On Saturday, May 16, Holy Spirit Catholic School in Tuscaloosa celebrated 28 seniors with a Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement. The Mass was celebrated by Msgr. Michael Deering, pastor of Holy Spirit Parish and School. Superintendent Margaret Dubose and the middle/high school principal, Jonathan Loper, conducted the commencement ceremony. Of the class, 100% of seniors graduated, earning over $4.8 million in scholarship offers. There were seven graduates with over 30 on the ACT, three graduates with over 1350 on the SAT, three AP Scholars with Distinction, two AP Scholars with Honors, three AP Scholars, and one National merit finalist. The class of 2026 conducted over 2,000 community service hours over the past four years. In athletics, 86% of the graduates participated in some form of athletics over the course of high school and were a part of three state championship athletic teams in their years: softball, women’s track and field, and men’s track and field. The salutatorian was Nate Givens and the valedictorian was Andrew Hemstreet. The Bishop’s Trophy went to Maggie DiChiara. 

Holy Spirit’s 28 graduates include Jayden Josiah Keennte Alvis, John-Anthony Leonardo Armour, Martha MalloryArrington, Layla Boening, Conner Emmett Cappelli, John Thomas Corder, Margaret Elizabeth DiChiara, Charlotte LouiseDickson, Ruth Cannady Edmonds, Valeria Desiree Esmieu, Nathan Eric Givens, James Patton Godwin, Joseph William Stran Hardin, Andrew Gabriel Hemstreet, Fredy Andablo Hernandez, Juana Maria Hernandez, Rida Iqbal, Addison Ryan Jones, Ryon Tyshun Little, Bobby Mealey Luogon, Sophie Claire Messina, Mason Daniel Mitchell, Jacob Royal Osucha, Stephen Luke Ramos, Abigail Marie Schaetzle, Nygel Kanard Seay, Giles Camden Snyder, and Abigail Grace Yumul.

The Class of 2026 was accepted into and offered scholarships to many colleges and universities, including Bellarmine University, Belmont University, Bard College, Faulkner University, Furman University, Shelton State Community College, Southwestern University, University of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Notre Dame, University of South Alabama, University of the South, Sewanee, and Vassar College.