Twenty-two members of the Lower School Class of 2026 were celebrated during the annual Lower School Graduation held on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in the Mother Mary Campion Center for the Performing Arts.

The ceremony opened with a procession of graduates and the hymn “Ode to Joy.”

The Graduation Mass was celebrated by Bishop Elias R. Lorenzo, O.S.B., D.D., auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark and Bishop for Union County, and concelebrated by Monsignor John “Jack” Carroll, a longtime friend of Oak Knoll and former chair of the Board of Trustees.

In his homily, Bishop Lorenzo reminded students that education is about more than preparing for future academic and professional success.

“Your future is important. Don’t get me wrong, but your character matters more. Your achievements matter, yes, but the person you become matters more,” Bishop Lorenzo said. “It’s about discovering who God created each of you to be.”

Lower School Division Head Christine Spies congratulated the graduating class and highlighted the bittersweet moment as an opportunity to look back and forward.

“It’s been incredibly special to watch you grow from as young as five years old into the confident young people standing before us today,” Spies said. “As you begin this next chapter, stay curious, stay kind, and stay grounded in your faith. Never underestimate the difference you can make in someone’s life.

“You understood, maybe without even realizing it, that a strong community is built when people care for one another,” she added.

The readings selected for the liturgy reflected themes of growth, faith, and gratitude.

Drawing from the Parable of the Sower in the Gospel of Matthew, students were reminded of the importance of nurturing the gifts and values planted within them throughout their Lower School years.

Additional readings from Isaiah and Colossians emphasized God’s enduring presence and encouraged graduates to carry forward lives marked by kindness, compassion, and thankfulness.

Echoing the themes of growth and faith found throughout the liturgy, Bishop Lorenzo encouraged graduates to remain open to God’s plan for their lives as they begin their next chapter.

“What kind of soil will you be?” he asked. “Your graduation marks a new season of planting.”

The liturgy concluded with the singing of “Go Make a Difference,” a fitting selection for a class preparing to take the next step in their educational journeys. As the girls prepare to continue their Oak Knoll experience in middle school and their classmates begin new chapters elsewhere, the graduates leave the Lower School with a foundation of faith, friendship, and purpose that will continue to guide them in the years ahead.

Following the Mass, students, families, and faculty gathered in the Aileen Maury Dining Hall for a celebratory reception.

Congratulations to the Lower School Class of 2026!