West Hartford’s Hall High School held its commencement ceremony on June 11, 2026, bidding goodbye to the Class of 2026 as they head into their next chapter.

By Kei Caudle. Photos by Craig Rosenberg  

Spring showers bring May flowers and with them, on an evening of summery heat and thunderstorms, the Hall Class of 2026 graduated in Chalmers Stadium on Thursday, June 11, 2026.

What a year! Even now, the chaos did not stop. With the start time of the festivities being postponed and gowns soaked with rain, the show had to go on.  

The ceremony began with Hall High School Principal Sarah Isaacs addressing both staff and students following the National Anthem. In her heartfelt speech, she thanked her friends, family, and colleagues, many of whom are leaving, including beloved science teacher Chris LaForte and former head football coach Frank Robinson. She spoke of the strength that lies in the community.  

This year had not been an easy one for these upperclassmen. Amid struggles, they were able to keep hold of what was true and important: each other. Hall High class of 2026 stands out among the rest, not just with their constant championships and badges, but through their resilience against all odds.  

Where Isaacs left off, Ben Goldstein picked up. As the student speaker, he stood in front of peers and family, about to give one of the biggest speeches yet. Through laughter and jokes about the terrible snow days and event planning, he hit the hearts of many with his sincere story. “Follow the light,” something Camden Siegal said a few years ago “in the context of curiosity and adventure,” was a simple quote that tugged at the crowd’s heartstrings.

Camden, a fellow senior, was a beloved member of the Hall community. Not only was he an avid student, but he was an amazing team leader, Goldstein said. In his memory, Goldstein was able to present a story of resilience and courage.  

Years ago, a young group of friends stumbled upon a brilliant light in the distance. Rather than cower or avoid its gaze, Camden walked towards it, looking at the positives. Contrary to how most stories about exploration go, they had accidentally walked into a wedding. Instead of leaving, they enjoyed the night with “the best carrot cake we’ve ever had,” as Goldstein put it. 

As these young adults look into a future of unknowns and possibilities, it’s important they remember “even in the darkest places, light can still be found – because light is not the absence of darkness, it is the decision to keep moving forward despite it,” Goldstein said. Life will remain challenging, but if these students have learned anything in the last four years at Hall, it’s to “follow the light.”

Next on stage was Matthew West, a Hall English teacher nominated as the faculty speaker. After introductions, he began his speech with reference to “The Big Lebowski,” a movie he summarized as bowling and dudes. He defined life as strikes and gutters: “We remember the ups and the downs, the highs and lows. We recall when we knock ‘em all down, and when we don’t hit a single one.”  

The next few years will not be easy, as every speech has told us so; instead, we can look at the future with hope, he said. As a community member, family member, or friend of a graduate, it’s important to support them during this transition. Leaving friends behind and moving to a new place is scary, but in the grand scheme of life, it’s a strike.  

“Getting through the low times, the struggles, the ‘gutters,’ and to keep moving until we get to the next ‘strike,’ to the next time we knock ‘em all down, what helps us to abide: it’s moments like today. These moments are what keep us going – the sharing of our accomplishments; the pride of hard work done; the creation of memories that will sustain,” West said.

Superintendent Paul Vicinus shared his thoughts about the “50 feet  – the approximate length you will walk across this stage to receive your diploma. Your last official act as a Hall student, marking your symbolic transition to Hall graduate.”

It’s literally about half the distance from home plate to first base, he said, but symbolically, “You’ve stepped off from home, slowly at first and quickly gaining speed and momentum, to make it here, to graduation, safely reaching what I will call the first base of your life’s journey,” Vicinus said.

The Hall Choraliers entertained the audience with musical interludes. Board of Education member Ethan Goldman also spoke to the graduating seniors.

The next hour was dedicated to each student receiving their diplomas. As names were called, the quiet turf erupted with joyous screams. Family and friends cheered and clapped as their loved one walked to the stage one last time. Posters, cardboard cutouts, and balloons swung with loving messages of hope and prosperity.  

The Student Council Executive Board delivered the charge to the class as tassels were moved from right to left, and caps were tossed into the air.

This was the time to shine for the new graduates, their first big achievement in a world of wonders. As the next few years progress, and other classes graduate, this year will remain in the community’s heart not just with sadness but with hope of what’s to come.  

A complete list of the graduates of the Hall Class of 2026, provided by the school, can be found below the rest of the photos.

Hall High School Class of 2026

Georgy Abalyan
Tayma Mohamed Abdulkareem
Sophia Luana Acosta
Jezirah Mia Acuna
Phoenix Halesteen Adams
Sophia Grace Adelman
Ben Nechemya Adelstein
Minna Haitham Ahmed
Rosalind Arden Aiken
Hasan Ali Ibrahim Al Lami
Mohamad Eid Ahmad Al Mahamid
Omar Saleh Alsubai
Alexander Jason Alvares-Filshtein
Mariana Arango
Raphael Pereira Assis
Lia Marguerite Baffaro
Rodrigo Antonio Ballesteros
Hailey Tanya Barnett
Brooklyn Ella Baylor
Jillian Maria Beaudoin
Daijah Lee Bell
Nevaeh Monet Bellon
Nathan Zeev Ben Ari
Yasmine Benhamouche
Sarah Rose Benner
Leah Isabel Berey
Myles Jay Berman
Alec Ross Bernstein
Anabella Rose Birmingham
Erik Vincent Bloomquist-Jordan
Rebecca Jocelyn Bomzer
Matthew Francis Bonner
Julian Quinn Bonsignore
Lucas Aston Branco
Henry Stockton Brothers
Mia-Rose Evelyn Cabrera
Sally Francis Cahill
Sienna Lauren Calabro
Christopher Warren Caley
Serena Caroline Campbell
Ananda Emilia Cardenas
Zachary Antonio Carmona
Daniel Luis Carrero
Elizabeth Marie Castro
Eliomar Charluisant Mercado
Allison Chen
Corliss Chen
Jin Kun Chen
Camila Alejandra Chirino Mendoza
Tenzin Choden
Isaac Chung
Harper Grace Clancy
Madeline Quartermain Clifford
Zoe Quartermain Clifford
Shawn Lee Cobran
Teagan Surri Cohane
Lila Eileen Colton
Ethan Anthony Connor
Gabriel Luis Cortes-Serrano
David John Crespi
Mylian Lorraine Cruz
Claire Gabriella Culmo
Caitlin Maire Curran
Alexandra Riley Cybert
Miqueias Carlos Da Silva
Sayde Mia Danzi
Grant Edward Davidson
Layslla De Oliveira Sena
Zachary David Debin
Aiden Kevin Delaney
Liam Francis Deloreto
Luca Deniz Demirag
Ashley Dong
Ryan Patrick Dooley
Katriane Marthe Dorismond
Alicia Marie Edgar
Tia Alexandria Emrick
Ethan Lev Esterson
Lucas Thomas Ewart
Eleanor Greenberg Farquhar
Jasper Henry-Martineau Faryna
Eva Ann Feltman
Jaiden Joseph Ferrante-Smith
Hannah Ruby Fink
Sophia Diane Fiskewold
Ethan Jay Fite
Dalin Radu Fotache
Zuri Leila Rivers Freeman
Tyson Jacob Fulmer
Charles Patrick Ganey
Juan William Garcia
Ezra Granat Genser
Hannah Rose Glider
Daniel Youngha Goldman
Caitlin Haley Goldschmidt
Benjamin Lewis Goldstein
Roxie Mila Gomez
Fabiana Gonzales Martel
Ayden Devon Gordon
Katherine Ann Greden
Eva Paige Greenspan
Molly Grove
Daleysha Guadalupe
Jade Elizabeth Guillermo
Exodus Isaiah Guzman
Samantha Nicole Guzman
Lucinda Eve Gwiazdoski
Mehriya Habibi
Samantha Jenna Harris
Nancy Evetlize Herrera
Geoffrey Simon Herrnson
Daniel Lewis Herzog
Katherine Marie Hockensmith
Sawyer Roan Hollander
Malachi John Holt
Schyler Susan Holt
Rachel Beth Horenstein
Kylee Xuan Horton
Nathan Thomas Horton
Chauncey Brubaker Housum
Colin Joseph Hoyle
Irene Luz Huaman
Nathan Frank Huang
Sander August Hughes
Dominic Gabriel HuieWhite
Katelyn Marie Hurlock
Thomas Lee Hussey
Emma Claire Hynes
Kathryn Spring Hynes
Jeremiah Dozithee Ismael
Isaac Jonah Jackson
Sienna Elizabeth James
Zion James
Kaua Jaques Silva
Kaela Jiayin Jia
Rebecca Ting Jiang
Rebekah Anne Johnson
Maya Carolyn Johnston
Daniel Logan Jopeck
Konstantinos Michael Kaloudis
Yaron Kantorovich
Madison Taylor Kates
Abigail Mackenzie Kaufman
Cayden Kalani Kaufman
Harsimran Kaur
Ellie Mira Kay
Paige Elizabeth Keena
Aidan Philip Kerr
Avery Padraic Kerrigan
Nathan Paul Kessler
Margaret Sheila Killelea
Ilana Rashel Kirzon
Quinn Joseph Knox
Mogtaba Salih Kona
Monzer Salih Kona
Benjamin Ross Kornbluh
Marcus Draconis Krajewski
Eli Theodore Kramer
Sloan Madison Kritzman
Alice Jane Krug
Hallie Delia Kudler
Matthew Daniel LaBreck
Ethan Richard Ladieu
Flynn Vincent Lantz
Sophia Colette LaPorta
Thomas Jarosz Leahy
Christina Anne Lee
Ryan Samuel Leef
Sadie Jane Leibin
Diego Lemes De Souza
Gianna Anastasia Leonidas
Marco Leonidas
Anya Teagan Leshem
Jonah Daniel Levithan
Solomon Reuben Levy
Samuel Pollack Lewis
Peter Anthony Lin
Yuxiang Lin
Alan Nathaniel Linker
Dylan Bryce Lloyd
Mateo Lofting
Linnea Clement Lorenson Jones
Colin Hunter Lovell
Reilly Ekin Luoma
Chloe Elizabeth Lynch
Fox Rocco Mace
Anna Maja Magnusson
Adam Waleed Abdalla Mahmoud
Sarahi Maldonado
Jared Logan Malkin
Christopher Malta
Drew Jeffrey Manaresi
Lucy Carmen Maniatis
Charles Joseph Margolis
Samar Mekhi Martin
Skyla Aerin Martin
Ladainian Martinez
Nolan David Maynard
Lauren Alexis McCann
Dillon James McDermott
Connor James McHugh
Abigail Grace McKain
Maya Xavier McMillian
Angel Luis Medina
Dylan I. Meer
Benjamin David Melchor
Julia Anastasia Melnitsky
Marco Joseph Mendoza Barcelona
Gavin Joseph Merrow
Sadajah Aeriella Miller
Declan Emmet Mitchell
Hikari Mizuno
Jake Alexander Monaco
Angelina Nicolle Morales
Damian Motyka
Jayden Caleb Moyer
Maria Valentina Murcia-Catano
Luiz Antonio Musat Lanzoni
Noah Robert Muska
Max Daniel Nathan
Jordan Anthony Navarro
Noah Adam Neff
Finn Nelson
Ella Hayden Nemirow
Jacari Messiah Newell-Long
Veronica Neverov
Caleb Tszyip Ng
Joshua Tszto Ng
Melissa Stacy Nieves Escobar
Claire Elizabeth Nordquist
Eliot Peter Norwood
Thomas Ben-Hur Nunes Prestes
Carlos Jariel Nunez
Quinn Lawrence O'Neill
Elijah Obisesan
Matheus Oliveira Castro
Nellie Xinchun Orszulak
Jaden Joel Ortiz
Matthew Egan Panarella
Krish Dharmesh Pandya
Ellie June Parets
Anna Gillian Blum Pastor
Tiana Josephine Patoka
Yair Meir Noam Peck
Dane Alexander Peevy
Mary Merzen Ramos Penascoza
Elijah Rhodes Perry
Ariana Bella Malapit Pickering
Jocelyn Marley Pickman
Ari Ethan Pincus
Loryann Nicole Pisani
Ian James Kagaoan Polatnick
Ellie McLean Potter
Maximilian Troy Prince
Mason Anthony Puello
Casey Robert Pyrro
Armaan Quraishi
Caleb Isaac Rainey
Alexandre James Rebours
Claire Emily Reidel
William Richard Remington
Kyle Davis Ribando
Anaya Lillian Francisca Richards
Hayes Karl Rieger
Francesca Fiorella Rivera
Jeremy Mathias Rivera Acuna
Tagh Boston Robertson
Savannah Brooke Rodman
Samuel Mordechai Romano
Riley Brooke Romayko
Robin Siena Romcke-Harber
Nora Elaine Rosado
Jonah Haskel Rosenberg
Tyler Charles Rudnick
Grady James Sack
Jeremy Joseph Safryn
Parami Sampat
Mika Naomi Sanborn
Ana Sanchez-Navitsky
Gisselle Marie Santa
Beatriz Continho Santamaria
Yarizmar Liz Santos
Abhishek Sapkota
Riley Rauchle Scannell
Jonah Reid Schulman
Margaret Frances Schwab
Sara Alexa Scobbo
Kieran Thomas Scully
Aleem Shakir
Samantha Jane Shannon
Jack Andrew Sharlow
Shah Sachal Sheikh
Brooke Olivia Shell
David Michael Shilansky
Riley Jacob Shockley
Nathan Lee Shreckengast
Tallulah Bobby Shrestha
Mohammad Mohsen Shujahi
Camden Avery Siegal
Dominic Mario Zachary Silvera
Rachel Nina Simmons
Henry Bartholomew Sinche
Karandip Singh
Subhi Singh
Andre Elliott Snellings
Maxwell Pierce St. Arromand
Lilah Emilie Stagg
Henry William Stover
Aiden Cooper Strong
Ismail Belaal Suleiman
Caeli Ann Sullivan
Tobias Jonathan Suplita
Mia Domenika Talledo Guerrero
Benjamin Isaac Tam
Akeena Diwassa Tiky
Sean Henry Todd
Adarsh Aneesh Tolat
Austin Mitchell Torino
Eva Rose Torres
Luis Andres Torres
Brenna Shea Trudeau
Amelya Grace Tucker
Madison Rose Tucker
Maya Elenda Tuning
Ryan Jamie-Jovanni Vasquez
Angel Manuel Vazquez
Maya Beisel Veilleux
Faith Enyo Wada
Ian Alexander Waddington
Callie Mae Walsh
Sivan Weber
Nathaniel Peyton Weiner
Lillian Jane Weizman
Jake Sebastian Wenner
Leah Robin Wentworth
Amalia Rozas Werkmeister-Dana
William Hale Werkmeister-Dana
Julia Claire Wickless
Matthew Joseph Williams
Lia Harper Winokur
Ian Daniel Wolfe
Reese Taylor Yanagi
Cecylia Shi-Wen Yang
Nathan St. Jean Yingling
Samuel Dylan Yorgensen
Eliana Jessica Zackin
Laila Rose Zaffou
Gina Zhang
Jianan Zhang
Jiaxi Zhang
Katie Zhao
Waylon Zheng
Ian Maxwell Zitzkat

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