Rye Country Day School held its 157th commencement on Thursday, June 4, 2026. Students, families, and administrators gathered in the Scott A. Nelson Athletic Center to celebrate the graduation of the ’class of 2026.
The ceremony featured remarks from Student Body President Nola Coady ’26, Senior Class President Selena Zhang ’26, Head of School Randall Dunn, and Upper School Principal Jenny Heath. The graduation address was delivered by Middle School Language Arts Teacher Ginny Black, who at the end of this school year retired from RCDS after 48 years of service.
“Every decision that we wrestled with, every hard task we undertook, every challenge we took a deep breath and faced—everyone here today, our teachers, parents, and family members, saw us through those moments,” said Student Body President Coady.
Reflecting on the bonds formed during the class’s time at RCDS, sharing, “I hope we can hold on to that feeling of home wherever we may go,” said Senior Class President Zhang.
The program also featured performances by the RCDS Concert Choir, String Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Cosmopolitan Brass Quintet, and the WildScats, a cappella group. Musical highlights included performances of Jacob Narverud’s “Ad Astra (To the Stars…),” “America the Beautiful,” and “I’ll Be There,” written by Berry Gordy, Hal Davis, Willie Hutch, and Bob West.
“The world needs accomplished people who care, who listen, who build bridges, who show empathy, and who use their talents to improve the lives of others,” said The Head of School Randell Dunn, who is leaving the school at the end of this year. “The world needs you. Stand up for what matters to you. Help someone who can never repay you. And above all, love the journey.”
Teacher Ginny Black reflected on the people who shaped her 48-year career and the community that has sustained RCDS for generations. Black encouraged the graduates to value relationships above accomplishments, use their voices with courage and compassion, and remain connected to the people who help them grow. “Graduates—today, you may be ready to let go with your hands. But you don’t ever have to let go with your hearts. Hold us close. Because we love you,” said Black.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of diplomas by Mr. Dunn, Board of Trustees President Rosa Perkins P’26, P’28, and Upper School Principal Jenny Heath.
The Rye Country Day School Class of 2026 Matriculation list:
Amherst College
Binghamton University (2)
Boston College (2)
Boston University (3)
Bowdoin College (2)
Brown University
Bucknell University
Canterbury School
Carnegie Mellon University (4)
Case Western Reserve University
Claremont McKenna College
Colgate University (3)
Columbia University (4)
Cornell University (8)
CUNY City College
CUNY Lehman College
Dartmouth College (2)
Duke University
Franklin and Marshall College
Georgetown University (3)
Harvard University (5)
Johns Hopkins University (2)
Manhattanville University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
McGill University (2)
Middlebury College (3)
Northeastern University (2)
Northwestern University (3)
Princeton University
Rice University (2)
Rochester Institute of Technology
Santa Clara University
Spelman College
Swarthmore College
Syracuse University
The University of Edinburgh
Tufts University (3)
Tulane University (2)
United States Air Force Academy
United States Military Academy
University of California (Berkeley) (2)
University of California (Davis)
University of Chicago (4)
University of Delaware
University of Michigan
University of Notre Dame (2)
University of Pennsylvania
University of Richmond (2)
University of Southern California (4)
University of St Andrews (2)
University of Texas
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University
Vassar College
Wake Forest University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wellesley College
Wesleyan University (3)
Williams College
Yale University
