Los Alamos High School Class of 2026 graduates at Sullivan Field

Los Alamos High School’s Class of 2026 crossed the finish line at Sullivan Field on Saturday morning, with gates opening at 8 a.m. and commencement beginning at 9 a.m. Los Alamos Public Schools said no tickets were required, but families were routed by last name, with A-Lo entering one way and Lu-Z another, a sign of how large the turnout was expected to be.

The ceremony blended the familiar markers of a Los Alamos graduation with a few standout local names. The LAHS NJROTC Color Guard presented the colors for the National Anthem, while LAHS Schola Cantorum, under Jason Rutledge’s direction, performed the anthem after being named the 2026 4A State Choir Champion. Principal Eric Ziegler delivered remarks to the graduates, Superintendent Jennifer Guy handed a diploma to Allyson Harbert, and Alyssa Sun served as commencement host.

Sun’s role drew extra attention because she had earlier been named a 2026 Coca-Cola Scholars Program regional finalist, a distinction that put one of the school’s seniors in the spotlight even before the caps came off. Her presence at the microphone, paired with the choir’s state title, gave the ceremony a clear message about the range of talent moving out of Los Alamos High and into whatever comes next.

The scene at Sullivan Field was also a reminder that graduation in Los Alamos County is more than a school ceremony. Families, teachers, classmates, and neighbors gathered around the field for one of the county’s most visible rites of passage, as the class lined up, moved through the program, and finished with the traditional hat toss. The event tied the school’s formal traditions to a broader community moment, one that marks the end of the academic year and the start of summer across town.

Los Alamos High had held a mandatory graduation rehearsal at Sullivan Field on Friday, May 22, setting the stage for the main ceremony the next morning. Together, the rehearsal, the state-champion choir, the NJROTC color guard, and the roster of school leaders made the Class of 2026 graduation feel rooted in the same community institutions that have long helped launch local students into college, military service, and STEM pathways connected to Los Alamos.