On Saturday, June 27, a class of 323 students from Bethlehem Central High School received diplomas at a commencement ceremony held at the MVP Arena in downtown Albany. It was a joyous event for the members of the class of 2026, their families, friends, teachers, staff, administrators and members of the Board of Education.
Principal Dave Doemel, Superintendent Jody Monroe and Board of Education President Holly Dellenbaugh addressed students and guests. Saturday was the final commencement for Principal Doemel, who will take over as Eagle Elementary School principal in the fall.
In his remarks, Principal Doemel challenged graduates to define success by their character rather than a list of accomplishments. Doemel paid tribute to the late Michele Atallah, a longtime French teacher who passed away last fall. Recalling her simple but powerful words, “I’m happy with myself,” Doemel sought to underscore the value of self-worth and authenticity for the graduating seniors.
There were also three student speakers at the 92nd BCHS Commencement Exercises: Eva Rice, Brianna Fabian, and Madeline Danz.
The entire ceremony was livestreamed. You can view a recording of the 92nd Commencement ceremony here.
Students were also accompanied by their high school counselors as well as the 2026 honorary graduation marshals who are faculty members selected by the students as having had a significant impact on their time in Bethlehem. This year’s marshals were: Kelly Babic, BCHS; Gregory Balcavage, Elsmere; Matthew Bixby, BCMS; Courtney Bowen, Glenmont; John Carlino, BCHS; Jason Dashew, BCHS; Donna Derrigo-Graves, BCHS; Corey DiFabbio, BCMS; Elizabeth Edgar, BCHS; Corey Fong, BCHS; Evan Harley, BCMS; Christopher Holoday, BCMS; Christen Jordon, Eagle; Jeffrey Mongue, BCMS; Sean Mooney, BCHS; Justine Nigro, BCMS; Shana Pellitteri, BCHS; Sarah Platek, Slingerlands; Matthew Rehbit, BCHS; Mackenzie Riegel, Glenmont; Anthony Scott, BCMS; Eileen Turo, BCHS; Amy Welsh, Hamagrael; Anthony Wilson, BCHS; and Christine Zemsky, BCMS.
Congratulations to our newest BC alumni for their hard work and their contributions to the BC community. We wish them the very best!
Commencement Program – Digital Version
The 92nd Commencement Exercises program can be viewed online at this link. The program includes a list of senior award winners and honorees.
A full list of graduates can be found below.
Graduation 2026 Photo Highlights
An album of candid photos taken by the district’s Communications Office will be shared with the graduates and their families via ParentSquare on Sunday, June 28. Highlights from that album will be posted to Facebook and Instagram throughout the weekend and are available at the links below.
Professional photos taken of each student at the ceremony will be shared with families separately.
Post-Grad Plans – Class of 2026
What do our newest alumni have planned for themselves? Many members of the graduating class of 2026 recently shared their plans for after graduation. If you would like to be included in this list (or if a correction needs to be made), please email JoEllen Gardner at jgardner@bethlehemschools.org.
List of Graduates
+ — National Honor Society member (wears blue and
gold cords)
* — Honors graduates, Lab School honors graduates.
and Bethlehem Academic Achievement Award
winners with a 90% or above GPA for 3 1⁄2 years
(wear gold cords)
** — President’s Award for Educational Excellence
*** — President’s Award for Educational Achievement
< — Seal of Civic Readiness
> — Seal of Biliteracy
# — Foreign Exchange Student
Maximilian N. Alhart * ** <
Claire Angeli Aliggayu **
Connor J. Anderson ***
Phoenix E. Andrews **
Charles W. Annastas **
Simon Richard Annastas ** <
Paige J. Applebee * ** < >
Zoltan Mac Donald Arthur *** <
Zakir M. Bakar + * **
Bailey Sue Balser ***
William P. Bannigan ***
Chloe Mae Bardin ***
Kieran P. Barnes ***
Kyle William Barone + * **
Chase Michael Barrett
Tess Lydia Grace Bartholomew * ** < >
Sadie Elizabeth Bashant **
Maeve Carmella Behan *** <
Rayne Beiter + * ** < >
Audrey Theresa Bell + * **
Izabella Lee Belluscio *** <
Leysha S. Belulkar *** <
Everett J. Bergen *** <
Natalie Jane Biché ** >
Zoey Elyse Bichteman + * ** < >
Linus F. Bilger #
Liam C. Black + * **
Timothy P. Blake **
Henry D. Blendell ***
Alexandra R. Bolduc ***
Harlow Sofia Stark Bonocora * **
Sophie Rose Bordell *** <
William A. Borfitz
Jake R. Breault **
Jack T. Brennan <
Megan Ann Brousseau + * ** >
Avery Ellyn Bush + * ** < >
Benjamin George Cable **
Eliza Grace Cable * **
Dylan Joseph Cady + * ** >
Stellan Calnero-Jackson
Keysha Marie Cantos *** <
Zayden Cartagena
Lauren M. Carter
Morgan Rose Cassanova + * **
Greta Noel Cerza ***
Shawn C. Chaney + * **
Ryan Cheng ** >
Brett Philip Chirkis <
Jeremy A. Cintrón Ortiz * **
Maxwell Vernon Hannibal Cleary ***
Meredith G. Collette * **
Azjaneya Derionne Collins ***
Maxwell A. Connolly **
Ezra David Yezzi Cotton + * ** >
Nathaniel James Coup ** <
Nex Cecile Cridlig + * ** >
Cecilia Hannah Cromling **
Caroline E. Cronlund ** < >
Miranda M. Cronlund ** <
Christopher John Cutsogeorge
Nicholas John Danaher *** <
Madeline D. Danz + * ** < >
Jared Danza ***
Zachary C. Dawson ***
Julia A. de Waal Malefyt ***
Giavonna Marie DeBenedetti *** <
Madeleine M. Decrucq ***
Olivia Brenda Deer *** <
Kaylee Elizabeth Dievendorf ** <
Avani A. Dixit *** >
Abigail T. Donnelly ***
Haley Jane Donohue *** >
Sophie G. Donohue *** >
Kaitlyn T. Donovan * **
Matthew L. Donovan + * **
Alexander Du ***
Emilie Dubin ***
Violet Rose Duncan
Kelsey Nichole Eckert ***
Benjamin R. Eden ***
Joshua Thomas Edwards ***
Madelyn R. Eliea-Shields *** <
Brianna G. Fabian * **
Ian Y. Farley
Ryan W. Farrell
Allison Miranda Rose Faust
Shyanne Elizabeth Figueroa-Sealey *** >
Elisha A. Fishel *** <
James John Flayter ***
Nicholas Joseph Folio + * **
Caroline Michele Forand *** <
Isabella L. Freihofer ***
Robert D. Frick * **
Addison Kate Fronheiser *** <
Nicholas R. Frost ***
Megan E. Gahl **
Julia Alexandra Garcia *** < >
Maria R. Garno ***
Aidan F. Geis ** >
Claire June Gerencir + * **
Anita Golkhanban
Steven Gomez
Zachary E. Gornstein + * ** < >
Lucas William Haefeli <
Brodie Anders Halvorsen + * **
Ace Hammond ***
Emma M. Hanlon + * ** < >
Lyla R. Hanlon + * ** < >
Shameul Haq
Samuel Zev Harwayne-Hymes + * ** < >
Jacob Cooper Hershberg **
Chryceis Hollars + * ** < >
Penelope Allie Holstein + * ** < >
Jillian G. Hornick * ** <
Arash Hossain + * ** < >
Katie Huang + * ** <
Morgan Elizabeth Igler
Shinzan Iida ***
James DeNoon Iovieno **
Ewan C. Izzard * **
Connor James Jacques
Elizabeth Frances Jennings + * ** <
Bruce Allen Jones
Liliana Rose Jones ** <
Sophia K. Jones ** <
Jaide L. Joseph >
Lillian Taylor Kahn + * ** < >
Bhavyasree Kakarala + * ** < >
Charlotte E. Kaleta * ** <
Benjamin Ball Karmel + * **
Ellie Shaw Kaulfuss ***
Dylan M. Kawczak
Aayushi Kejriwal + * ** < >
Molly Kelley < >
Martin J. Kelly ***
Jacob J. Keruskie
Shara Prova Khan ** < >
Andrew Killian ***
Bradyn Kind
Aiden B. King
Zachary K. Kinnah
Molly Amanda Kirby **
Isabella Kita
Vesa Kita
Gabriela Nicole Klein ** < >
Quinn Ivy Knaub + * ** < >
Elly Noelle Knoetgen
Reilly Margaret Knott *** <
Henry H. Knuth ***
Eleanor Tru Ko **
Sophie Kasumi Kobayashi + * **
Evan Tanner Kosoc ** < >
Maximilian Kretschmann <
Logan Lucille Kuhn + * ** < >
Maxim Kuperman + * ** >
Valeriy Kustov
Charles LaDue ***
Noah Andrew Large * ** <
Juliana J. Lawyer ** <
Jonathan Lehmann * ** >
Willa Lemov ** >
Thomas Joseph Lever <
Bridger Lewis + * ** < >
Weiqing Kelvin Li + * ** >
Yupeng Li <
Michael Anthony Lobb
Alyssa Susan Logsdon *** <
Kiana M. Longtin **
Ariana M. Losee *** <
Siyi Lou * **
Daniel B. Lukowitsky ***
Sheridan Elizabeth Lyons ***
Gavin Lysogorski ** <
Jacob J. Lyubarov + * **
Brevyn Ma + * **
Dermot C. Maione + * **
Karma Alexandra-Louisa Mallory
Sana N. Mann *** <
Eliana C. Marino + * ** < >
Javier D. Marrero
Maya L. Marrero
Jacob Martin **
Peyton Elizabeth Matula ***
Anton Matvienko ***
Makaya Chanelle Elizabeth McCann **
Myles B. McCarthy ** <
Finleigh Q. McClain ***
Isaiah L. McCue
Grayson V. McGarry
Nora Estelle McLaughlin + * ** < >
Kathleen Michelle McNally < >
Finn Derek McNamara + * ** < >
Keiran Rory Liam McNay + * **
Liam J. McNulty **
Azadar A. Meghani < >
Chloe P. Messina *** <
David Henry Metz **
Kayleigh M. Michalow **
Jackson O. Miller **
Makenna G. Mitchell * ** <
Ella Jenifer Moffre
Brandon J. Montesano
Cameron M. Moon ** <
Jack Morin-Wrubel
Laurel B. Muench + * ** < >
Emily B. Murphy + * ** >
Madeline C. Murphy
James R. Nalbone + * ** >
Karthik Narayan * **
Retaj Mohammed Naser
Kevin J. Neary * **
Henry J. Nichols
Cameron M. Oakley ***
Candace Marie Oakley <
Sierra Rose Obernesser *** <
Alyssa Leslie Olewnick + ** < >
Aiden Troy Ortega **
Kaylee O. Pachan ***
Colton J. Pardi
Seth Pardo-Friedman * ** >
Pietro Pasetto + * ** >
Rose Detwiler Pastore + * ** < >
Ana Paul * ** < >
Gabri-eal Symone Paul
Zachary A. Pauley
Denis Robert Pauzé lll + * ** < >
Samuel John Perrotto
Lucas M. Peters ** <
Vince D. Piccinini + * ** <
Stephanie L. Piccolo * **
Everett J. Probeck ** <
Elijah B. Proper ***
Louis K. Proper
Austin J. Quackenbush
Madelyn Ann Quackenbush + * ** < >
Evelyn Kelly Quinlan + * **
Lucy Helen Quoma + ** < >
Jonathan K. Radcliffe ***
Ingrid Caroline Ragone *** <
Maya Lynn Ragone + * ** < >
Caroline Kellie Rancourt + * ** <
Mason Charles Raylinsky
Oliver T. Reichman + * **
Alexy Gabriel Reitz * **
Jillian G. Reynolds + * ** < >
Eva Carmen Rice <
Hailey I. Rice
Gabrielle M. Richards ** <
Alexandra Grace Rivard **
Kane Robinson * **
Miles E. Rocklein
Stephanie Abbigail Romero
Eleanor Julia Rose * ** <
Rain A. Ross + * ** <
Connor Samuel Rowe * ** <
Jesse S. Ruiz ***
Robert Keller Rush
Carolyn Barbara Russo + * **
Katherine Anna Ryan + * ** <
Neghat Saadat
Arav Sahu * ** >
Nyla Sajid + * ** < >
Abdulkarim Sanaullah
Wesley E. Sanles ***
Riley G. Scheid + * **
SadieMae Isabelle Schwalb
Diana Senger + * **
Krish Sen Sharma + * ** < >
Cormac Robert Sheehan ***
Taim Sheikh Khaddour * **
William M. Sheridan
Shantanu N. Sheth + * **
Paisley Symone Sims ** <
Dylan R. Singh + * ** <
Zachary Samuel Sinkoff * **
Lauren M. Sinuc * ** <
Jacob Soka ***
Xrysanthi Meena Sokaris *** <
Daniel G. Sokolowski
Aicha S. Sorgho
Nicholas A. Speranza
Peter A. Speranza
Tyler R. St Cyr + * ** < >
Brennan P. St James *** <
John O. Stapleton
Lalita H. Start
Taylor Madyn Steil + * ** <
Lili-Marie R. Suich ** < >
Jacob Charles Swiader ** <
Andrew Swift
Andre M. Tafen ***
Ian Francis C. Talens + * ** >
Ava M. Terry
Maggie Mae Thompson
Andrew Edward Toomey
Patrick J. Tromp * **
William Atticus Trowbridge **
Ahlam Lulua Umar
Adela Luciana Uveges ***
Kahlan Van Vranken **
Taryn Elise Van Vranken <
Owen K. VanVranken
James S. Van Wormer ***
Macen M. Vennard ***
Brianna Nataly Veras
Sydney Vriesema ***
Vivian Layne Wall + * ** < >
Alexander Wang + * ** >
Kevin Wang + * **
Judah Fisher Welton **
Jackson P. Whitford ***
Matthew Wilcox
Bryson M. Wilson-Smith ***
Mateo Angel Winans <
Mikołaj Włoszczyński + * ** <
Roxana Zinaida Yafayeva + * ** <
Caleb Masahiro Yanai * **
Connor H. Yohe ***
Venicia Christina Yubeta
Eric Zheng ***
Luca O. Zlatev
Max Ronan Zwicklbauer + * ** >