ASU Prep celebrates the Class of 2026: A night of achievement, inspiration and new beginnings

The commencement ceremony opened with welcoming remarks from Amy McGrath, ASU Vice President of Educational Outreach and Managing Director of ASU Prep.

Graduate Lila Weber of Cave Creek performed the National Anthem, while graduates Ledif Acosta, Pushkal Borikar, Alexa Duarte, Adam Martinez, Iman Mohammed and Diego Morales led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Student commencement speakers representing each participating school reflected on their experiences, shared lessons learned and inspired their classmates as they prepared to begin their next chapters.

Following a congratulatory message from ASU President Dr. Michael M. Crow, graduates crossed the stage to receive their diplomas from the educators and staff who supported them throughout their journeys. The evening concluded with the presentation of the Class of 2026 to an audience of more than 5,000 family members, friends and supporters.

Behind every diploma is a unique story. Meet just a few stand-out members of the Class of 2026.

ASU Prep Casa Grande graduate Anthony Ilk received an extraordinary $2.7 million in scholarship offers, including 37 full-ride and near full-ride opportunities from colleges and universities across the country.

ASU Prep Digital graduate Naveya Cadman maintained a 4.52 GPA while serving as a Peer Tutor and Student Ambassador. Despite living with a rare visual impairment, she excelled academically and will attend ASU’s Barrett, The Honors College to study criminology and criminal justice.

Sophia Soto completed high school three years early while balancing elite figure skating training, extensive travel and recovery from ankle reconstruction surgery during her senior year. She plans to continue taking university courses while pursuing her athletic goals.

Kai Buttrum completed the equivalent of her first year of civil engineering coursework before graduating high school, earning 53 university credits while maintaining a perfect GPA. She also balanced a part-time job, student government leadership and a lengthy commute to attend classes.

Natalia Garcia turned a significant medical challenge into motivation to help others, volunteering extensively and supporting immigrant families while also completing the East Valley Institute of Technology’s (EVIT) Intro to Medical Assistant program ahead of her plans to attend ASU.

Mahwan Muna, who previously lived in Angola, co-founded a nonprofit that supports children in need and local orphanages. Now living in Chandler, she volunteers as a mentor and plans to study International Relations at ASU’s Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Hailey Hashisaki found her future calling through caring for her beloved dog, Yogi, during his battle with cancer. This fall, she will begin her journey toward becoming a veterinary oncologist by studying pre-veterinary medicine at ASU.

Makenna Stinson balanced competitive swimming, college coursework and entrepreneurship while managing ulcerative colitis. Her hard work earned her a Division I swimming scholarship to Wagner University, where she will continue both her academic and athletic pursuits.

Mila Pillmore demonstrated the power of a well-rounded education, maintaining a 4.42 weighted GPA while leading robotics teams, serving as Gaming Club president and coordinating volunteer opportunities for teens in her community.

The stories above represent just a small snapshot of the talent, determination and ambition found across the ASU Prep Class of 2026.

As graduates begin their next chapters at Arizona State University, at colleges and universities across the nation and in communities around the world, they carry with them the knowledge, experiences and connections they’ve built throughout their time at ASU Prep.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026. We can’t wait to see what you accomplish next.