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Seniors 'sent off' with tears and tradition

5/20/2026

At a Baccalaureate/Senior Send-off filled with sentiment, reminiscences and encouragement, members of the Class of 2026 gathered for one of the last times as a class on campus to hear from special speakers including the class salutatorian, receive a warm welcome into RE’s alumni community, and lay their personalized bricks on a central pathway in the Miller Quad.

The afternoon opened in the Lewis Family Auditorium with an address from Head of School Rachel Rodriguez, who lauded the graduating seniors for their growth as scholars and, most importantly, as compassionate leaders.

“The world you are entering needs people like you,” she said, “people who lead with empathy, who listen with intention, who act with courage, and who build bridges and think deep. It needs people who think critically, behave ethically and care and, above all, people who understand that meaningful relationships are at the center of a purposeful life.”

Salutatorian Chloe Dubose ’26 became emotional as she delivered her address, thanking her peers for welcoming her into the RE community when she arrived as a sophomore, and thanking her family for their support. She quoted a line from Robert Frost, “Nothing gold can stay,” noting that she did not find that to be true when reflecting on her years at Ransom Everglades.

“It's the ‘firsts’ that make us feel fear,” Dubose said. “But it's the ‘lasts’ that make us reflect. And lately … I keep wanting to hold onto these moments, to capture them and freeze them somehow. Because the ‘lasts’ are when we finally see how gold everything really was …

“There is some gold that stays; Ransom Everglades is proof of it," she continued. "The teachers who pushed us. The friends who became family. The parents who believed in us before we believed in ourselves. That doesn't leave when we walk off this stage next week.” Read the full salutatory address here

Dean of the Senior Class Mirs Meyeringh reminded seniors that they not only survived a global pandemic in 2020, but they also found opportunity amid the seclusion. They communicated via social media, they joined causes, they produced creative content. She urged them to keep that sense of creativity, resolve and purpose whenever times get tough.

“The future is uncertain in a way that no one in my generation or older can really understand,” Meyeringh said. “But here's the good news. You are all already experts in navigating uncharted waters. Look at what you have accomplished since 2020. The world has changed at your very fingertips. Literally, find discomfort and embrace struggle, that's where growth and opportunity are born.”

Assistant Director of Alumni Engagement Luz Stella Perez de Corcho ’11 urged seniors to stay connected with RE when they became alumni, and she offered special congratulations to the record number of legacy students in the Class of 2026 – 40 seniors have at least one alumni parent. (See the complete list below.) Seniors also heard from chemistry teacher Erik Medina ’21 and from Head of the Upper School Donald Cramp.

Seniors enjoyed a performance by vocalist Isabella Sayfie Ranawat ’26 and watched the traditional senior video before exiting to the Miller Quad to lay their bricks – a longtime tradition at Ransom Everglades. The event concluded with a meal organized by the Ransom Everglades Parents’ Association in the Anderson Gymnasium.

Legacy Students and Parents in the Class of 2026

Austin Aagaard '26 (Stephanie (Sayfie) Aagaard '88)

Connor Alfonso '26 (Daniel Alfonso '95)

Helen Ansin '26 (Andrew Ansin '81)

Jacob Aronow '26 (David Aronow '76, Heather (Lavan) Aronow '91)

Thomas Barnett '26 (Christopher Barnett '93)

Dylan Berkowitz '26 (Jolie (Skorman) Berkowitz '95, Michael Berkowitz '97)

Lincoln Broad '26 (Kenneth Broad '84)

Ruby Brooks '26 (Lawrence Brooks '92, Cristina (Lei) Rodriguez '92)

Joseph Candib '26 (David Candib '92)

Alexa Dueñas '26 (Miguel Dueñas '95, Vivian (Mora) Dueñas '95)

Max Feldman '26 (Rachel (Mostkoff) Unger '96)

Oliver Friedland '26 (Julie (Greenwald) Friedland '91)

Matthew Friedman '26 (Christy Hertz '86)

Olivia Geller '26 (Lance Geller '86)

Eleni Haralambides '26 (Alexandros Haralambides '91)

James Holly '26 (William Holly '86)

Lucas Jaffee '26 (Robert Jaffee '89)

Annabel Kaplan '26 (Jennifer (Cypen) Kaplan '90)

Patrick Keedy Brown '26 (Jennifer Keedy '82)

Carlos Luchsinger '26 (Maria (Gisbert) Luchsinger '95)

Enrique Macias '26 (Rebecca Millares-Macias '95)

Charlotte Mark '26 (Brielle (Lerner) Mark '96)

John McCarron '26 (Rebecca (Haggard) McCarron '93)

Bridget Mestepey '26 (Todd Mestepey '91)

Stella Newman '26 (Lisa (Usiak) Newman '94, Robert Newman '95)

Lola Pegg '26 (Lola (Arellano) Pegg '93)

Nathaniel Pegg '26 (Lola (Arellano) Pegg '93)

Quinton Pegg '26 (Lola (Arellano) Pegg '93)

Nicole Pines '26 (Francisco Pines '94)

Lily Poses '26 (Eric Poses '91)

Isabella Sayfie Ranawat '26 (Lisa Sayfie '91)

Lucas Rua '26 (Ignacio Rua '81)

Lael Sanders '26 (Lawrence Sanders '86)

Sydney Schimel '26 (Valerie (Nahmad) Schimel '96)

Charlie Sender '26 (David Harris '95)

Hugo Stenstrom '26 (Heather (Tillett) Stenstrom '94)

Ellie Stokes '26 (Richard Stokes '94)

Navraj Suri '26 (Maggie (Eidson) Fader '95)

Ian Villaraos '26 (Marika (Lynch) Villaraos '91)

Neale Villaraos '26 (Marika (Lynch) Villaraos '91)

Back

Members of the Class of 2026 prepare to lay their personalized bricks on a central pathway in the Miller Quad
Salutatorian Chloe Dubose ’26
Legacy students and parents in the Class of 2026
Head of School Rachel Rodriguez
Performance by vocalist Isabella Sayfie Ranawat ’26
Members of the Class of 2026 prepare to lay their personalized bricks on a central pathway in the Miller Quad
Pierce Harris '26
Proud parents look on as students lay their personalized bricks on a central pathway in the Miller Quad
Members of the Class of 2026 prepare to lay their personalized bricks on a central pathway in the Miller Quad
James Holly '26 (center) with his parents Allison and Bill Holly '86
Mateo Sauceda '26 with his parents Cindy and Memo Sauceda
Olivia Augustin '26 and Leonardo Heisel '26 prepare to lay their personalized bricks on a central pathway in the Miller Quad
Members of the Class of 2026 prepare to lay their personalized bricks on a central pathway in the Miller Quad
Members of the Class of 2026 prepare to lay their personalized bricks on a central pathway in the Miller Quad
Zoe Burris '26 and Erela Yashiv '26 prepare to lay their personalized bricks on a central pathway in the Miller Quad
Proud parents and students pose between the famous cannon and the Pagoda
Members of the Class of 2026 prepare to lay their personalized bricks on a central pathway in the Miller Quad
Yang Wen, Robert Li '26 and Xiaosheng Li
Ana Gonzalez '26 and Ewa Garmendia '26 prepare to lay their personalized bricks on a central pathway in the Miller Quad
Festivities continued in the Anderson Gymnasium

1/20

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Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. It is rated the top private school in Miami and among the 10 private schools in North America. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.

Ransom Everglades School®, The RE Way®, RE Pathways® and Bowden Fellowships in the Humanities™ are trademarks of Ransom Everglades School.

RE founder Paul Ransom, circa 1903

Seniors 'sent off' with tears and tradition

Middle School

Upper School

Accreditations and Memberships