The Linsly School held its 212th Commencement on Sunday, May 24 at 11:00 a.m. at the Stifel Field House, graduating eighty-nine seniors from the Class of 2026. These graduates will matriculate into 56 different colleges and universities in 23 different states and five different countries.
During the commencement ceremony, several graduates were presented with awards in recognition of their outstanding qualities in leadership, citizenship, and character.
Sophie Toma, daughter of Ms. Victoria Lungu of Wheeling and Dr. Grigore Toma of Syracuse, NY, was named Valedictorian of the Senior Class of 2026 for having the highest upper school cumulative grade point average in the senior class. She will attend Princeton University in the fall.
Sophia Funke, daughter of Mrs. Julie Funke and the late Jeffrey Robert Funke of Morgantown, was named Salutatorian of the Senior Class of 2026 for having the second-highest upper school cumulative grade point average in the senior class. She will attend Bowdoin University in the fall.
Standing Back Row Left to Right: Jakob Schmidt-Weigand: Guenther Award and Buncher Award; Addison Lucas: Linsly Social Studies Award; Aubrey Dunkin: Max W. Laborde English Award and Ian Sincavich: Owens Award.
The Head of School Award, given to that member of the senior class who, in the opinion of the faculty and Head of School, through her display of leadership, academic excellence, and willingness to serve, acted as a model for all Linsly students, was presented to Lili Blakely, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Blakely of St. Clairsville, Ohio. She will attend High Point University in the fall.
The Hofreuter Award, given to that member of the senior class who has been exemplary in her service to the school and community, in the tradition of the late Dr. Donald H. Hofreuter, Linsly Cadet Major, community leader and longtime Chairman of Linsly’s Board of Trustees, was awarded to Elaina Pusz, daughter of Mr. Richard Pusz and Ms. Anna Pusz of Wheeling. She will attend Miami University-Oxford in the fall.
The Guenther Award, given to those members of the senior class who, in the opinion of the faculty and Head of School, exhibit outstanding leadership, citizenship and character, given in memory of former Linsly student David Guenther, was awarded to Bridget Zimmerman, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Justin Zimmerman of Wheeling and Jakob Schmidt-Weigand, son of Dr. Christian Schmidt-Weigand and Mrs. Baerbel Kraneburg of Germany. Zimmerman will attend the University of Virginia in the fall. Schmidt-Weigand will attend college in Germany.
The Theodore Scott Owens Award, given to those members of the senior class who, in the opinion of the faculty and Head of School, exhibit the qualities of determination, seriousness, and persistence respected by all, given in memory of former Linsly student Theodore Scott Owens, was awarded to Sophia Funke and Ian Sincavich. Sincavich is the son of Ms. Karen Sincavich of Wheeling and the late John J. Sincavich, Linsly ’78, and will attend the Rochester Institute of Technology in the fall.
The Albert and Martin Buncher Award, given to those resident students who, in the opinion of the Dormitory Masters, Resident Faculty, and Head of School, exemplify that which is looked for in every boarding student, given in memory of the late Albert Buncher, father of Martin Buncher, former Linsly student, was awarded to Sophia Funke and Jakob Schmidt-Weigand.
A program continued by President Trump known as the “President’s Education Awards” is intended to recognize students who have attained a high level of academic achievement while pursuing a solid core of academic courses. Receiving this award were members of Linsly’s National Honor Society: Sofía Aycart Estévez, Analise Baker, Lili Blakely, Milo Boles, Sydney Burke, Vega Calvo Manzano, Claire Carson, May Devine, Tucker Doty, Siddharth Doupaty, Aubrey Dunkin, Levi Ekanem, Julian Fischer, Sophia Flanigan, Sophia Funke, Mackenzie Ghaphery, Raegan Hendershot, Pablo Hernández Cano, Baylie Hinebaugh, Andrew Hoang,
Aubrei Joanou, Minjun Kim, Charles Labritz, Addison Lucas, Reese Maroney, Khởi Phan, Elaina Pusz, Chenbin Ren, Jakob Schmidt-Weigand, Ian Sincavich, Marlee Smith, Gavin Spadafore, Macy Sustik, Sophie Toma, Sophia Tsikouris, Raquel Vindel Monzón, Evangeline Yendell and Bridget Zimmerman.
The Linsly Social Studies Award is given to that member of the Senior Class who has achieved an outstanding perception of Social Studies, and has attained the highest cumulative average in that discipline during her Upper School career at Linsly. This year’s recipient was Addison Lucas, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Lucas of Bethesda, Ohio. Lucas will attend The Ohio State University in the fall.
The Linsly Mathematics Award, given to that member of the Senior Class who, determined by the Mathematics Department has attained the highest cumulative average in that discipline during her Upper School career at Linsly, was awarded to Sophie Toma.
The Linsly Science Award, given to that member of the Senior Class who has attained the highest cumulative average in that discipline during her Upper School career at Linsly, was awarded to Bridget Zimmerman.
Sophie Toma was named the recipient of The Gilleland Award, established in memory of Professor Brady Gilleland, recognizing a graduating senior who studied Latin and succeeded in her studies.
The recipients of The Max W. Laborde Award, given to those Senior English students who, in the opinion of the English Department, best met the standards set forth in the department were:
Sophie Toma and Aubrey Dunkin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Dunkin of Wheeling. Dunkin will attend Penn State University Park in the fall.
The John Anwar Spanish Award is given in memory of Dr. and Mrs. Anwar’s eldest son, John, who passed away in 1991 when he was a senior at Linsly. This award recognizes the graduating senior who, through consistent dedication and hard work, has distinguished herself in the study of Spanish. Receiving the John Anwar Spanish Award was Sophia Funke.
Among the Linsly graduates of the Class of 2026, nineteen members of the Class of 2026 began their careers at Linsly in the fifth grade, completing grades five through twelve at The Linsly School. Those graduates, also known as “Linsly Lifers,” are: Analise Baker, Nathan Bettem, Lili Blakely, Claire Carson, Tucker Doty, Siddharth Doupaty, Levi Ekanem, Sydney Gilman, Spencer Hill, Andrew Hoang, Aubrei Joanou, Addison Lucas, Reese Maroney, Calli Porter, Elaina Pusz, Ian Sincavich, Marlee Smith, Lucca Troullos and Bridget Zimmerman.
The following students will receive their diplomas as part of The Linsly School’s graduating Class of 2026:
Graduates from West Virginia: Wheeling: Claire Sommers Carson, May Anne Devine, Siddharth Doupaty, Aubrey Nicole Dunkin, Sophia Ynes Flanigan, Brenna Elizabeth Gardill, Mackenzie Christina Ghaphery, Baylie Rose Hinebaugh, Aubrei Jill Joanou, Madison Noelle Lewis, Ezra James Polus, Calli Lynn Porter, Elaina Mary Pusz, Kara Jolee Settle, Ian Robert Sincavich, Marlee Ileena Smith, Gavin Charles Spadafore, Sophie Marie Toma, Sophia Marie Tsikouris, Braden Timothy Joseph Wade, Malaki James Washington, Bridget Caroline Zimmerman; Glen Dale: Milo Xavier Jimenez Boles, Lauren Selena DiCresce, Donavan Scott Jones; Morgantown: Evan Jai Badhwar, Sophia Lynn Funke, Charles Patrick Labritz; Moundsville: Kimber LeAire Kotson, Reagan Elizabeth Van Scyoc; New Martinsville: Levi Felix Ekanem, Chenbin Ren; Triadelphia: Sydney Kathryn Burke; Valley Grove: Alyssa June Heath
Graduates from Ohio: Adena: Rhiannon Faye Jones; Beallsville: Jaxon Carter Murray; Bethesda: Addison Grier Lucas; Bridgeport: Analise Paige Baker, Tucker Gradyn Doty; Martins Ferry: Kathrynn Lynn Applegarth, Macy Jo Sustik; Powhatan Point: Raegan Dawn Hendershot; Saint Clairsville: Chloe Lynn Barack, Nathan Samuel Bettem, Lili Maleah Blakely, Sydney Lynn Gilman, Spencer Irwin Hill, Andrew Hoang, Reese Nichole Maroney, Hadley Inez Selick, Alaina LeeAnn Toplovich, Lucca Emanuel Troullos; Shadyside: Lyrical Elayne Garloch; Wintersville: Mary Rose Alkaed
Graduates from Pennsylvania: Claysville: Evangeline James Yendell; McMurray: Matthew Ethan Thomas Shanley; Washington: Allison Kay Frame, Tucker Jake Harden
Graduates from outside the Tri-State Region: Saratoga, California: Jalen Jailin Wong
International Graduates: Cordoba, Argentina: Agustin Fonseca; Vienna, Austria: Julian Fischer; Nassau, Bahamas: Richard Adam Darville, Liam Jamaine Jones; Belo Horizonte, Brazil: Caio Seleme Azevedo; Quebec, Canada: Felix-Antoine Gelinas; Winnipeg, Canada: Xiaoyi Dong; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Gerardo Vargas Echavarria; Cholet, France: Remi Chausson; Les Sorinieres, France: Timothe Silactchom Nganta; Cologne, Germany: Felix Valentin Werr; Jesberg, Germany: Jakob Schmidt-Weigand; Accra, Ghana: Nee Ashitey Djormo Boateng; Kopavogur, Iceland: Tinna Ivarsdottir; Carugate, Italy: Giovanni Amitti; Catania, Italy: Maria Viola Crisafulli; Milan, Italy: Mattia Alberto Loreto; Padua, Italy: Leonardo Ciato; Rome, Italy: Matteo Dabiankov Lorini; Incheon, Korea: Minjun Kim; Belgrade, Serbia: Stefan Veselinovic; Castellon, Spain: Laura Carbonell Villegas; Guadalajara, Spain: Vega Calvo Manzano; Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain: Raquel Vindel Monzon; Madrid, Spain: Sofia Aycart Estevez; Vitoria, Spain: Pablo Hernandez Cano; Da Nang, Vietnam: Ngoc Minh Le; Hanoi, Vietnam: Lam Quynh Truc Do; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Duong Nguyen Thuy Cao; Thu Duc City, Vietnam: Khoi Nguyen Dong Phan.
In his Commencement speech, Linsly Head of School, Dr. Justin Zimmerman, addressed the graduates, reflecting on what has been a successful and memorable year. He recognized the numerous accomplishments of the Class of 2026, recalling their many academic and athletic accomplishments, including Presidential Scholar nominations, AP Scholars, winning OVAC Championships and serving their community through volunteer work.
Mr. Gary Glessner, Linsly Class of 1985 and Chairman of the Linsly Board of Trustees, also addressed the graduates, welcoming them as the newest members of Linsly alumni.
The Linsly School, located in Wheeling, WV, was founded in 1814 and is the oldest school of its kind west of the Allegheny Mountains. Linsly is a college preparatory school serving both young men and women in grades five through twelve for both boarding and day students. The school is accredited by The Independent Schools Association of the Central States.
