The sun shined on the Rockville High School Class of 2026 Thursday evening, as 221 members of the class collected their diplomas and embarked on the next stager of their lives – college, the armed forces, trade school and work.
“Graduates, you are ready to create, innovate and dominate,” Principal Jason Magao told the graduates. “Don’t let anything or anyone hold you back. Push yourselves beyond your comfort zone. Do something that’s hard. You’re going to get better at doing harder things.
Valedictorian Aidan Lang
“Strive to learn, grow or create something meaningful every single day,” he continued. “Yes, life will throw unexpected challenges your way. But you have what it takes to meet them.”
Magao also urged the graduates to be guided by three principles: Be honest, be respectful, and remember that relationships matter.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary told the graduates that Rockville High School has given them skills to be successful in life as they are critical thinkers, communicators, collaborators, resilient individuals and responsible citizens.
Salutatorian Kyle Shalaev
He urged them to be bold, innovative, courageous and to “challenge the status quo to make the world a better place for everyone.”
Class President Iris Hida thanked teachers, staff and administrators for all they did for the Class of 2026. She urged younger students to take full advantage of what Rockville High School has to offer.
Class President Iris Hida
‘Always ask questions, become best friends with your teachers, be bold, be fun, and commit yourself fully to the things that inspire you,” she said. “Don’t let anyone tell you what you can and can’t do. Rockville students can do anything.”
Salutatorian Kyle Shalaev told his classmates that earning a top spot in the graduating class was not something he sought. Rather, he said, he is driven by a desire to learn, to understand. And that is a worthy goal.
“There will always be time for you to pursue some impossible goal,” he said. “You probably won’t succeed in the eyes of everyone else, maybe only reaching that second or third place, but success isn’t important. What’s important is that you get even a step closer to achieving something impossibly magnificent, bettering yourself and the world in the process, even if it’s a small improvement.”
Valedictorian Aidan Lang told his classmates that competition with Shalaev was a key motivation as he took increasingly challenging math courses and as many opportunities as he could to advance. He recalled a moment in eighth grade when in a language arts class he sat down next to Shalaev, who was doing calculus on a Chromebook.
He said he immersed himself in math, less to become a master than to compete with Shalaev. That competitive spirit led him to tackle other challenging courses, such as AP chemistry and multivariable calculus.
“So, thank you Kyle, as there is absolutely no way that I would be giving this speech if not for you pushing me to be better,” Lang said. “Thank you to all my friends and competitors who have pushed me to be better, who have given me something that allows me to turn competition into motivation.”
Here are the members of the Class of 2026:
Aidan Wilde Lang, Kyle Ruslanovich Shalaev, Joseph Aferi-Ababio, Jr., Isabella Albert, Andrew Michael Alford, Alexander Michael Angeli, Anjuli-mimi Ohene Anobi, Kamila Noemie Antonetty,
Anna Luann Bahler, Khang Bao, Devant Ryan Bariffe, Evan Pierce Barker, Esther Nguyen, Edrick Louis Bell-Murrell III, Anthony Benson, Shelby Rose Therese Berard, Connor Shawn Bernier, Triaysia Blakely, Kadyn Marie Bouley, Nicholas Ryan Bova, Dream Marie Wilks, Mason Bracey, Rashard C. Brown, Shemu’el A. Brown, Kylie Elizabeth Burchell, Gadiel David Alvarez, Caroline Grace Burg, Aviana Marie Burgos,
Gabriella Calixto, Ella Marie Campbell, Jericho Faith Campbell, Samuel Cardona Ramos, Thomas Charles Carlisle, Archer Rae Carmicheal, Savier Alejandro Cartagena, Jamaria Ajinay Carter, Tai-yanna Cauley, Laci Marie Chenette, Devon Andrew Chmielecki, Alexandra Elizabeth Choiniere, Mary Olivia Christians, Dylan Xavier Click, Josiah Luis Collazo-Jimeñez, Devin Michael Collier, Jaylynn Collins, Evelyn Isabella Colon, Emilio James Salvador Concepcion, Arctis Coombs, Za’Myra Lynn Corbin, James Patrick Corrington, Ryan James Courtois, Isaiah Makai Crawford, Jayden Cunningham,
Aiden Matthew Daigle, John Francis DeCarli, Camila Carew DeCiantis, James Glenn DeGuire, Hope Marie Derosier, Lena’Sky Caroline Dimmock Collazo, Carson A. Dionne, Joy Aaliyah Dixon-Barnes, Cloey Grace Doan, Aizeem Edward Dorman, Cooper Thomas Doyle, Hoosein Ismail Dudha, Hannah Noel Dunton, Dillon Alexander Dwelly,
Tibor Sandor Elcsics, Brooke Emily Enamait,
Exequiel Y. Ferrer, Marissa Daphne Fitzin, Wesley Sik Jie Foo, Caleb Alexander Fortin,
Darren Ghostlaw, Jayden Michael Gibson, Janasha Diamond Gilbert, Thomas Arthur Glinski, Jr., Isabella Marie Golino, Dean A. Gonzalez, Ayleen Yakira Gonzalez-Rosario, Alexander George Gounaris, Imani Ariana Grant, Jordyn Renee Grant, Kiley Maureen Gray, James N. Grice, Jr., Kailey Drake Gullett,
Joshua Christopher Hagenow, Caleb M. Hamilton, Natalia Elizabeth Harnois, Chase M. Harrison, Chloé Leah Hazel, April Tiana Henderson, Kyah Jahniela Hepburn, Mars L. Hermanson, Iris Hida, Annemarie Kaitlyn Himelberger, Connor Hopkins, Cody Horvith, Kimberlee Rose Hoyt, Hartland Nasir Hunter,
Muhammad Saad Imran, Shamani La Nette Islam Chambers,
Rukia Lynn Jackson, Somaya Marie Jackson, Areesha Javeed, Avery Loren Johnson, Grace Anne Johnson, Jayleen Delores Jones,
Braeden G. Keene, Rehma Zarar Khan, Tyler Charles King, Ryana Crystal Kingue, Orion Kostiuk,
Emilia Paulina Laskowski, Connor James Lavoie-Wilcox, Janiya Amani Leary, Sylvia Jailia Lee, Alexis Brianne Leighton, Antonya Lewis, Alejandro Lopera Arango, Kiara V. Louis, Kenneth Leonard Luce III, Thomas Joseph Lucerini III,
Peyton Amiah Mallett, Joseph Henry Marchese, Parker James Margie, Josh Raymond Martin, Tyler James Matula, Maeve Alice McCavanagh, Decovin Anthony McClurkin, Ava Nicole McKinney, Amelia V. McMullin, Lucas Mele-Levesque, Molly Adina Moher, Alexis Marie Montez, Azariah Shanil Moore, Jay’Lynn Marie Mulero, Mikhail M. Moreno, Derek William Morgan, Jyotsna Sara Mundakel, Josue Alberto Muñiz, Jr., Dominick Cole Munson,
Jordyn Lee Nichols, Aryana Giselle Nicholson, Preston Richard Nicholson, Marilyn Nariah Nieves,
Rashad Tyron Odum, Jr., Erin-Ted Okaikoi, Deborah Ruth Orevil, Aleyza Ortiz, Yadiel Ortiz, Angelina Heaven Otero, Daniella Marfoa Owusu,
Hailey Elizabeth Packard, Justin John Palmer, Prapti Panta, Natalie Pear, Julian Thomas Pedraza, Dakota Edward Phillips, Holly M. Phillips, Otávio Vitor Pinto,
Jaelynn Lizett Ramirez, Ayvah Solange Rivera, Bryanell Rivera Ortiz, Camden James Rivera, Jairo O. Rivera, Jefferson Riveroll-Martinez, Shiloh Jamayah Rodriguez, Meredith Andrewes Ross, Youness Roussid, Melody Ilise Rowe-Cary, Eden Marie-Kreutzer Rowley, Steven Micah Ruede, Michael Kay Ryalls,
Madalyn Rose Saucier, Michael Jack Scheffler, Louis Michael Scully, Randall Gregory Sherman, Deborah Siffrant, Balraj Singh, Damien Joseph Smith, Harper Jae Spooner, Tiffany Louise Sprague, Kaylee Nicole Stevenson, Ethan James Steele, Eliza Alexander Stevenson, Zoey Cassidy Stevenson, Tristan Keith Stewart, Cole Ely Stoltenberg, Brayden Nicholas Stremel, Megan Lilian Sutherland, Samuel Tripp Sutherland, Evan Brady Symmes, Hannah Julia Szegda,
Delia Kathleen Taridona, Arham Tariq, Frank Isack Tenezaca, Kelvin Gabriel Robles-Terrero, Leah Bethany Terry, Collin Michael Thibodeaux, Keyon Raymond Andrew Tibby, Woodrow Fike Tinsley IV, Danylo Tkachenko, Liliana G. Torres, Nathaniel Tremblay, Olivia Daniella Trojanowski,
Jordan Michael Ulitsch, Semir Uzejrovic,
Trinity Diana Lynn Valentine-Alban, Yodiel Amil Valenzuela, Aiden N. Vaughn,
Owen Graham Warner, Olivia Mae Watts, Katie Pearl Wheeler, Erin Elizabeth Wilson, Molly Lynn Wilson, Jaxson Scott Wollenberg, Rianne Olivia Wright,
Caitlin Faith Yarusewicz, Luke Stephen Yencho,
Kaitlyn Jean Zagorski, Sara Zamakhchari, Rylee Josilynn Zavatsky