Casco Bay High School held its 18th graduation exercises on June 4, at Merrill Auditorium. While Casco’s graduates march to the stage to the traditional sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance,” what typically follows at Casco commencements is more unconventional. This year’s ceremony for the Class of 2026 was no exception, with good-natured jokes interspersing heartfelt personal testimonies and graduates jumping up from their seats to dance in the middle of the event.

The event included remarks by Superintendent Ryan Scallon and Principal Priya Natarajan. The event also included a reading from two designated class writers, remarks and “final words” from students, student musical performances and the presentation of diplomas.

History teacher Stewart Croft was the emcee of the ceremony. He noted that high schoolers today had their middle school years disrupted by COVID and now face daunting challenges as they graduate, including political divisiveness, economic uncertainty and environmental crises. He said he often worries that students won’t be prepared for what life holds for them—but not the Class of 2026. “What I have seen gives me tremendous confidence…I’m not worried,” Croft said. “They’ve been through a lot and I know they can meet whatever is next.”

Superintendent Scallon also expressed confidence in the 86 members of the Class of 2026. “When I look at this class, I see a powerful reflection of what makes this school so special,” he said. “You are a tight-knit class defined by deep academic curiosity, a love for your community and a genuine desire to understand the ‘why’ behind everything you do.”

He told the graduates: “You didn't just coast through high school, you excelled.” He highlighted a few examples of their many accomplishments.

He said that “12 of you earned STEM endorsements, and 18 of you earned the Seal of Biliteracy, with two earning it in a second language and one of you in a third. Your class includes four University of Southern Maine Promise Scholars and two Mitchell Scholars, and together you have earned more than $600,000 in scholarships and grants to fuel your next steps.”

He continued: “You also shone on regional and national stages. Your Mock Trial team reached the National Championship, one classmate represented Maine at the National Geography Bee, another helped qualify for the national Odyssey of the Mind, and one of you was named the Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year for the entire state of Maine. From a Junior Olympian in ultimate frisbee to a standout squash player to athletic captains at teams at Deering and Portland, your drive showed everywhere.”

The graduates, 100 percent of whom have been accepted by at least one institution of higher learning, are now headed to colleges and universities that include the University of Southern Maine, Southern Maine Community College, Maine Maritime Academy, Bates, Bowdoin and Middlebury colleges, Swarthmore, Boston College, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Bennington, Pitzer, Skidmore, American University, and the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Even with all these accomplishments, Scallon said, “what truly sets this class apart is your shared character. You are motivated by a real desire to learn and to understand why your education matters to the world. Almost every one of you is active in service or activities beyond the classroom, and in true Casco Bay fashion, you don't compete against one another, you lift each other up. You show up, you listen, and you give one another honest, thoughtful feedback. You have mastered the art of being a community.”

He encouraged the graduates to follow the path set by Gerald Talbot, Maine civil rights icon, community leader and the first Black legislator in the history of Maine. Talbot, for whom Talbot Community School is named, passed away May 9. “He led, and in doing so he opened doors that many will walk through today. Class of 2026, carry his example with you,” the superintendent said.

He concluded by telling the graduates: “The world you are stepping into needs exactly what you have practiced here: adaptability, empathy, and a collaborative mindset. As you leave Casco Bay, carry the resilience of your crew with you. Be bold in your ambitions, stay fiercely curious and never stop showing up for one another.”

Principal Natarajan spoke next. She recounted various interactions she had over the past four years with the Class of 2026 and observed: “This class shows up every day with a fresh outlook.” She also highlighted the graduates’ accomplishments, including more than 60 of them taking early-college courses while in high school and 40 students serving as teaching assistants to younger students at the schools for at least one class. Natarajan described that as “one of the most powerful ways to synthesize your learning” and also to build community.

She shared some of what she called “unsolicited advice” with the students, that ranged from the practical—“please get enough sleep”—to the teacherly—”never lose your thirst for knowledge.” As she spoke of thirst, the principal was interrupted by a graduate running across the stage with clear plastic cups containing brightly colored contents with straws, which he doled out to fellow classmates amid cheers and laughter. And, at another part of her address, graduates also leaped from their seats to boogie to Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me).”

Natarajan concluded her remarks by telling the Class of 2026, “Stand tall, be happy—no matter where the journey of life takes you.”

Class writers Reme Isgro and Georgina Manuel read a joint message that recounted experiences of class members over the past four years and ended with: “When you think of Casco, you’ll…find that it has woven itself into the very fabric of your being.”

Other highlights of the evening included class speaker Nludi Celestino, who is the Boys & Girls Clubs of America 2026 Maine State Youth of the Year. Celestino talked about how the class went from being strangers to bonding over the past four years. He thanked teachers and staff and his family for their support. “Class of 2026, it’s a huge accomplishment to be here today,” he told fellow graduates. However, he said, “this isn’t where the journey ends but in fact where it begins.”

A Casco graduation tradition entails each member of the class coming to the microphone on the stage to share their “Final Word,” a sentence on topics such as life and their school experience. Final words this year included: “Sometimes there are no answers,” “Your job is to become a better version of yourself every day,” and “I found my voice here.”

The Class of 2026’s gift to the school is a tree that will be planted on the school grounds so that the class can continue to “be connected by our roots to Casco Bay.”

While it was Casco’s 18th graduation ceremony, the school itself was founded in 2005. It is part of the EL Education (formerly known as Expeditionary Learning) network and is deliberately small, with each class limited to a maximum of 100 students.

The Portland Public Schools is Maine’s largest school district, with more than 6,200 students, and it’s also the most diverse. About one-third of the district’s students come from homes where languages other than English are spoken—a total of 61 languages. Approximately 49 percent of the district’s students are white and 51 percent are students of color. More than half of all PPS students are economically disadvantaged.