The Class of 2026 toss their caps into the air as their graduation ceremony comes to a close.

BUCKHANNON — A total of 225 members of Buckhannon-Upshur High School’s Class of 2026 graduated during commencement ceremonies on Friday.

Due to concerns with the weather, the ceremony was held at the Rockefeller Center Gymnasium on the campus of West Virginia Wesleyan College. It was also live-streamed on the Buckhannon-Upshur High School’s (B-UHS) YouTube channel for those who were unable to attend in person.

“Class of 2026, this year has truly been a year of growth,” B-UHS Principal Kathryn Woofter said in the ceremony’s opening remarks. “Growth in leadership, growth in maturity, growth in character and growth in how you have carried yourselves throughout this school year. You have faced challenges, balanced responsibilities, navigated change and continued to move forward together as a class.”

Class of 2026 Valedictorian James Tenney congratulated his fellow classmates, and thanked the families of the graduates and the school’s faculty for their encouragement and support throughout the years. Tenney called the graduation ceremony a turning point for the Class of 2026.

“Some of us may never see each other again after tonight, and that sure is strange, but even if life takes us in different directions, we will forever remain a part of each other’s lives.” Tenney said in his speech. “I am so thankful that each and every one of you is a part of my life.”

During the ceremony, two graduates, Braelyn Hart and Raynah Vaughn, also received their Associates Degree in the teaching pathway from Pierpont Community & Technical College after completing the required 60 college credit hours during their high school senior year. Woofter said Hart and Vaughn were the first students in B-UHS’ history to complete the “1 Walk, 2 Degrees” progam partnership B-UHS has with Pierpoint. Both students wore Pierpont graduation gowns as they received their degrees.

Senior Class President Mallory Hughes gave the ceremony’s closing remarks, in which she talked about the first “firsts” the Class of 2026 will face now that they have graduated.

“The first ‘first’ we’ll have to think about is where we’ll go after this,” Senior Class President Mallory Hughes said in the ceremony’s closing remarks. “Some of us will go off to college, some of us will immediately go into employment, some of us will enlist in the military. Each one of us has a path… every single one of you should be proud of your path.”

The Buckhannon-Upshur High School 2026 graduating seniors included:

Cadence Briann Adkins, Taher Alakhras, Seth Allen, Hailey Ann Elizabeth Anderson, Emily Grace Andrew, Cooper Antolini, Riley Lane Ayars, Emily Grace Bacorn, Colby C. Ball, Hunter Barrett, Logan Dwain Beckner, Emily G. Bender, Chloe Marie Bennett, Miranda J. Bennett, Mykayla Bennett, Ariel B. Blackburn, Corbin M. Bobo, Ty N Bosley, Maria Suzanne Bozic, Aliyah Nicole Brown;

Gavin Brown, Mattie Brown, Major B. Browning, Ranger Burgess, Madison Gail Burnside, Jaxon Kyle Busto, Hunter Leeann Campbell, Kandi Lynn Carpenter, Traey Carpenter, Arden Z. Carr, Chloe Marie Casey, Domenick S. Castillo, Lillyan Rose Marie Champ, Hannah Clark, Baxton S. Claypool, Haiden J. Coleman, Joseph Cale Collier, Ashley-Reneé Nicole Cook, Gavin Levi Correll, Ayden Cottrill;

Isaac J. Courtney, Hunter Cowger, Derek M. Cranmer, Reese Olivia Curry, Chester Garrett Cutright, Kridney Nicole Cutright, Ladora Ann Cutright, Aubrey Daugherty, Eva Rhea Daugherty, Marian Grace Daugherty, Keegan Davis, Destiny A. Dixon, Aiden Nolan Dowell, Dalton B. Earls, Diego Espinosa, Jaiden Giada-Lynn Fordyce, Lucas Matthew Furr, Maya Garcia, Janson L. Garton, Gracie Abigail Gerwig;

Channing Gillum, Cheyenne L. Gillum, Olivia Golden, William David Craig Golden, Amber K. Goodin, Declan Duran Gowers, Sahara Green, Tori Hagerich, Katherine E. Hamrick, Cody R. Hanline, Joshua Hanline, Hanna Nicole Harper, Carrol Preston Harris, Braelyn Hart, Gavin Neil Harvey, Emma Jewell Hawkins, Brier Hayes, Madison Haymond, Dakota R. Heatherly, Shaylee Hebb;

Mary Hefner, Elaney Herron, Torie J. Hinchman, Sidney Snow Hollen, Andrew W. Howard, Brianna Amber Howes, Katelyn Elizabeth Howes, Mallory Lynn Hughes, Kadyn Hyre, Jeremiah Benjamin Jeffries, Jeremy David Jett, Sophia L. Kelley, Zaiden Christopher Kelley, Allie Nicole Key, Aubrey Claire Key, Michael A Kimble, Brandon Kittle, Caden Michael Kudrick, Alivia Landers, Savannah Landis;

Sheldon Rey Lantz, Sophia Katherine Lantz, Destiny Lashmit, Alexa Lee, Isaiah Lee, Addison Grace Leigh, Brooke D. Lewis, Elisha L. Lewis, Ian Linger, Owen Robert Linger, Presley Alane Linger, Long Jaeden, Kaleb Mabry, Mason Reagan Mason, Reagan Isabella Mason, Gavyn McCartney, Katie L. McClure, Derick J. McCormick, Desiree McCray, Alexa N. A. McGhee;

Emma McGinnis, Conner Ryan McKim, Chase Taylor McMillan, Loyd M McWhorter, Sean Merrill, Jeremiah A. Miller, Lyric Mills, Brayden M. Moore, Magen Morris, Mallory Jay Moss, Bella Marie Mullens, Kylah Neetz, Khuong Bryce Thanh Nguyen, Joseph Michael Nolte, Jayden Monzo Nottingham, Marshall Nottingham, Sarah Torres Oliveira, Blake William Osburn, Taylor-Ann Parke, Fredrick M. Payne III;

Hayden M. Perry, Aiden Kane Phipps, Tucker Lee Phipps, Molli L. Pickett, Abigail Ann Poling, Keigan J. Poling, Hunter W. Potts, Madison Lynn Pugh, Emma Olivia Quick, Abigail Brenlyn Radabaugh, Bailey Grace Radabaugh, Emma Leah Radabaugh, Molly Tilia Radabaugh, Audrey Carris Ramsey, Bricen Wayne Rexroad, Easton David Rice, Dwayne Riley, Skylee Brooke Ringer, Brianna Faith Rogozinski, Laila Rogozinski;

Cassidy Elaine Rohr, Leyla M. Rollins, Josie Rosencrance, Jacob Rowan, Deaira N. Russell, Justice Ryan Sabo, Alex Ryan Sappey, Gavin Reilly Sauls, Bernard L. Shackleford III, Constance Shipley, Hunter W. Shipman, Darren Small, Lucy Eleanor Smarr, Aliviah Grace Smith, Julian Smith, Kaylee Brooke Smith, Sebastian Smith, Matthew Vincent Smith, Jacob A. Snider, Logan D. Snyder;

Alayna M. Spotloe, Miley Starkey, Brigette Suttle, Jasmine M. Tackett, Paul Sheldon Tenney II, Colton Blayne Tenney, Hunter James Dale Tenney, James Dawson Tenney, Aaron M. Thacker, Dakota M. Tharp, Noah P. Tharp, Cheyenne E. Thomas, Michael Tracey, Mitchell Scott Tracey, Erica Grace Trader, Haley M. Triplett, Ethan Josiah Parker Varvaro, Raynah Vaughn, Breona Divine Waggy, Megyn Leann Wagoner;

Alysiea Joy Wamsley, Isaiah B. Wamsley, Samantha Arbutus Jean Ward, Gavin Lane Ware, Logan A. Warren, Hayleigh Wayts, AyriÁnna Michele Weekley, William Weese, Jerin Westfall, Parker Ryan White, Qasim Wiant, Tyler Wiant, Austin Paul Williams, Lloyd Willits, Presley Grace Wilt, Mia Winter, Hannah Wolfe, Bryce Woodson, Jayden Woodson, Faith A. Woody;

Lila June Wright, Zoey A. Wright, Rylee Ann Yardley, Rhyus Yoakum and Weldon Zirkle.