Congratulations to the 71 graduates of Rowland Hall’s class of 2026. As scholars, artists, athletes, leaders, and friends, these students have helped make our school a more vibrant, welcoming, and dynamic place.

One hallmark of this year’s graduating class is their commitment to creating more spaces for others to belong and pursue their interests. The class includes the founders or cofounders of Rowland Hall’s Community Engagement Club, Cultural Exchange Club, Climate Action Club, Philosophy Club, National Ability Center Club, and Architecture Club. One graduate formed We Are Coders Too, a space for groups underrepresented in computer science, while another revived an Upper School book club to engage students across grade levels in meaningful dialogue. Others created the school’s cheer and Ultimate Frisbee teams.

The same drive to make a difference on campus can be seen in these graduates’ pursuit of academic excellence.

The same drive to make a difference on campus can be seen in these graduates’ pursuit of academic excellence. Among the group are five National Merit semifinalists, one of whom is also an AP Scholar with Distinction, and several top-tier debaters, including four state champions, two Academic All-Americans, one Tournament of Champions qualifier, and the captains who led the team to the largest point total in school history. They include a two-time qualifier for the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, a two-time qualifier for the US National Chemistry Olympiad, and a mathematician who twice placed 10th in the Utah Math Olympiad. One was named a Global Youth Laureate by the World Food Prize Foundation for research on global food security; two others were named finalists in the 2025 Utah High School Entrepreneurship Challenge for an educational app that helps users identify AI-generated images.

This class’s intellectual curiosity extended well beyond Rowland Hall’s classrooms. While in high school, many enrolled in college courses in subjects including honors trigonometry, linear algebra, differential equations, applied statistics, and organic chemistry. They sought out further learning opportunities during the summer. Among these experiences were a course in special relativity through Johns Hopkins University and a course in finance at the University of Utah. One student traveled to Taiwan through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth program; another went to New York for a United Nations youth training program. Others enrolled in Columbia University’s Cancer Research Program, the Wharton Global Youth Moneyball Academy, Sotheby’s Institute of Art program, and Vogue Summer School.

This class explored careers and engaged in authentic learning through internships with Alliance for a Better Utah, Congressman Blake Moore, House of Eos, the Mayan Languages Preservation Project, McNeill Von Maack, the Natural History Museum of Utah, People’s Health Clinic, Sauce Media Group, TOSH, the University Orthopaedic Center, the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, and the Waldorf Astoria Park City, among others. Many benefited from Rowland Hall’s access to premier research opportunities at the University of Utah, interning in fields including conservation biology, neurobiology and anatomy, and neuroscience.

The talents of this class extend into the arts as well. Among them are talented musicians, including a cellist who has performed with the Utah Music Educators Association Orchestra, a lead pianist and ambassador for the Mundi Project, and a Young Steinway Artist, a rare designation recognizing exceptional young pianists worldwide. One had work featured in Neighbors magazine and on Park City Television. Another, a teen leader at the Anderson-Foothill Library, illustrated a zine about intellectual freedom.

Senior athletes were instrumental in capturing 17 region and 12 state titles as teams, and earned several individual region and state championships. Six seniors were named All-State, seven were named All-Region, and 12 earned Academic All-State and Academic All-Region honors. Rowmark Ski Academy’s seven graduating seniors combined for an impressive 16 podium finishes this winter, along with 40 top-15 results in Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS) races across the United States, Canada, and Europe; two of these athletes will continue their racing careers at the collegiate level. The class also includes Rowland Hall’s 200m school record holder, as well as athletes who excelled outside of school: an equestrian, a former pre-professional division dancer for Ballet West, an on-court tennis coach for US Sports Camps, a member of Park City Ski & Snowboard’s Freeride Program, and a master diver.

The next chapters for these graduates are already taking shape. Whatever comes next, we know these young adults will meet it with the same curiosity, compassion, and drive that shaped their time at Rowland Hall.

The class of 2026 has strengthened their communities by volunteering their time and talents to organizations and groups including Crossroads Urban Center, Humane Society of Utah, Kimball Art Center, Lectura Lounge, National Ability Center, National Charity League, Peers Not Fears, Salt Lake City’s Know Your Neighbor refugee program, Sorenson Unity Center, Sunnyvale Neighborhood Center, the Tibetan Youth Leadership Program, and the Visual Art Institute. They served on the City Library’s Teen Squad, Encircle’s Youth Council, the National Ability Center’s Junior Board, NCSY’s Board of Directors, and Planned Parenthood Association of Utah’s Teen Council. Two cofounded a Park City chapter of the Young Men’s Service League. Others raised thousands for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and the CROP Hunger Walk.

The next chapters for these graduates are already taking shape, with many planning to further their education: the class of 2026 earned admission to 129 colleges and universities. Others will take a gap or postgraduate year. Whatever comes next, we know these young adults will meet it with the same curiosity, compassion, and drive that shaped their time at Rowland Hall.