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The Pace community began celebrating the 122 members of the Class of 2026 last week as seniors marked their final days of classes. Highlights of the week included Senior Pet Day, a salute to the Office of College Counseling, College T-Shirt Day and the annual Great American Picnic (GAP Day)—a beloved tradition featuring an on-campus cookout, water games and the crowd-favorite Physics Phlotilla.

Year-end festivities will continue with the following events: 

• Senior Honors Day: Wednesday, May 13, at 5:30 p.m., The Zalik Theater
• Baccalaureate: Thursday, May 14, at 5:30 p.m., The Zalik Theater
• Graduation: Friday, May 15, at 6 p.m., Mount Paran Church (doors open at 5:15 p.m.)

All three events—Senior Honors Day, Baccalaureate and Graduation—will be streamed live for families and friends unable to attend in person.

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!

On April 27, seniors Roan Dutta and Iliyan Hajiani became the 18th and 19th members of the Class of 2026 to commit to continuing their athletic career at the collegiate level. Dutta will play football for the College of the Holy Cross; Hajiani will join Wesleyan University’s track and cross-country teams. 

Over the past four years, Dutta has established himself as one of the most reliable and decorated kickers in the state. A four-year varsity starter and a team captain his senior season, Dutta’s clutch performances include multiple game-winning field goals. His consistent excellence on the field earned him Kohl’s Kicking Freshman All-American honors in 2022, followed by three consecutive First Team All-Region selections. Ranked as one of Georgia's top kicking prospects by both Chris Sailer Kicking and Kohl’s Kicking, Dutta capped off his high school career as the Pace Football Special Teams Player of the Year and received All-State Honorable Mention recognition.

Hajiani’s Pace journey is a masterclass in the student-athlete model—his relentless pursuit of excellence spans from the trails and the track to the classroom. Hajiani’s cross-country tenure is marked by consistency. As a sophomore, he placed seventh overall at the state meet and followed that performance with a sixth-place finish as a junior. This past fall, he capped his Pace career by earning All-State honors with a 10th-place finish, and his leadership as team captain helped propel the varsity boys to fifth place in the state. He leaves the program boasting a 5K personal record of 15:29. On the track, Hajiani is a 4x800-meter state champion with a 1:57 split. His individual accolades include a 12th-place state finish in the 3200 meters as a freshman and a sixth-place state finish in the same event as a junior. 

Congratulations, Knights!

The varsity girls gymnastics team saved the best for last. After finishing fourth at the state preliminary meet, the Knights traveled to the state finals at Buford City Schools Arena on April 24. There, they posted a season-high score of 104.350 and upset Union Grove and Bremen High School to claim the state runner-up trophy. 

Congratulations to the squad: seniors Samantha Dubovy, Leena Phoenix and Reign Sherrell; sophomores Lily Grabowski and Ashley Hua; and freshman Isabella Russ—and to coach Steve Cunningham, who retires this spring after 45 years at the helm of the program.

On April 26, senior Dominic Hantula captured the state title for the PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program, marking the first time a Pace student has received the honor since the program’s 1958 inception. A Pace Lifer, Hantula emerged from a field of regional honorees to secure the top spot in the prestigious competition, which recognizes Georgia's highest-achieving seniors. While the program initially identifies nominees based on class rank and SAT scores, a panel of judges from the education and business sectors selects the state winner through a rigorous evaluation of biographical submissions and personal interviews. Hantula impressed the committee across a broad range of criteria, including scholarship, leadership, citizenship and personal philosophy. 

Hantula chose math teacher Jason Smith as his STAR Teacher, honoring the educator who most influenced his academic growth. A National Merit Semifinalist and Orkin Honor Scholar, Hantula balances his academic rigor with deep involvement in the arts and athletics. He has played the violin for 14 years, leading the Pace orchestra as concertmaster and earning three selections to the All-State Orchestra. Beyond his musical achievements and his qualification for the national Chemistry Olympiad, Hantula competes at the state level in both cross-country and track. His selection as the state winner underscores an Upper School career defined by excellence across multiple disciplines.