On Friday, May 29, the GFA community gathered on the Front Lawn to celebrate the 98 seniors in the Class of 2026. After opening remarks from Head of School Bob Whelan, Salutatorian Evie Herman ’26 posed one final question to her classmates: how do we say goodbye? Her remarks explored the bittersweet nature of farewell, tracing the people and places that shaped the Class of 2026. Her twin sister, Valedictorian Danya Herman ’26, offered a final tour of GFA, noting the ways campus became a home for both intellectual and personal growth. She encouraged graduates to seek out new spaces of belonging and curiosity and to become the people who open doors for others.“It’s our turn to be those people who open doors” - Danya Herman ’26
This year's Commencement speaker was Jensen Ackles, producer, director, and actor best known for his roles in Supernatural and The Boys. Looking back across three decades in entertainment, Ackles encouraged graduates to remain open to uncertainty and embrace the process of becoming.
As a high school senior, Ackles had a plan: study sports medicine, become an athletic trainer for professional athletes, and travel the world. Acting was hardly part of the equation, but halfway through his senior year, his drama teacher encouraged him to audition for West Side Story. To Ackles's surprise, even his baseball coach was on board, reminding him that he only had one chance to experience high school. This “yes” set an entirely different future in motion. After a chance encounter with a talent scout, Ackles found himself leaving Texas for Los Angeles to pursue acting full-time.
Ackles spoke candidly about the years that followed—the roles he didn't get, the projects that never materialized, and the moments when self-doubt felt overwhelming. He spoke about leaving a stable role on Days of Our Lives, learning to direct after years in front of the camera, and pursuing new opportunities after fifteen seasons of Supernatural. Through these experiences, he learned to push past his self-doubt and embrace “the edge of competence”—the uncomfortable space where growth occurs. “What I hope you'll allow yourselves to have is a life where the work matters to you, where the people around you are real, and where you're still curious and humble enough to find those partnerships along the way” - Jensen Ackles
At the same time, Ackles emphasized that no meaningful life is built alone. Reflecting on his longtime partnership with Supernatural co-star Jared Padalecki, as well as the colleagues, friends, and family members who supported his career, he spoke to the importance of showing up for others and allowing others to do the same for you. The relationships we cultivate, he suggested, often become the foundation that carries us through life's most challenging and transformative moments.
Returning to GFA's mission of preparing students for lives of purpose, Ackles challenged graduates to take risks and resist the temptation to live a small life. Looking back on the opportunities that shaped his own path, he encouraged the Class of 2026 to approach what comes next with curiosity, humility, and the confidence to begin again.