The Pioneer Class of 2026 has been together for over 13 years, and they gathered one last time on June 26 for Commencement at Pioneer High School.
The artists, performers, scholars and athletes were greeted with pomp and circumstance before an audience of family members and well-wishers inside George C. Crawford Auditorium. Principal Joseph Cappadonia welcomed the crowd, and Superintendent Nicholas Silvaroli passed along his words of wisdom to the graduates.
It was nearly 60 years ago that Pioneer High School sent off its first graduating class in 1967. All were former students of the former Arcade High School and Delevan-Machias High School—districts which merged to form Pioneer.
This time around, the 2026 student-speakers included Class President Cora Hirsch, Valedictorian Tayga Griffin, and Salutatorian Abigail Mason. Faculty guest speaker was math teacher Louise Herrick, and community/alumni guest speaker was Mark Kless.
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The list of 2026 graduates:
Kyra Agen, Aiden Agne, Ryan Barber, Savannah Beaudette, Makayla Benz, Isabella Bertozzi, Kolden Blakeslee, Emery Blum, Thomas Blumenstein, Nikolas Blumer, Blaze Blundon, Samuel Borer, Exzavior Bradley-Lyon, Samantha Braun, Ashton Brisley, Abigail Brotka, Johnathin Bucklaew, Timothy Bush Jr., Cassidy Card, Parker Clarkson, Riley Cleland, Zachary Cleveland, Madelynn Colkitt, Ava May Coonts, Landon Crow, Dominic Doty, Dylan Doty, Kelsey Dunn, Owen Dunn, Connor Dustin, Blaklea Ellis, Colton Fetzner, Taylor Fontaine, Trentyn Franklin, Landon Frazier, Ezekiel Fronckowiak, Alex Gasbarrini, Taren George, Jonathan Gernatt, Lily Goodemote, Brandon Green, Karlee Greenfield, Tayga Griffin, Payton Grizer, Ashlyn Hackett, Johnathan Haggerty, Gavin Hammell, Remington Hansen, Claire Hartman, Avery Hastings, Matthew Henderson, Jack Heppner, Phoenix Hernandez, Madisen Hiller, Cora Hirsch, Keeley Holland, Bailei Hopkins, Llogan Horner, Braxton Hull, Robert Hurd Jr., Stryker Kahle, Cambria Kanner, Kailyn Kanner, Jamison Keem.
Also: Poette Ellis, Paige Ersing, Coldin Kellogg, William Kemp, Abby King, Brody King, Nevaeh King, Harley Kinmartin, Lilly Kless, Alexis Klusek, Brynn Kolasinski, Brooklyn Lazarz, Jayden Leederman, Aiden Lefort. Drake LeFort, Evan LeFort, Amelia Lemke, Isabelle Lester, Willow Linch, Mya Lindsley, Ashley Lounsbury, Cooper Lyons, Gage Marinaccio, Logan Marsh, Abigail Mason, Riley Matuszak, Justin Maul, Sofia Maul, Harleigh May, Joseph McFarland, Shawn McIntosh, Samantha Miller, Raymond Mitchell, Lillian Moore, Breanna Morris, Kolton Mortek, Alexus Neamon, Mackenzy Neamon, Wyatt Neamon, Ella Owens, Maddin Palmerton, Kayla Pataye, Morgan Payne, Olivia Phiansouri, Athsavinh Phommatha, Annelyse Pingrey, Ella Pyc, Keegen Redden, Emily Reed, Cody Rogers, Logan Rogers, Sadie Rogers, Ayden Rose, Cooper Rosenthal.
Also: Alex Rubeck, Joseph Russo IV, Jacek Sawicki, Nathan Schmidt, Makenna Shimburski, Angelina Sims, Ruby Sims, Madison Smith, Takota Smith, Bailey Spencer, Ella Spielvogel, Skye Stasio, Isabella Staub, Kira Stromayer, Meredith Titus, Ava Tuttle, April Unger, Darius VanCuran, Desiree VanDerlaske, Alex Vargas, Jacob Walker, Nathan Webster Jr., Logan Weigand, Jenna Weixlmann, Karlina West, Maeselle Westfall, Kennedy Whiting, Allison Williams, Emaline Wilton, James Wilson, Devin Windnagle, Gabriel Winfield, Madison Winfield, Ethan Witter, Christopher Woloszyn, Addison Woodruff, Bruin Woolley, Leah Wozniak, Samantha Youngs, Brooklyn Zielenieski, Madison Zimmer.