LA PLATA — La Plata High School held its graduation ceremony for the Class of 2026 on June 4 at Regency Furniture Stadium, where 274 seniors received diplomas.
Valedictorian Ella Luton encouraged her peers to approach life without being dictated by fear. “Trying means failing, failing means learning,” Luton said. “And learning means growing.” Luton will study biology at Salisbury University.
Salutatorian Joyce Kang, who will attend Johns Hopkins University to major in molecular and cellular biology, and Gaven Wu, who is headed to the University of Maryland, College Park, to study chemical engineering, both addressed fear as a catalyst for growth. “It is possible for our excitement to coexist with the fear of the unknown,” Kang said. She noted that class members built friendships and a sense of community. Kang reflected on wishing for a time machine to revisit moments. “The moments we desperately wished for a re-do were the moments that taught us the most,” she said. “Failed tests, awkward presentations and difficult loses taught us resilience. Maybe the goal is not to wish for more time and a chance to restart. Maybe the goal is to appreciate the fact that we were blessed enough to live these moments.”
Wu said he realized he did not need a time machine but needed to think differently. “It is natural to want to protect yourself from uncertainty, risk of failure and change,” Wu said. “But changing is a natural part of life. High school was different from each of us, but a common factor was fear. The fear of leaving old friends and making new ones often tethers us to the past. Stagnating our growth and delaying our potential. I hope you’ll be free. Free from these fears. Don’t waste time.”
La Plata students in the Class of 2026 earned nearly $25 million in scholarship offers. La Plata High School serves students in Charles County. Graduates pursue paths in biology, molecular and cellular biology, chemical engineering and other fields at institutions including Salisbury University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland, College Park.
St. Charles High School will hold its commencement at 2 p.m. June 4, wrapping up the CCPS graduation season. The Charles County Public Schools Class of 2026 included more than 2,260 students who earned more than $205 million in scholarship offers, with more expected. Additional information is available on the CCPS website.
