BY STACIE LETT CAIN
The rain may have forced Lake Norman High School’s 2026 graduation ceremony indoors on Saturday couldn’t dampen the spirits of those gathered to celebrate the graduates.
“Look around at the people sitting around you,” Principal Nicholas Allen told the Class of 2026. “The people you shared classes with, saw in the hallways, maybe played sports with — these are the people you are sharing this day with. This day that you will remember for the rest of your life.”
This class of more than 500 students, along with their families and friends, gathered in the gymnasium to celebrate their academic achievements and what their future holds. Although school officials made the last-minute decision to move the celebration inside due to rainy weather, many family and friends were still able to share in the day with them.
Vernon Grier, father of London Betty-Lynn Grier, watched from the balcony area to get a better view.
“I am grateful and thankful for the opportunity to be here and watch these young people as they move into their futures,” he said.
Allen, a first year principal at Lake Norman, thanked the class for being his first graduating class at the school but also voiced some sadness that he hadn’t been able to be there for more than just their final year.
“I didn’t have four years to get to know your names and your personalities but I did get to see you on your ordinary Tuesdays. I watched and admired the way you faced daily challenges, wins and setbacks, and just kept going. That’s who this class is. It is the quiet dedication to continuing on.”
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