camielle Hardy, Leah Harnish, Michael Harris, Autumn Harting, Kinsey Hayslett, Camdin Heaps, Javien Heaps, Kylie Hein, Cara Heistand, Ashlynn Heistand, Dominic Hemsch, Landon Henry, Vianca Hernandez-Garcia, Jacob Herr, Ethan Hershey, Lex Hershock, Eric Hess, Rowan Hess, Shakira Hinkle, Olivia Hirst, Miley Hoey, Carly Hoffman, Margaret Hook, Sage Hoover, Victoria Hopple, Kendal Huggins, Ian Hughes, Bennett Hynicker, and Kelsey Iddings.

Abrielle Janos, Isabelle Janos, Kennadie Jock, Grayson Johnson, Joshua Johnson, Joi Johnson, Bailey Jones, Edd Joseph, Trent Kauffman, Wesley Kauffman, Michaela Kauffman, Trenton Kautz, Aiden Kay, Kennedy Kaylor, Matthew Kerin, Jack Ketchum, Mark Kimmich, Katie Kissner, Addison Knowles, Payton Kraft, Allison Krebs, Cole Kreider, Nicholas Kreider, Kevin Kughler, Audra Kuntz, Daniel Kwiatkowski, Maya Laboy, Mario Lagunas, Jackson Langlois, Madison Lawer, Mikaela Lawson, Anthony Lazzari, Wyatt Leach, Noreen Lehman, Cambell Lewis, Gage Lighty, Nick Lin, Nathan Lloyd, Ryley Long, Andrea Lopez, Robjy Louis, Evan Lucas, and Isabella Lutter.

Isaac MacDerment, Kayla Maines, Yelitza Malave, Gage Malesich, Alaina Martin, Hunter Martin, Grayson Marz, Abigail McCaffrey, Finnley McCoy, Shawn McKinney, Autumn McNeal, Tatiyana Medina, Nicholas Melley, Elizabeth Miller, Dane Miller, Jonah Miller, Haydden Miller, Taggert Miller, Alexander Miller, Shawn Miller, Natalie Miller, Peyton Millhouse, Gabriella Montana, Trae Montgomery, Mason Moore, Christopher Moore, Steven Mort, Esther Mortha, Madisen Morton, Taylor Mowrer, Isabella Mowrer, Madison Muehling, Jonathan Myers, Wayne Ndungu, Mitchell Neff, Madison Nelson, Carter Nelson, Jebbeh Ngafua, Annale Nguyen, Brayden Nissly, Katelin Norman, Hailey Oberholtzer, Jaymian Ortiz, and Aurora Ottonello.

Lindsay Pannebecker, Rocky Perez, Raquel Perez, Alexandra Perez-Trinidad, Kyle Perkins, Nevaeh Phillips, Zoe Pierdon, Kendrah Pinzon, Nathaniel Poff, Karin Popdan, Emilee Port, Bethany Potts, Hannah Potts, Makayla Price, Alicia Pruitt, Lily Pyfer, Robert Quinn, Angel Ramos, Ayden Reardon, Brett Reidinger, Audrianna Resetar, Kylie Retallack, Jaden Richards, Paige Riegler, Anna Rittle, Drew Robb, Cardin Rocco, Daphne Rodriguez, Keydah Rodriguez-Wenkhous, Christopher Romberger, Jr., Christian Rosado Berrios, Kariel Rosado Oyola, Gabriel Rosenberger-Jean, Luke Rosenberger-Jean, Paige Rosenberger-Jean, Elizabeth Rothermel, Reagan Rottet, Dylan Roush, and Garrett Runnels.

Dakota Sager, Josue Sanchez-Reyes, Kristal Santiago, Sophie Schaffer, Bradley Schmitt, Mason Shaffner, Lydia Shank, Ladon Shenk, Aleigh Shenk, Paige Shoemaker, Derian Shubert, Daytona Shull, Carter Siegrist, Ryan Siler, Hayden Simione, Mason Simons, Jenna Sine, Josephine Sirinides, Madelyn Sivulich, Elaina Smith, Austin Smith, Logan Smith, Rachel Smucker, Riley Smyser, Ian Snyder, Ellia Spang, Alannah Spickler, Mason Stahl, Aubrey Steiner, Caitlin Stoeffler, Wyatt Stoltzfus, Kyle Stoltzfus, Jacob Stone, Tobias Stoneking, Emily Straley, Cooper Sullivan, Carson Swanger, Cooper Sweitzer, Kendyl Swift, William Szobocsan, Hannah Taylor, Ngoie Tema, Jouseph Tenecela, Marcell Thomas, Evan Thomas, Mariah Torres, Thomas Troutman, Sienna Tyson, and Lane Umbrell.

Aaron Van Tassel, Braydin Vegeto, Izaiah Velez, Ayden Wagner, P'Len Wah, Anika Walsh, Cayson Ward, Makayla Weaver, Brayden Weaver, Gracie Weber, Kazley Weiler, Jaden Weimer, Logan Wentzel, Kylee West, Olivia White, Aubrey Wiedemann, Chloe Wilkinson, Olivia Willenbecher, Cade Willenbecher, Mason Williammee, Noa Williams, Kahmya Wilson, Kathryn Winey, Logan Winter, Harley Winters, Hailey Wiseman, Casey Witmer, Julianna Wittel, Shedrack Wreh, Benjamin Yoder, Brody Yohn, Loki Zeager, Andrew Zeager, Caleb Zeiders, and Landon Zimmerman.

Click the image below for a Commencement Slideshow: