Celebrating the Class of 2026
We’ve arrived at one of my favorite moments in the year: interviewing our seniors as they reflect on their transition from Emerson Waldorf School to their next big thing. This year, we talked about favorite memories, moments of transformation, and Emerson Waldorf lessons and learnings that will continue to inform how they navigate the world.
This year’s senior class is made up of twelve remarkable young adults: Theon Alway-Townsend, Joao Britto Bechuate, Aylah Button, Tabasum Hooram, Nayana Humek, Neha Kanteti, Raphael Mouawad, Elisha Otero, Fatima Rajaye, Raul Alberto Soberon, Maya Soliz, and Samuel Trueblood. Their time at Emerson Waldorf has meant something different to each of them, and they carry those memories and lessons in different ways. Here are some of the highlights from our conversations:
Raul: All I’ve ever known is the community at Emerson Waldorf; the closeness of the relationships. It’s a place where it’s easy to learn, ask questions, and receive help. It all comes down to the relationships. This place has made me ready to try something new. I’m ready to be in a new environment, on a new campus, trying new things.
Nayana: I’ve become a leader here. This place has taught me how to take initiative. I’ve had to learn how to navigate social dynamics in a smaller environment. You have to confront your issues here. You can’t ignore them. This place has also taught me how connected we are to the outdoors, to nature, and to our artistic expression. I can’t wait to find out how my interests will shape what I want to do with my life.
Fatima: I’ve learned a lot about communication. I had the chance to do a lot of teamwork with classmates, and remembering the lessons that come from that kind of work will help me a lot in the future. I am so excited for what’s next because it’s one of the biggest steps in my life. I was prevented from going to school for three years. I’ve been dreaming of graduation for so long…this dream seemed like something that could not and would not happen, and now it’s really going to happen.
Neha: Emerson Waldorf has allowed me to not only expand academically, but also find who I am outside of that. I found my love for textiles, craft, and art. I was able to take on more than one teaching role and turn hobbies into classroom lessons. Doing art and sharing that love with other people, that was a life-changing experience.
Raphi: Attending a school like Emerson Waldorf forces you to develop long-lasting relationships with people - there’s no escaping those close social circles, no matter what happens. It’s an environment that forces you to be creative. It’s not a conventional space. It’s more personal.
Eli: Emerson Waldorf makes you understand the importance of community and support. It’s taught me to appreciate where I am, but also know that uncertainty and new things are fun. It’s helped me understand myself and how I learn better. I know how to go about accommodating my learning style to be successful.
Aylah: This is a place that has let me be myself - the teachers don’t judge you in any way; they want you to be a better you, to become who you are. I feel like I’m a different person in a good way. I’m stronger academically, I can think outside the box, I’m always available to help, and even when I’ve been scared to try something new, I’ve felt proud of myself afterwards.
Theon: This place has taught me how to get over a fear and really do something, such as the fear of public speaking, but then feeling really good about having a large role in our play. My time at Emerson Waldorf has taught me to value art more than most people my age. It’s taught me to value my relationships with my teachers, especially. And it’s taught me to value traditions like the Rose Ceremony that happen year after year.
Sam: It has shaped me into a leader. I'm more confident in my abilities and am more able to overcome challenges. You can’t hide here. You can’t slack off here. You are held accountable for your actions. Emerson Waldorf taught me to think for myself and not just follow directions; to always be ready to problem-solve. It also taught me to branch out and create community outside of this place.
Tabasum: I am so proud of accomplishing high school after coming from Afghanistan. Coming to this small school was a perfect fit for me. The kind of community of support that comes from a place like this has helped me grow and learn - we learn from each other! It also helped me make the right decisions for my next steps, where I can continue to have hands-on and collaborative learning experiences.
Joao: I’ve had hard experiences at other schools. I know what it is to be bullied. At Emerson Waldorf, I’ll be remembered as a nice person, as someone who helped my friends, as a sympathetic presence. It is a place that has helped build my character and inform how I show up here and now. It is also a place that encourages you to add a creative spark to anything you produce. This has made me more creative in every way - artistically, in my writing, in experimenting with different ways of learning.
Maya: This community has helped me be open to absolutely everyone. It’s made me a better, more open-minded person. It’s taught me how much I like learning through experience, learning outdoors, and learning in a way that makes connections. At the beginning of your senior year, everyone tells you it’s going to go by really fast. I wish I could start this year over again, so I could take it all in one more time.
When asked what accomplishments they were most proud of, the class repeatedly talked about how formative their high school plays had been to them personally and as a class. As sophomores, they performed the Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol, and this spring they performed You Can’t Take It With You by Kaufman and Hart. They reflected on the insights and self-discovery they gained through their Junior Internships -- a first time for many to get practical experience in a professional, real-world work environment. Those internships helped them explore their interests in medicine and physical therapy, real estate and entrepreneurship, the intersection of therapeutic education and the arts, business systems, equine rehabilitation, firefighting, aviation, music production, and the law. They celebrated athletic triumphs and team cohesion even in the face of adversity, keeping sports teams alive, and taking on leadership roles when coaching support was in flux. They recalled curriculum trips to places such as Innisfree Village in VA, Hunting Island and Charleston, SC, Hatteras Island, NC, and Joshua Tree National Park in CA as experiences that introduced them to their growing independence and capability, and reoriented them to the natural world around them.
They hope to be remembered for being kind and helpful; for their ability to bring out the best in one another and in the community; and for their laughter, their wide-ranging interests, and their community engagement.
All of our seniors are excited (and a little nervous) about the independence and opportunity that come with their next steps. Here’s what’s in store for them:
Theon will attend NC State and plans to study Economics.
Joao will attend Appalachian State University to pursue his interests in journalism and communications.
Aylah will embark on a gap-year adventure that includes travel abroad and opportunities to further explore her interests in photography and in rehabilitating injured and abused horses.
Tabasum will attend Swarthmore College and looks forward to studying neuroscience and philosophy.
Nayana was named a Global Gap Year Fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and will spend next year on a college-sponsored, self-designed, service-focused gap year before returning to Chapel Hill to begin her studies at UNC in Fall 2027.
Neha will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, beginning her coursework in the College of Arts and Sciences, with assured admission to the Kenan-Flagler Business School.
Raphi will attend the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to study composition and jazz performance.
Eli will attend the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to study entrepreneurship.
Fatima will attend Columbia University, with her sights set on law school.
Raul will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to pursue his interest in business.
Maya will attend the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a plan to pursue her pilot’s license in parallel with her bachelor’s degree.
Sam will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is excited to explore a growing interest in business and finance.
-- Dr. Amira (Ami) Hernandez, High School College Counselor.
