As each student speaker rose to address their classmates in the Woodland Hills High School Class of 2026, they noted the characteristics they saw in each of their peers.
They spoke of their strength and resilience. They shared admiration for their willingness to advocate for themselves and stand up for what they believe in. They applauded their compassion, their sense of community, and their willingness to grow.
It has become clear that the Class of 2026 is all of those things, as well as so much more.
They are championship athletes and award-winning performers. They are engineers brimming with creativity and savvy entrepreneurs in the making. They are artists and musicians, teachers and social workers, doctors and scientists. Above all, they are ready to make an impact.
With a mantra of persevering with strength, purpose, and intention, the Class of 2026 formally became the latest graduates of Woodland Hills High School during the district's annual commencement ceremony on Friday, June 5, 2026.
In his opening remarks, co-principal Mr. Berchman Grinage shared that this year’s class holds a special place in his heart.
“You are the very first class I've had the privilege to see all the way through four years of high school,” he said. “You came in with questions, with emerging confidence, and with heavy shoulders, but above all, you carried a relentless hope. You didn't just walk through those doors, you began a journey of rising through it all with strength, purpose, and intention. That is a true story of your journey.”
Co-principal Dr. Shelly Manns shared the classes achievements, including the fact that it has been awarded over $19.5 million in scholarships and financial aid.
“As you leave Woodland Hills and begin the next chapter of your story, remember this: you do not need to walk someone else's path to be successful,” Dr. Manns said. “Walk your path with pride, walk it with purpose, walk it with confidence, and wherever life takes you next, know that you are valued, you are needed, and you matter.”
This year's ceremony featured a focus on student speakers from a variety of organizations within the school. National Honor Society president Rebecca Busch told her classmates, “If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to advocate for yourself. Learning to advocate for yourself is an important life skill. It can carry you far and help you to improve every place you pass through.”
Student council president Jasira Lee applauded her classmates for their individual and collective strength.
“Our theme this year is rising through it all with strength, purpose, and intention. To me, that means we didn't just survive the late nights and the stress, we rose above them together," she said. "We used our strength to support one another, our purpose to build a community we're proud of, and our intention to make sure no one was left behind.”
National Honor Society vice president Aubrie Moon encouraged the Class of 2026 to continue to grow.
"Growth comes from a willingness to improve, even when things feel impossible," she said. "As graduates, we should never be afraid of trying. The world doesn't need perfect people, it needs people who care, people who are determined, and people who show up."
Calise Cowans reminded the graduates of the lessons learned from failure.
This is a time in our lives to make mistakes, to stumble, to take risks, and to fall. It's like learning how to walk all over again," she said. "We're supposed to try things, take risks, chase things we think we'll love, even if we end up not loving them at all, because that doesn't mean that we fail, it just means we're still growing.”
Black Student Union president Sonny Davis congratulated his classmates for the progress they've made since they walked into the building as wide-eyed freshmen.
“I remember my peers going in and out of the office for disciplinary infractions," he said. "Three years later, I remember watching my peers going in and out of the college and career center after getting another college acceptance, scholarship, and/or job opportunity.”
Davis introduced this year's guest commencement speaker, Woodland Hills alumna Mrs. Lyndsay Tkach. She is a mental health and brain injury advocate serving as the Mental Health & Brain Health Services Director at the Wounded Warrior Project, where she oversees suicide prevention efforts for more than 250,000 veterans and their families.
Mrs. Tkach offered some guidance for the graduates and reassured them they don’t have to have all the answers, because she didn’t when she was in their shoes.
“This place helped shape who I became. The lessons I learned here, the resiliency that you're going to develop here, you will carry those things long after graduation,” Mrs. Tkach said. “So, wherever life takes you next - new campuses, new cities, careers that don't even exist yet - just remember where you started. Find what moves you, learn to prioritize, carry your willingness to speak the truth, and take the time to soak it all in.”
Lorraine Mendoza, president of the Future Business Leaders of America, spoke of her journey as someone who didn't speak a word of English when she arrived at Woodland Hills. She used that as an example of how everyone will walk their own path, experience their own level of success.
“Nowadays, it's very easy to get caught up looking at everyone else's highlights, but comparison is a thief that robs the joy from your own unique progress. We didn't get here to this stage just trying to be by someone else. We got here by being authentic - and by somehow beating senioritis," she said.
Class president Domonique Taylor-Brown presented the class chain to Mr. Grinage and Dr. Manns. She also acknowledged that many of the Class of 2026 carry heavy burdens.
“Losing loved ones, and facing difficult moments, changed me in ways I can't really explain, but it always also reminded me to keep pushing forward and never take time or opportunities for granted," she said. "I know I'm not the only one in the class who had to overcome pain, loss, pressure, or self-doubt while trying to succeed.”
The graduates soon rose from their chairs and began to process across the stage. They smiled. They waved. They danced. They laughed. And one-by-one, they accepted their diplomas as proof that they had indeed risen above it all with strength, purpose, and intention.
Congratulations to the Woodland Hills Class of 2026!