The Summit Class of 2026 graduation ceremony will be held on June 6, at 6 p.m. on the Summit football field, and will showcase a mix of traditional graduation aspects paired with several new opportunities for students’ involvement.
For many years, Summit’s graduation ceremony has had several of the same traditions. This year, however, the graduates are introducing many new elements to make the ceremony more student-led and representative of the senior class as a whole. Student Council, administrators and the senior class have worked together in recent months to organize both graduation and other upcoming senior centered events.
“We have to do some of the same traditions every year,” Vice Principal Kristy Knoll said. “But every year is a new graduation ceremony.”
According to Knoll, administrators and the student leaders are aiming to make this year’s ceremony feel more individualized to the senior class, while still honoring longstanding Summit and district-wide traditions.
One of the most impactful new changes this year being the selection process for the ceremony’s speakers. Social studies teachers Marni Spitz and Patrick Kilty were nominated and voted on by seniors to give a joint speech during the ceremony. Additionally, student speakers as well as Student Body President Gemma Moussa and valedictorian and salutatorian Andrew Winkel and Keira Schroeder will also have the opportunity to give speeches.
Families and friends attending the evening ceremony are encouraged to bring low profile chairs and blankets for the event, as seniors, families and staff gather to celebrate the end of the school year.
The graduation ceremony is one of many senior focused events held by Summit throughout the year. Earlier this school year, seniors met before school for Senior Sunrise, to watch the sunrise together as a class on the football field. On May 21, Summit hosted Senior Sunset for the graduating class, as well as Scholarship Recognition Night on June 2 and the Senior Assembly on June 4.
Many of these events have also faced recent changes, The senior assembly this year included the traditional naming for each department award, and also more formal recognition for the graduates, with seniors wearing caps and gowns during the assembly.
