The largest class in CHS history is set to graduate with approximately 780 students on June 3 at 7 p.m. Student class board members make decisions regarding end-of-year senior celebrations such as the graduation ceremony, convocation, senior barbecue, and the all-night grad party.

Graduation

Commencement, or the graduation ceremony, will be held at EagleBank Arena at 7 p.m. Student and faculty speakers will celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2026, and graduates will be called up alphabetically to walk the stage and receive their diploma.

“I feel both excited and proud of myself that I have reached this important milestone in my life,” senior Tissara Vassell said. “I am really worried about walking across the stage. It’s hard to shake the feeling that there is a huge crowd of people that are watching you intensely, which is nerve-wracking.”

Seniors will get the chance to practice walking the stage at graduation rehearsal in the CHS gym at 7 a.m. on June 2. There, they will receive their cap and gown, as well as learn where they need to stand and walk during the ceremony while teachers practice calling their names. At 9:30 a.m., seniors can have breakfast in the cafeteria before attending graduation walks at their former elementary or middle schools if they choose to do so. 

Specific details for graduation walks and other senior events will be shared at a later time through the Class of 2026 Schoology page or @chantillyclassof2026 Instagram account. Additionally, the only item permitted to have during commencement is a car key and all seniors in attendance must wear appropriate business attire under their cap and gown.

“Each graduation ceremony is slightly different based on what the class board students want to make,” English teacher and Class of 2026 sponsor Danielle Simpson said. “I don’t think there’ll be any large, significant changes.”

One change that the class board decided was to omit the list of awarded cords for each senior in the graduation program because of the space that it took up. Otherwise, the ceremony is set to run similarly to previous years, with a student speaker selected from April 9 speech submissions and a faculty speaker, which will be English teacher Barbara Clougherty.

“We’re all working our hardest to make this a really efficient graduation because we’re the biggest class size in CHS history, so it’s big for us too,” senior class board member Natalie Nguyen said.

Other Events

May 1 is the deadline for seniors to submit their enrollment deposit to universities and secure their spot for the fall semester. On this day, seniors can participate in Decision Day, a senior spirit day, and wear clothing that represents the institutions of their post-secondary plans.

“They can wear a T-shirt or whatever merch they have from the college they’re going to or something that they’re doing after high school as well,” Simpson said. “With Decision Day, convocation, senior barbeque and a senior social event that the class board is planning, there are a lot of fun things that are exciting for seniors.”

On May 21, convocation will be held at the CHS auditorium at 3:30 p.m. as an invite-only event to recognize seniors with local, merit and military scholarships, military enlistments and GPAs above 4.0. Faculty awards in each department are also presented and there will be an address from the same student speaker for graduation. Invitees will be notified by the first week of May.

Senior barbecue, also known as senior sunset, will be on May 28 at 6:30 p.m., with more details to come soon through Schoology and Instagram. The class board will continue to have weekly meetings during FLEX block to make sure all these events are fully prepared for.

“We just finished planning the logistics of senior sunset,” Nguyen said. “That’s probably one of the biggest events that a senior can be excited for.”

Additionally, the final senior celebration will be an all-night grad party that begins at 11 p.m. on June 3 at Funland, an indoor entertainment center. There will be casino games, laser tag, go-karts, clip n’ climb, sky trail and unlimited video games, with hourly prizes such as electronics, gift cards and tickets to events. A specialty buffet and unlimited soft drinks will also be offered. Tickets are currently priced at $85 through the CHS PTSA Givebacks, their online fundraising platform, and will be $100 at the door. 

“All the events at the end of the year definitely make me feel more excited about graduating and less nervous,” Vassell said. “It makes me realize how close within reach adulthood really is. I feel so nostalgic to think about how I was just in kindergarten, and now I am a senior.”