Commencement exercises for the Ravenscroft Class of 2026 took place on Friday, May 22, at The King’s Chapel in Raleigh. The ceremony brought family, faculty and friends together to celebrate the traditional conferring of diplomas and to hear moving addresses from guest speaker Dewayne Washington II ’16, valedictorian Grace Garney ’26, and class speaker Doug “Dugan” Stewart IV ’26. 

The program opened with an invocation by Senior Class Dean Nicole Lane, who set a meaningful tone for the evening, challenging graduates to lead themselves with integrity and curiosity before seeking to lead others. Head of School Derrick Willard then welcomed the community and offered a special recognition of Director of Athletics Ned Gonet, who was recently inducted into the honorary alumni Class of 1862 and who is retiring this year after 45 years of service to Ravenscroft. 

A beloved centerpiece of Ravenscroft’s graduation tradition followed – the presentation of the roses. As seniors presented yellow roses to their loved ones, the Faculty Choral Ensemble performed “You Do Not Walk Alone” by Elaine Hagenberg. It was a tender moment that drew emotion throughout the building. 

Guest Speaker Dewayne Washington II ’16 

Head of Upper School Aaron Sundstrom introduced guest speaker Dewayne Washington II ’16, a former Ravenscroft standout who went on to play football at the University of Miami before building a successful career in finance. Washington’s address was anchored by a single resonant message: Nothing stays the same.

He shared three pivotal moments of personal change – walking away from Division I football to pursue a banking internship, his parents selling his childhood home, and the professional leap of building his own team at JP Morgan. Each story carried the same quiet conviction that change, however disorienting, is where growth lies. 

“You are ready for what comes next,” Washington said to the Class of 2026. “You are ready for the unknown. You are ready for the change ahead.” He closed by expressing his pride in the people they are becoming.

Valedictorian Grace Garney ’26

Class of 2026 Valedictorian Grace Garney delivered an address that celebrated the act of learning itself. She urged her peers not to trade wonder for realism, noting the people who truly change the world rarely fit neatly into others’ expectations. 

Garney called on the class to protect their curiosity and guard their passions fiercely. She offered her classmates a final challenge. “Be for something,” Garney said. “Be for kindness. Be for people. Be for creating rather than tearing down. The world does not need more spectators, it needs people willing to rise to the occasion and create without fear.”

Class Speaker Doug Stewart ’26

The Class of 2026 selected Doug “Dugan” Stewart to speak on its behalf. Stewart provided a perfect balance of humor and heartfelt reflection. He looked back on the shared chaos, friendships, and failures of their high school years and spoke to how the class had grown together through all of it. 

Stewart turned his gaze forward, too, embracing the excitement of new cities, new schools, and the vast unknown ahead. “Growth only happens when we’re willing to step into the unknown,” he said. “After all, if you aren’t living life on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” 

The ceremony concluded with the conferring of diplomas by Head of School Derrick Willard and Board of Trustees Chair Laura Helton Kalorin ’92. Following a benediction from faculty member Pam Kelly, the graduates recessed to “Festival Toccata,” performed on the organ by S.K. Chipley – a triumphant close to a memorable afternoon.

The Class of 2026 now joins a vibrant and far-reaching alumni community, heading to prestigious institutions including Duke University, Brown University, New York University, and UNC-Chapel Hill.

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