Pittsfield High Class of 2026 Told to Embrace the Opportunities
LENOX, Mass. — Pittsfield High School graduated 154 seniors on Sunday into a new chapter of their lives, and they were encouraged to take opportunities both exciting and frightening.
Principal Lynn Taylor, in her first graduation, shared how she'd been unsure of taking the post. She was in a comfortable place, and new the routines and responsiblities, and what each day would bring.
"Do I stay where things feel familiar and say to me, or do I take a chance and explore a new path, a path filled with unknowns? Clearly, I took the chance," she told the class of 2026 gathered in the Shed at Tanglewood.. "This experience began with a great deal of uncertainty and required stepping away from what was predictable and comfortable looking back now, taking that chance has proven to be one of the best decisions of my professional career."
Growth doesn't happen in safe spaces, Taylor told the class of 2026.
"Don't let the feelings of worry stop you. Let that excitement motivate you. Push your fears aside and step outside of your comfort zone. You are prepared and you are capable," she said. "In closing, one of the greatest lessons of this past year has been learning what it truly means to be a General."
The master of ceremonies was Harolyn Castillo, the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Matthew Egan and the national anthem was sung by Nicolina Parades. Nicolas Rodriguez Arenas created the program's cover art showing PHS's dome alight through the trees on a starry night. The school orchestra performed several selections, the band "Walking to the Sky" by Robert Buckley.
Taylor was joined by interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips to present the diplomas to loud cheers and whistles.
The graduation struck a somber note midway through its celebrations to remember beloved art teacher Colleen Quinn.
"It is difficult to celebrate without her, but we know that she is here in spirit and is proud of all of us," said Ellen Klepetar, Student Government president.
Quinn, 69, who died last month of cancer, was a longtime instructor at PHS and at Berkshire Community College. A vase of her favorite flowers -- sunflowers -- was placed next to the diplomas and the senior jazz combination performed "Little Sunflower" by Freddie Hubbard and and the chorus "Irish Blessing" by Joyce Eilers.
"We love you, Ms. Quinn, and you always be a General," said Castillo.
The purple-clad graduates didn't get to this day alone, Klepetar had said in her address earlier, thanking "the people who facilitated this experience."
Her concern was a crisis in teaching, as fewer people are entering the field of education.
"Teachers quite literally raise generations of youth from preK to 12th grade. They provide education, but also child care," KIepetar said. "I will never understand why schools aren't built like mansions and why teachers aren't recognized on pedestals.
"Thank you, teachers, for all of your sacrifice, for all of your work. What you have done for not just us, but for the world, is honorable, and it did not go unnoticed. In this moment, we celebrate you, too."
Speaker Joshua Tando said the day was a significant one because it showed perserverance. The world doesn't need more "perfect" people, he said, "it needs people who know how to push through."
The fact you wear the purple gown and cap means something. You made it. You made it through the rainy morning, the dark nights. Every moment you wanted to quit. You are stronger than you could ever imagine," he said. "Let us become people who persevere. People who care. People who offer a hand. People who smash hard times. Because if there's one thing our class has proven, it’s this: Forever and ever we are still capable of molding a future worth believing in."
Eilish Travis wished she'd paid more attention and valued the moments leading to graduation. Too often people are caught in the algorithms designed to keep their attention and companies selling meaningless products.
"The world trains us to find our happiness externally, through people and objects. But when we become dependent on other things to make us happy, we lose our sense of self and forget the things that make us unique," she said. "The moment we stop looking outward for [happiness] and start looking for it from within, we start to be present and start to find the beauty in every moment."
She asked her classmates to lift up their heads and be mindful because even the small things matter "not just for ourselves, but in ways that shape the people around us."
Castillo sent the class off with her last announcement.
"My fellow graduates, this means that this may be the end of our time, but it is not the end of our story," she said. "What our lives take to us is part of what our hearts will always remain connected through the moments we shared under the dome."
PHS Graduating class of 2026
* National Honor Society +2026 Class Council ++Student Government
Anisa E. Abdallah*+
Anderson Fabian Adanaque Juarez*
Seth Aitken+
Allison Albayeros Herrera+
Aiden Daniel Alibozek*
Jackson Almeida+
Annabelle Bayo Amichia+
Kwaku Ampofo
Yanis Destin Anwonzo
Andrea Nda-Ebella Armah*
Kobby Asare
Tessa Grace Bailey
Yashita Banga
Cerilene Bassett
Modesta Benle*
Audrey Berard
David Bernal Neira
Lheomar Biaggi
Ava Rhyan Boos
Kaleel Brown
Anthony R. Bruno
Aubree Bryant
Seveah Tatyana Bryant
Lilliana Mae Buffoni
Liliana Bullock
Maddelynn Burdette
Elliott Isabelle Burke
Henry Campos Verdugo
Liam Robert Nelson Cann
Kayleigh Capitanio
Dylan Carlson
Eva Elizabeth DiSimoni-Cassavaugh+
Harolyn Castillo*+
Amaya Chaparro
Anthony J. Chavarry*
Damaris Scarlett Chicaiza Rivera*
Jason Codey*+
Sam Contini
Dennise Cordova Zelaya
Koby Cross*+
Renan DaSilva Alves
Gabriela Maris De Jesús Báez
Madison Alexis Deane
Mia I. DeJesus
Giovanni Antonio DelSonno
Laura Diaz Ruiz
Joshua Diaz-Burgos
Konnor Dugan
Matthew Francis Egan*+
Bre'Jai Ellerbee
Davon Fitts
Anderson Fabian Adanaque Juarez*
Seth Aitken+
Allison Albayeros Herrera+
Aiden Daniel Alibozek*
Jackson Almeida+
Annabelle Bayo Amichia+
Kwaku Ampofo
Yanis Destin Anwonzo
Andrea Nda-Ebella Armah*
Kobby Asare
Tessa Grace Bailey
Yashita Banga
Cerilene Bassett
Modesta Benle*
Audrey Berard
David Bernal Neira
Lheomar Biaggi
Ava Rhyan Boos
Kaleel Brown
Anthony R. Bruno
Aubree Bryant
Seveah Tatyana Bryant
Lilliana Mae Buffoni
Liliana Bullock
Maddelynn Burdette
Elliott Isabelle Burke
Henry Campos Verdugo
Liam Robert Nelson Cann
Kayleigh Capitanio
Dylan Carlson
Eva Elizabeth DiSimoni-Cassavaugh+
Harolyn Castillo*+
Amaya Chaparro
Anthony J. Chavarry*
Damaris Scarlett Chicaiza Rivera*
Jason Codey*+
Sam Contini
Dennise Cordova Zelaya
Koby Cross*+
Renan DaSilva Alves
Gabriela Maris De Jesús Báez
Madison Alexis Deane
Mia I. DeJesus
Giovanni Antonio DelSonno
Laura Diaz Ruiz
Joshua Diaz-Burgos
Konnor Dugan
Matthew Francis Egan*+
Bre'Jai Ellerbee
Davon Fitts
Sirus Frenkel
Morris Fried*+
Thomas Santiago Gonzalez Salcedo
Asher Griffin
Taryn Grace Griffin+
Seamus Guinan
Anissa Genevieve Guzzo
Enjelah Haecker
Lily Hartl
Miguel Henao Calle*
Madeline Faith Henner*+
Cameron Hillard
Nyla Hooks
Luke David Irwin
Annarena Jackson
Shaheem Jackson
Noah Kane-Smalls
Joseph Kearns*+
Isla Kirchner*++
Jacob Klein*
Ellen Barth Klepetar*++
Mekhi David Knight
Cassandra Attaah Koomson*
Sophia Ann LaMalfa*++
Jay-Lynn LeGree
Gionnah Denise LeVardi*
Yasmerly Liriano Estevez
Lianna MacHaffie
Piper Lynn MacKinnon*+
Spozhmai Mangal*
Daniel Martin+
Adyson Joan Mayberry
Caitlyn Jean McDonald*+
Amari McLaughlin
Olivia Angeline McMahon
Simon Mele*+
Cam Menard
Logan Middlebrook
Camryn K. Mochon
Kathy J. Monigan
Darwin Montalvan Astudillo
Andres Sebastian Moreno Peralta
Lynece Moses
Eduardo Jose Mottos
Shyanne Dot Mungin+
Camden Ngo
Quinn Able Obregon-Lopez
Joseph Oman-Cobbinah
Chelsea Apeaa Otibu*
Nicolina Alicia Munafo-Paredes
Jae'lyn Patterson-McIntyre
Morris Fried*+
Thomas Santiago Gonzalez Salcedo
Asher Griffin
Taryn Grace Griffin+
Seamus Guinan
Anissa Genevieve Guzzo
Enjelah Haecker
Lily Hartl
Miguel Henao Calle*
Madeline Faith Henner*+
Cameron Hillard
Nyla Hooks
Luke David Irwin
Annarena Jackson
Shaheem Jackson
Noah Kane-Smalls
Joseph Kearns*+
Isla Kirchner*++
Jacob Klein*
Ellen Barth Klepetar*++
Mekhi David Knight
Cassandra Attaah Koomson*
Sophia Ann LaMalfa*++
Jay-Lynn LeGree
Gionnah Denise LeVardi*
Yasmerly Liriano Estevez
Lianna MacHaffie
Piper Lynn MacKinnon*+
Spozhmai Mangal*
Daniel Martin+
Adyson Joan Mayberry
Caitlyn Jean McDonald*+
Amari McLaughlin
Olivia Angeline McMahon
Simon Mele*+
Cam Menard
Logan Middlebrook
Camryn K. Mochon
Kathy J. Monigan
Darwin Montalvan Astudillo
Andres Sebastian Moreno Peralta
Lynece Moses
Eduardo Jose Mottos
Shyanne Dot Mungin+
Camden Ngo
Quinn Able Obregon-Lopez
Joseph Oman-Cobbinah
Chelsea Apeaa Otibu*
Nicolina Alicia Munafo-Paredes
Jae'lyn Patterson-McIntyre
Nicol Piraquive Vargas
Evelyn Powell+
Josue Proano
Ava Rose Rachiele+
Taye Ramirez
Amaya Rennie
Colton Revord
Danna Nicol Rivas Chacón
Cate Roberts*
Gianna Rocca
Nicolás Roderiguez Arenas
Daniel Rodríguez Figueroa
Ian George Ryer
Sarah Marie Salcedo
Jeymarie Salgado Rosa
Isabella Scalise*+
Esha Shah+
Rachel Shaw*+
Ethan Smith
James Weldon Smith*++
Oliver Smith
Max J. Soldato
Dalia Jazmine Soriano-Leon
Xavier Southard
Bashiru Je Sowe
Navaeh Squires
Madison Rose Stetz*+
Kyana Georgia Summers*+
Quinn Supple
Reagan Supple*
Joshua Ewiah Tandoh+
Bri'awn Thompson
Drake Thompson
Samseedy Abdoulie Touray
Lilian Tower
Eilish Travis*+
Alana Turner
Carter William Tyer*
Sebastian Valdivieso
Daniel Varón
Michael Vegas*
Rosita Taipei Velasquez Chang
Yadel-Gabriel Velez Marrero
Margaret Jane Vittum*+
Effie Harper Wax*+
Carson Weber Evan
Webster Ariel Weiner++
David Wildgoose*+
Christian Troy Winchell
Kara Wong*+
Gloria Cameron Yankey*
McKenna Ray Zamboni*+
Evelyn Powell+
Josue Proano
Ava Rose Rachiele+
Taye Ramirez
Amaya Rennie
Colton Revord
Danna Nicol Rivas Chacón
Cate Roberts*
Gianna Rocca
Nicolás Roderiguez Arenas
Daniel Rodríguez Figueroa
Ian George Ryer
Sarah Marie Salcedo
Jeymarie Salgado Rosa
Isabella Scalise*+
Esha Shah+
Rachel Shaw*+
Ethan Smith
James Weldon Smith*++
Oliver Smith
Max J. Soldato
Dalia Jazmine Soriano-Leon
Xavier Southard
Bashiru Je Sowe
Navaeh Squires
Madison Rose Stetz*+
Kyana Georgia Summers*+
Quinn Supple
Reagan Supple*
Joshua Ewiah Tandoh+
Bri'awn Thompson
Drake Thompson
Samseedy Abdoulie Touray
Lilian Tower
Eilish Travis*+
Alana Turner
Carter William Tyer*
Sebastian Valdivieso
Daniel Varón
Michael Vegas*
Rosita Taipei Velasquez Chang
Yadel-Gabriel Velez Marrero
Margaret Jane Vittum*+
Effie Harper Wax*+
Carson Weber Evan
Webster Ariel Weiner++
David Wildgoose*+
Christian Troy Winchell
Kara Wong*+
Gloria Cameron Yankey*
McKenna Ray Zamboni*+
Tags: Crosby/Conte project, graduation 2026,
