From Associate’s Degrees to Collegiate Sports, East Mountain High Class of 2026 Sets New Benchmarks

ALBUQUERQUE — A class of 102 seniors from East Mountain High School shattered local records Friday afternoon, celebrating more than $11.2 million in total scholarship earnings during a commencement ceremony at the Kiva Auditorium in downtown Albuquerque.

University of New Mexico Vice President and Director of Athletics Ryan Berryman served as the keynote speaker. Delivering a deeply personal address to the graduating class, Berryman—who was named the 15th athletic director in UNM history earlier this year—returned to his roots as a proud alumnus of the Sandia Park-based public charter school.

The Class of 2026 consistently outpaced expectations across their four years, racking up 10,308 community service hours—surpassing the school’s graduation requirements by more than 2,100 hours. The academic charge was led by a staggering 27 students who maintained a perfect 4.0+ GPA throughout their entire high school careers.

The class has consistently aimed higher than the baseline with 85% of the senior class, earning the prestigious Timberwolf Diploma of Excellence Medal across disciplines like the Fine Arts, STEM, and World Languages.

Among the chief academic triumphs, the class amassed 770 total college credits through dual-enrollment programs. While dozens of students secured double-digit credits, senior Selah Souza-Kennedy led the pack by earning 57 college credits alongside her high school diploma, successfully graduating with an Associate’s degree. Valedictorian Jeremiah Johnson secured 38 credits, while Jaxon Armstrong, William Rostowfske, and co-salutatorian Sara Simballa each cleared 40 credits.

The class also secured notable individual honors on the state and national stage. Simon Kazakov and Ben Schwebke were named National Merit Finalists. Meanwhile, Miller Millea was named the Public Charter Schools of New Mexico Charter School Student of the Year, and Andy Procter took home the title of New Mexico STEM Student of the Year. Kazakov, Procter, and seven other classmates also earned the New Mexico Public Education Department’s Seal of Bilingualism and Biliteracy in Spanish or French.

The school’s athletic department enjoyed a historic milestone as well, sending a record-breaking eight student-athletes to the collegiate ranks—an achievement particularly meaningful given the evening’s keynote speaker. The cohort is heavily anchored by baseball talent, including Luke Stoerner (Lubbock Christian University) and Ty Rector (Ottawa University Arizona), alongside soccer standout Olivia Kern (Oregon Institute of Technology) and softball player Chaeli Lehocky (Independence Community College).

Additionally, senior Quinn Gwyther secured a coveted spot in the University of New Mexico’s competitive BA/MD program, which fast-tracks exceptional students into medical school to address regional physician shortages.

Five members of the class have committed to military service. Cayden Dingman and Wyatt Shelton are set to enlist immediately, while William Rostowfske, Bodi True, and Heather Young plan to enter the armed forces following college.

Graduates are bound for 24 institutions across the country, ranging from local pillars like the University of New Mexico and New Mexico Tech to elite national universities including Vanderbilt and Vassar.

The Class of 2026 Academic Leaders

Top 10 Students:

1. Jeremiah Johnson (Valedictorian)
2. Jeremiah Johnson (Co-Salutatorian) / Sara Simballa (Co-Salutatorian)
3. Grayson Oakleaf
4. Ruth Trullinger
5. Elias AlaridPease / Quinn Gwyther
6. Miller Millea
7. Andy Procter
8. Olivia Kern
9. Maysen Peifer-Updike
10. Aiden Erickson

2026 East Mountain Senior Class

Elias W. AlaridPease, Aaron Arellano, Kayla Marie Arellano, Jaxon W. Armstrong, Jacob Pete Barela, Yulia A. Belyaev, Charlie Birdwell, Amanda Blake, Julianna Rae Blake, Mckenna Booth, Naomi E. Brane, Tristen A. Broussard, Seth Bucher, Ashley Bustillos (in memoriam), Maya Cheney, Victoria Clare, Zane A. Conklin, Ava Crook, Cole Darnell, Cayden Dane Dingman, Rilee Angelina Dinwiddie, Surai Alexandra Dominguez, Sanaiya La’akea Dunnill, Francesca R. Duran, Aiden Luke Erickson, Ian Erickson, Nathan Espindola, Summer Felter, Madison Ann Findell, Enrique Santiago Garcia, Frankie Garcia Jr., Rihanna Garcia, Sarah Jessica Garcia, Dorian Gardner, Addie Jean Gillingham, Hana Salayish Gray, Angelo Jairo Gutierrez, Quinn Gwyther, Larkin Hall, Ari Alejandra Hanewinkel Barreto, Azealea Rain Hataburda, Gavin Hawkins, Jaycelyn Head, Nathaniel Herrera, Chace Howze, Anni Bushman, Calla Mackenzie Jennings, Jeremiah Johnson, Ewan G. Kannolt, Simon Quinn Kazakov, Iris Kelly, Olivia Lynn Kern, Chaeli Lehocky, Shy Louis, Aidan Madrid, Miller Ian Millea, Josiah Bryce Miller, Kenzie Mitchell, Corlene Faith Montez, Christopher Moya II, Idaly Lucille Muñoz, Eva Esperanza Nelson, Jack O’Brien, Ella J. O’Leary, Grayson Robert Gardner Oakleaf, Alyssa LaRae Ortiz, Dalyn Ortiz, Gage Patten, Maysen Peifer-Updike, Finn Preiss, Andrew T. Procter, Ty Rector, Skylar Reilly, Damion I. Reyes, William Rostowfske, Thor Schultz, Benjamin Schwebke, Lauren Sesnie, Sara Laine Sesnie, Wyatt Lee Shelton, Kaybree Faith Shepherd, Sara Jolie Simballa, Eli Smith, Rochelle Smith, Selah Souza-Kennedy, Addison Springall, Dalton Springall, Emily Standefer-Reeves, Luke Alan Stoerner, Owen Summers, Jennifer A. Tetreault, Elizabeth R. Thomas, Bodi True, Ruth K. Trullinger, Alexsei Tulskikh, Zech Tybor, Kora Van Lierop, Rhiannon J. Wild, Ezra W. Wolf, Lilly A. Woods, Samantha Marley York, Heather V. Young.