Stillwell School of the Arts honors Class of 2026 as Clayton County leaders, U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, present scholarships

Martha Ellen Stilwell School of the Arts in Clayton County celebrated its Class of 2026 with a commencement ceremony that included remarks from district leaders, a keynote from Interim Superintendent Dr. Douglas Hendrix Seay, a congratulatory message from U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and scholarship presentations from the Clayton County Public Schools Foundation and community partners.

Principal Brenda Ross Wilson opened the ceremony, asked the audience to rise for presentation of colors and the national anthem, and introduced platform guests that included school and district leaders, board members and county officials. "You are and will always be a Stillwell stallion," she said, praising students for combining artistic excellence with academic achievement.

The district announced several headline figures during the ceremony. Michelle Chan, speaking for the school, said the class had been offered $13,357,668 in academic and fine-arts scholarships and that HOPE and Zell Miller awards accounted for $3,506,968 of that total. The program also highlighted program honors and seals earned by students, including the fine arts diploma seal and the civic engagement seal; school presenters credited graduates with a comprehensive set of accomplishments across academics and the arts.

Interim Superintendent Dr. Douglas Hendrix Seay delivered a keynote that emphasized character and perseverance, urging graduates not to measure their worth by applause. "You are enough," he told the class, framing the diploma as "evidence that you endured" and encouraging students to carry pride for Clayton County into their next steps.

Luis Enrique Negron Sr., president and executive director of the Clayton County Public Schools Foundation, announced a service award scholarship and thanked families and staff who supported students' progress. Rick Shrewsbury of the Herff Jones Company presented a scholarship for a student pursuing a degree in education. Chairwoman Dr. Alika Anderson Henry presented Henry Harrison Anderson Foundation scholarships; her remarks noted the foundation's fundraising work supporting local awards.

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff addressed the graduates and their families, offering broad encouragement: "Be kind. Be courageous. Be independent. Stay true to your values," he said, and urged graduates to use their skills and service in a complicated world.

Students recognized several distinctions and honors onstage. Program presenters named the top 10 percent of the class (with reported GPAs ranging from 4.20 to 4.43), noted that many students qualified for HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships, and recognized students who had earned diploma seals, service awards and membership in honor societies. The ceremony named a Gates Scholarship recipient and listed recipients of school and district scholarships.

Salutatorian Allison Tran and valedictorian Zaira Moses each delivered speeches reflecting on friendships, gratitude and the class's journey through the "StillWell" experience. The board and district officials then called student names as diplomas were presented; the Board certified that students had met Georgia and Clayton County Public Schools graduation requirements. Graduates were invited to turn their tassels and meet family members at a designated area outside the building following the ceremony.

The school asked guests to refrain from saving seats, to keep phones on silent and noted that the event was being streamed on the Clayton County Public Schools website. The ceremony concluded after diplomas and group photos.