​On June 10, at 5 p.m., the Ocean Lakes class of 2026 walks the stage. Graduation was held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, which has been the traditional spot for the last four years.

Of the 440 seniors graduating, 326 received an honor distinction, and 296 earned an advanced diploma. In addition, according to Dr. Leslie Ittner, the Class of 2026, as a whole, received $13,158,250 in scholarship offers from a variety of colleges, military branches and police departments. This pool is the largest amount of money offered in scholarships so far in Ocean Lakes’ history.

Graduation is bittersweet, as many of these seniors left a big impact on other underclassmen.

“I almost cried when watching graduation. It’s really sad seeing all the seniors leave,” freshman Javon Young said.

Although bittersweet, one of the most applauded moments in the ceremony was when senior Jamarie Sanders stood from his wheelchair, unassisted, before accepting his diploma. 

“I was thinking: ‘He’s gonna stand up just like all the other seniors,’ and everyone just jumped up when he did. Even people that didn’t know him,” English teacher Jessica Scheible said. “That moment is going to live in my head forever.”