Pomp, ceremony and congratulations, graduates!
More than 2,000 Tallahassee area students will don caps, gowns and tassels to walk down the aisle and receive their diploma over the next week. Even the Virtual School has an in-person ceremony.
Leon County Schools will honor the 2026 class of graduating seniors with ceremonies at the Tucker Civic Center and Lee Hall Auditorium. Look for the Tallahassee Democrat’s photo galleries of commencement ceremonies from the schools at tallahassee.com.
Here’s a list of times for area schools holding graduations over the next week. Look for a special graduation section in Sunday’s Tallahassee Democrat.
Monday, May 18
6 p.m. – SAIL High School, FAMU Lee Hall Auditorium, 1601 S Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Graduates: 100.
Tuesday, May 19
7 p.m. – Chiles High School, Tucker Civic Center, 505 W. Pensacola St. Graduates: 448.
Wednedsday, May 20
7 p.m. Lincoln High School, Tucker Civic Center, 505 W. Pensacola St. Graduates: 448.
Thursday, May 21
7 p.m. Rickards High School, Tucker Civic Center, 505 W. Pensacola St. Graduates: 372.
Saturday, May 23
10 a.m. – Godby High School, Tucker Civic Center, 505 W. Pensacola St. Graduates: 329.
3 p.m. – Leon High School, Tucker Civic Center, 505 W. Pensacola St. Graduates: 445.
OTHER SCHOOLS
Aucilla Christian Academy: 6 p.m. May 23, Wilmer Bassett Gymnasium, Aucilla Christian Academy. Graduates: 27.
Community Christian School: 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 22, Community Christian School Auditorium. Graduates: 18.
FAMU DRS: 1 p.m. Saturday, May 16, Lee Hall Auditorium, Florida A&M University’s campus. Graduates: 35.
Florida State University School: 7 p.m. Friday, May 22, Tucker Civic Center. Graduates: 150.
Gadsden County High School: 7 p.m. Friday, May 22, Football Stadium. Graduates: 225.
Gretchen Everhart School: 7 p.m. Thursday, May 14, Generations Church, 3080 W Tennessee St. Graduates: 8.
Homeschoolers United in the Big Bend: 2 p.m. Saturday, May 16, at Thomasville Road Baptist Church. Graduates: 36.
Leon County Virtual School: 6 p.m. Friday, May 15, at the Chiles High School Auditorium. Graduates: 36.
Maclay School: 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 22, Frank Shaw Field, Maclay. Graduates: 99.
North Florida Christian School: 7 p.m. May 22, at North Florida Baptist Church. Graduates: 35.
St. John Paul II Catholic High School: 2 p.m. Sunday, May 17, Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Graduates: 46.
Tallahassee Collegiate Academy: 7 p.m. Thursday, May 14, Turner Auditorium, Tallahassee State College. Graduates: 39.
Wakulla High School: 8 p.m. Thursday, May 21, at J.D. Jones Stadium at Jerry Rynolds Field. Graduates: 341.
Quotes from valedictorians, salutatorians
LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL
Valedictorian: Nihal Kalathil: In five years, I see myself already graduated from Florida State, looking back at everything it took to get there. I’ll be starting medical school, ready for the next step. All the work and challenges will have been worth it as I move closer to a career helping people.
Salutatorian: Cael Bailey: In five years, I will be attending grad school. I plan to study neuroscience with a focus in neurodegeneration. My long-term goal is to improve brain aging.
GODBY HIGH SCHOOL
Valedictorian: Armani Jackson: In five years, I see myself finishing up the coursework for a bachelor’s degree in nursing and beginning my career in healthcare. I hope to keep learning from those around me and make a positive impact in someone’s life.
Salutatorian: Aimee Trinh: After completing my licensed mental health counselor’s master’s and practicing for a year, I’ll go on to pursue a Ph.D. in counseling psychology at either Florida State University or University of Central Florida specializing in addiction and prevention for veteran populations.
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOLS
Valedictorian: Vy Nguyen: In five years, I see myself graduating from FSU and heading to law school. With my passion for justice which was cultivated even further by the Leon County Teen Court program, I aspire to become an active participant in the legal system and a mentor for the volunteer teen attorneys at Teen Court.
Salutatorian: Rishil Kodela: In five years, I see myself building technology that genuinely changes lives, blending software and business to solve meaningful problems. I aim to grow into a leader who not only creates innovative systems but also empowers others, continuously learning, pushing boundaries, and turning ambitious ideas into real, impactful solutions.
FAMU DRS HIGH SCHOOL
Valedictorian: Mario Martinez: In 5 years, I can see myself working towards my master’s in supply chain management and business analytics at FAMU while working to provide for myself and my family. My lifelong ambition is to be debt free and financially comfortable enough to give my children and family the life that they deserve.
Salutatorian: Donnell Jean: In five years, I envision myself as a successful content creator who enjoys creating music while building my own record label and operating a clothing business. I also plan to use supply chain management skills to efficiently manage production and distribution. I want to be financially stable, confident, and creative, inspiring others and growing my brand.
MACLAY SCHOOL
Valedictorian: Nishi Bhanderi: In 5 years I see myself living in New York City working or in law school pursuing my passion for advocacy. I hope to still be spending lots of time with my loved ones and pursuing my goal of running a marathon!
Salutatorian: Reid Roberts: “I’ll be attending Yale with hopes of meeting cool people, learning more about the world, discovering things I never even knew existed, petting Handsome Dan, and figuring out at some point along the way what I want to pursue after college.”
RICKARDS HIGH SCHOOL
Co-Valedictorians/honors graduates
Connor Eller Vaughn: University: Duke Kunshan University; Major: Quantitative Political Economy. In five years, I see myself continuing my studies and going on to graduate school, or in a job that involves international relations such as one working for the United Nations.
Jonathan George: College: Cornell University; Major: Biological Science. In five years, I see myself chasing breakthroughs in research and pursuing medical school, so I can one day bring those discoveries from the lab to the patient.
Hawa-Larai Harruna: College: Johns Hopkins University; Major: Computer Science. I’d be a pro animator and programmer, continue running creative projects to support my community, and own a really cute pet cat.
Eric Lin: College: Cornell University; Major: Biology. In five years, I see myself in medical school.
Dylan Ryan-Zilavy: College: Undecided between CalTech or Yale; Major: Applied Mathematics. In five years, I see myself working on scientific research of some kind, because being on a research team at the MagLab has been one of my best high school experiences. I also see myself doing more work in the cybersecurity space.
CHILES HIGH SCHOOL
Co-Valedictorians
Daniel Duan: Five years from now, I plan to have earned a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and to go into graduate research. I aim to apply my education toward a career in pharmaceutical R&D or as a forensic specialist in accident reconstruction.
William Wu: In five years, I see myself with a degree in economics, and I envision myself either pursuing a doctorate or working in economic policy. I also hope that while in college I can continue to explore my interests to build on that vision and shape it through personal growth. I recognize the importance we as a society place on the economy, and I intend for my efforts to make a difference.
Salutatorian: Sumyut Reddy: In 5 years, I will have graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Biochemistry. Hopefully, I will be enrolled in medical school, where I will be one step closer to my goal of generating a positive effect on those around me.
SAIL HIGH SCHOOL
Valedictorian: September Nash: In five years, I see myself finishing my master’s in Zoology at the University of Florida while working at a local zoo. Upon completion of my master’s, I will be going into field research with the goal of furthering animal and wilderness conservation.
Salutatorian: Jeriel Garcia: In five years, I see myself graduating FSU and preparing to enter medical school. I will have earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral neuroscience, in addition to having clinical experience. I will feel excited for another stage in my educational journey and closer to my dream of becoming a pediatrician.
AUCILLA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Valedictorian: Leighton Faglie: Leighton plans to major in environmental science and marine biology, with long-term plans to return to Monticello and work locally.
Salutatorian: Benjamin Faglie: Benjamin plans to major in business management. His goal is to one day own his own construction company.
GADSDEN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Valedictorian: Perla Najera-Leonides: In five years, I see myself growing into who I’m meant to be successful, stable and still discovering my purpose.
Salutatorian: Harmony Harris: In five years, I see myself building a life I’m proud of … whether that’s through school, work or a path I haven’t even seen yet. I am READY for it all.
TALLAHASSEE COLLEGIATE ACADEMY
Valedictorian: Cathleen Nguyen: In five years, I plan to have graduated from Florida State University’s nursing program, gained two years of ICU experience, and be applying to or beginning graduate school to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
Salutatorian: Jaylah Smith: In five years, I see myself with my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in information technology, working in a mid-level position. I hope to develop specialized skills and contribute to projects and teams that push me to improve. My goal is to continue learning every day and strengthen my passion.
ST. JOHN PAUL II CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
Valedictorian: Amanda Thompson: God willing, by 2031, I’ll be entering my first year at Harvard Law School, training for my second Olympics in 2032, and helping coaching the Harvard softball team. Hopefully, I’ll also be running my first startup company and starting to travel the world.
Salutatorian: Joseph ‘Ander’ Gillespie: In five years, I see myself working alongside many prestigious professional or college athletes and coaches whether as a recruiter, scout, statistician, or even as high as a coordinator or coach. I will have graduated from the University of Miami where I was able to find many helpful ways of finding jobs that will foster that growth in the sports field.
WAKULLA HIGH SCHOOL
Valedictorian: David Davis: Over the next four years, I will be attending UCF to earn a Bachelor’s in Cellular & Molecular Biology and searching for the best place to continue my academic journey. By year five, I’ll have already made my choice and be 1 year into medical or graduate school building my way towards a career conducting medical research.
Salutatorian: Madison Baroody: In 5 years, I see myself one year-post grad from UCF. I see myself either staying down south or moving back home near Tallahassee and beginning to pursue my Mechanical Engineering degree. I would love to work as an engineer at a great company, such as Danfoss in Tallahassee. Even though I am majoring in Mechanical Engineering, I would also love to incorporate coding or computer science into my field.
This story was updated to add new information.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Class of 2026! Here’s the graduation schedule for Leon County Schools
Reporting by Martha Gruender, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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