Valencia County schools celebrate 2026 graduates across the county

Valencia County’s Class of 2026 did not finish in one place or on one day. Across Belen, Los Lunas and UNM-Valencia, commencements were staggered over May, with Los Lunas Schools alone lining up three high school graduations at the University of New Mexico Pit in a single afternoon and evening.

The News-Bulletin’s Class of 2026 special section pulled that season together into one countywide snapshot, gathering Belen, Century, Infinity, Los Lunas and Valencia high schools, along with Canon Christian Academy, School of Dreams Academy and University of New Mexico-Valencia. The package captured a shared milestone for families in Belen, Los Lunas and the smaller school communities that feed into Valencia County’s next generation of workers, college students and service members.

In Los Lunas Schools, Century High School, Los Lunas High School and Valencia High School were all set to hold commencements Monday, May 18, 2026 at the UNM Pit, with Century at 1:00 p.m., Valencia at 4:00 p.m. and Los Lunas High at 7:00 p.m. The district also marked senior and kinder walk events for May 13 and May 14, then closed the semester on May 21. Serving more than 8,300 students in 12 surrounding communities, the district’s graduation lineup showed how much of the county’s future is moving through the same public system.

The photo pages in the special section highlighted Belen High School, Valencia High School and UNM-Valencia, underscoring that graduation week reached across multiple campuses and dates rather than landing as one countywide ceremony. Belen High School’s class of 2026 graduated May 19, Valencia High School’s class of 2026 graduated May 18, and UNM-Valencia’s class of 2026 ceremonies were promoted May 4 with student spotlight videos, directions and parking information. The campus also featured Visionary Valencia Graduates Nancy Lopez, Calla Jaramillo and Joshua Anzures.

Taken together, the roundup shows more than caps and gowns. It points to the county’s talent pipeline: students headed to college, trades, military service or local jobs, and families hoping those pathways can keep more graduates rooted here. For Valencia County employers, the question is whether enough of those next steps can be found close to home.