Riverhead High School class of 2026 graduates at McKillop Field

More than 43 Riverhead High School seniors received diplomas Friday evening at McKillop Field, where the Class of 2026 was sent off before family members, faculty, friends and district leaders. The ceremony began at 5:30 p.m. and followed the school’s familiar graduation script, with the Riverhead High School NJROTC color guard presenting the colors, Cadet Petty Officer 1st Class Sean Daniell leading the Pledge of Allegiance and Olivia Sulzer performing the national anthem.

Principal Sean P. O’Hara used his remarks to point to the range of what the seniors had already done in Riverhead. He said the class had left its mark in academics, athletics, stage performance, community service, career and technical programs, clubs and activities, and urged graduates to trust the foundation they had built as they move into what comes next. His message framed the evening as both a celebration of what the seniors had accomplished and a reminder that the road ahead would bring challenges, setbacks and unexpected opportunities.

The student speeches gave the program its most reflective moments. Salutatorian Oliver Earl spoke about the power of small acts of goodness and urged classmates to answer hate, violence and racism with kindness, intelligence and perseverance. Valedictorian Aidan Foss reflected on how quickly four years passed and emphasized the relationships students formed along the way, along with the resilience they developed through academics, athletics, music and other activities. Student government president Eric Gabrielsen Jr. also addressed the crowd, while Class of 2026 president Michelle Perez delivered the class history. Ella Kaparos, Abigail Maaiki and Adriana Martinez presented the class gift.

The district had already named Foss valedictorian and Earl salutatorian in May, when it also publicly recognized the top 20 academic students in the class. Riverhead Central School District said class ranking is based on weighted GPA, with AP and dual enrollment courses weighted at 1.18. That academic recognition gave the ceremony an added layer, highlighting a senior class that reached the stage with both public honors and broad participation across the school.

Graduation also capped a season of coordinated planning around student safety. Riverhead Central School District said its annual pre-prom and graduation safety program has been run with Riverhead Community Awareness Program, Inc., Peconic Bay Medical Center and the Riverhead Police Department since 2017. For the 2026 meetings on May 21 and May 27, 514 students, parents and guardians attended. At Riverhead High School, where graduation is traditionally held on Coach Mike McKillop Memorial Field if weather permits, the Class of 2026 joined a long line of Riverhead seniors whose final public moment came on the same field that has become part of the school’s own rite of passage.