Blog

As the Trinity Class of 2026 processed into the Gym for their Baccalaureate and Commencement on June 1, 2026, it must have felt like it was just yesterday that they were walking down the steps of Jamie's Courtyard on their first day of Kindergarten.

The theme of how quickly their Trinity experience came and went was common in the student reflections shared at 8th Grade Chapel service prior to commencement.

“This moment felt like it was an eternity away," said student Aleyah Whitaker, one of 30 Trinity “lifers" in the graduating class.

Fifty-one students received a graduation certificate from Head of School Imana Sherrill and Board of Trustees Chair Eugene Brown, followed by a blessing from Trinity chaplains Rev. Lindsey Peery, Chaplain Matt Moorman, and Father Mitchell Felton.

In her remarks to the graduating class, Mrs. Sherrill noted that students not only recognized how quickly the K-8 years passed, but they also noticed they formed a school family along the way.

"There is just something very special about this class," she said.

Student Eliza Peery, in her reflection note, advised students in other grades to appreciate the time they have remaining at Trinity.

“Work extra hard on that project," she said, “because you'll remember the effort more than the grade. Try out for that solo, ask to hang out with someone new, be kind to everyone in your grade, because these are the moments that will stay with you forever.”

Twelve 8th Grade students were nominated by their classmates for special awards that were presented at the ceremony:

• Community Builder Award: Sarah Jane Jarmosevich, Reese McKeon and Eithan Moreno
• Honor and Integrity Award: Hawkins Atchison, Margaret Coyne and Tyler Peery
• Scholarship Award: Lucy Burris, Josie Smith and Cate Wright
• Spirituality Award:  Eliza Peery, Brooklyn Stanczak and Aleyah Whitaker

Trinity alumnus Stryker Kelligrew TES ‘25, a recipient of the previous year’s Community Builder Award, was selected to deliver the commencement speech. She told graduates that they would make mistakes in their high school years, but said to treat them as learning opportunities.

The Class of 2026 will be continuing their education at the following schools:

• Myers Park High School
• Charlotte Country Day School
• Charlotte Latin School
• Covenant Day School
• East Mecklenburg High School
• Mountain Island Charter School
• Myers Park High School
• Northwest School of the Arts
• Providence Day School
• St Timothy's, Raleigh
• South Mecklenburg High School

Sherrill said those schools will benefit from having these Trinity graduates “because you're confident, you're kind, you're thoughtful, and you inject joy.”

Continuing a commencement tradition, 8th Grade leaders for Middle School Koinonia groups presented the graduating class's banner to be hung from the Gym rafters. The banner was designed as a ChatGPT prompt and conversation, symbolizing the rise of technology and artificial intelligence.

The students' Koinonia leaders presented their own traditional gift to the graduating students: a personalized wooden box that is left empty so that new memories and experiences can be contained within the memories they take from Trinity.

“We believe in you, and we can't wait for you to go and change the world,” Sherrill said.