Merrick Avenue Middle School’s Class of 2026 celebrated its moving up ceremony on June 12 with four ceremonies held in the school auditorium. 

The ceremonies opened with performances by the vocal group Word of Mouth, led by director Dana Brandwein. The ensemble performed two songs, including the Star-Spangled Banner and U2’s “Beautiful Day.” 

Principal Katelyn Dunn spoke about belonging and connection, a theme Superintendent Michael Harrington emphasizes throughout each school year. 

"In a world that moves very fast, one of the greatest gifts we can find is a place where we can feel seen, valued, supported and connected to others. And for the past two years, Merrick Avenue has been that place for you. You learned here, you laughed here, you struggled here, you succeeded here, you may have made a few mistakes here, and you grew here. And somewhere along the way this became more than just a place that you went to everyday. It became a community and a second home." Never forget that feeling when you have that opportunity to make others feel welcome. High school is simply not place you attend, it's a place that you will help create." 

Student speakers Lucas Rich of Kennedy High School and Amir Ibrahim of Calhoun High School also addressed the crowd on behalf of their respective teams. 

Rich shared an analogy about his AP English Literature class and his struggles with mathematics, explaining how both taught him the value of persistence. 

"It may have taken me four years to realize but I learned that math wasn't about being naturally gifted or a numbers person, it was about being persistent. "You are going to enter high school and you are going to have a goal. Everybody does. You're going to find something that you feel you have to continuously push. But I'm here to tell you if I can understand [AP statistics] and learn to calculate the limit of my own potential, then you can conquer whatever is waiting for you in high school." 

Karly Krell, Mila Botkounov, Lily Tepper and Michael Chapur served as team speakers during the ceremonies. Chapur, known as the voice of the daily MAMS announcements, encouraged his classmates to view friendships as a lifeline while remembering to believe in themselves. 

"As we move on to high school, you have to remember, can never stop driving towards our goals. The closer we get to being high school freshman and graduates, the more we should look back on all the growth we have made since our first time walking into this building." 

Dunn was joined on stage by Assistant Principals Nicole Rhodes and Nathalie Job, as well as Superintendent Harrington.