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Girls Preparatory School

Class of 2026 Gathers for Baccalaureate

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A group of young women in colorful dresses sing in a church with ornate architecture in the background.

On Thursday, May 14, members of the Class of 2026 processed into St. Paul’s Episcopal Church for Baccalaureate, joining family, friends, and faculty for a meaningful evening of reflection ahead of Commencement.

The service, a newer GPS tradition, offered a pause amid the excitement of graduation week, inviting seniors to reflect on their journey and look ahead with intention.

Head of School Megan Cover opened the evening, welcoming the community and framing Baccalaureate as a time to be “humble and mindfully present.” She encouraged seniors to consider the values, relationships, and experiences that have shaped them, reminding the Class of 2026 that the evening was a celebration not only of what they have accomplished, but of who they are becoming.

Dean of Spiritual Life Angelina DeVincenzo followed with the invocation, introducing the theme of Selah—a Hebrew word often interpreted as a call to pause and reflect. That idea carried throughout the service, offering moments of stillness during an otherwise busy season.

Student voices guided much of the evening. Georgia Mae Anderson delivered a reading from Psalm 66, while Amelia Claire Anderson shared an original piece reflecting on the beauty of everyday moments and the sense of belonging found within the GPS community.

Members of the senior class also reflected on the school’s five core values—honor (Catie Senowech), respect (Olivia Center), curiosity (Bennett Brown), individuality (Svenyarose Friebner-Mueller), and relationships (Harper Teague)—sharing how those principles have shaped their time at GPS and will continue to guide them in the years ahead.

Musical selections from GPS Singers, including a performance of “For Good,” added to the evening’s tone of gratitude and connection.

Faculty member Steve Harrison, selected by the senior class to deliver the address, returned to the theme of Selah, encouraging students to recognize and hold onto the moments that matter. He reflected on the quiet instances of growth he has witnessed in the classroom and urged seniors to pause before rushing into what comes next.

“Before you step into the next chapter, you deserve to honor the one you are completing,” he said. “Pause. Take it in. And then, when the time comes, step forward—not because you have every answer, but because you are ready to keep becoming.”

The service concluded with prayers for the graduating class, the singing of the alma mater, and a final blessing. Seniors were then invited to walk a labyrinth together—an opportunity for one last moment of reflection as a class.

As the Class of 2026 prepares for Commencement, Baccalaureate served as a powerful reminder to pause, reflect, and carry forward the values and relationships that define the GPS experience.x
 

A young woman in a green dress reads from a book at a podium in front of a church altar.
People in formal attire walk down the aisle of a grand church with ornate architecture and a cross at the altar.
A man in a suit stands at a podium in a church, with ornate religious decorations and a pipe organ visible in the background.
A choir of young women sings from sheet music in the foreground, while the ornate brick interior of a church with pews filled with an audience forms the background.