News

This summer, 160 students and 27 faculty members from across all three divisions are setting off on eight separate Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) study tours. From exploring the ecosystems of Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands to diving into the cultures and landscapes of Australia, Japan and Iceland, Knights are embarking on unforgettable global adventures. Follow their journeys on Instagram at @pace_icgl.

Lower School Learning Specialist Laura Delay has added to her writing resume with her recent publication in Edutopia. Inspired by a visiting author event hosted by the Soni Family Library, Delay’s article, Using Louis Armstrong’s Scat Singing to Build Literacy Skills, explores how jazz and scat singing can revolutionize reading instruction. Her “scat-step-segment” routine blends rhythm, movement and language, moving students away from mundane clapping and into a joyful, multimodal exploration of syllables. Read the full piece on Edutopia.

It’s time to celebrate the Pace Academy Class of 2026! The 122 members of the class will graduate on Friday, May 15, and officially become Pace alumni. 

These Knights—42 of whom have attended Pace since Pre-First—will matriculate to 62 colleges and universities in 25 states, Washington, D.C. and England. Eighty percent of graduates will attend a college or university outside of the state of Georgia; 43 students are the sole matriculants to their institution. The class includes 29 National Merit Finalists, Semifinalists or Commended Scholars and 19 college athletes. 

Year-end festivities will continue with Baccalaureate on Thursday, May 14, at 5:30 p.m. in The Zalik Theater, followed by Graduation on Friday, May 15, at 6 p.m. at Mount Paran Church, where doors will open at 5:15 p.m. Both Baccalaureate and Graduation will be streamed live for families and friends unable to attend in person.

On May 11, the varsity track and field teams capped a historic season at the Class AAAA State Championship at the University of Georgia. The girls team placed fourth overall out of 36 teams, while the boys finished 16th in a field of 43. 

Topping the podium for the Knights was senior Harriet Blaha, who claimed state titles in the 1,600-meter and the 3,200-meter races. The boys 4x800 relay—sophomore Henry Baddley, junior Zach Blackwood and seniors Ford Jordan and Iliyan Hajiani—also brought home gold, setting a new school and state record. 

Bronze medals went to freshman Morgan Thomas, sophomores Megan Wrigley and Katie Wrigley, and senior Kiyah Burrell in both the 4x200 and 4x100 relays. The girls now hold the Pace record in the 4x200. Blackwood also claimed bronze in the 800-meter race.

The girls 4x800 team of sophomores Georgia Storms and Rebecca Wilbert, junior Addie Locker and Blaha took fourth in the event, as did Thomas in the long jump. Junior Madeline Sappington placed sixth in the pole vault; and senior Reign Sherrell tied for sixth in the high jump. Hajiani placed seventh in the 3,200-meter race, and senior Luke Sundermeier was eighth in the 110-meter hurdles.

Rounding out the record-breaking performances, the boys 4x200-meter relay of sophomore Jace Jamieson, Sundermeier, and seniors Hayes Hurd and Brian Clark set a school record.

On Sunday, April 26, four Lower School students and three Upper School students competed in the annual GA K-12 Team State Chess Championship. Participating Knights included Pre-First students Arda Ezhuthachan and Calder La Pierre, first graders Sameer Agrawal and Driver Brigman, junior Sriarvind Padmanabhan, and seniors Noah Eisenman and David Halsey. The K-1 chess team placed sixth overall, and the Upper School team placed ninth overall. Congrats, Knights!