The Matanzas High School 2026 graduates toss their caps after receiving their diplomas on May 31 at the Ocean Center. Photo by Don Foley/Flagler Schools
Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore congratulates a Matanzas High School graduate. Photo by Don Foley/Flagler Schools
Matanzas Principal Mike Rinaldi presents a senior with his diploma. Photo by Don Foley/Flagler Schools
Matanzas Principal Mike Rinaldi presents a senior with her diploma. Photo by Don Foley/Flagler Schools
Over 500 seniors received their diplomas at Matanzas High School’s graduation ceremony Sunday, May 31, at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach.
Principal Mike Rinaldi said over the past four years, the Matanzas Pirates’ 2026 class learned “that success is not about having a perfect path, but about having the determination to keep moving forward when that path becomes uncertain.”
He said they learned that accountability builds trust, leadership and character, and they learned to take responsibility for both their success and their setbacks.
They are no longer new passengers just along for the ride, he told them.
“You are now Pirates in every sense of the word,” he said. “Because through your achievements over the last four years, you are now the captains of your destiny and are ready to navigate the world beyond the gates of the Ship. Your destiny, dreams and aspirations are yours to hold and this graduation is your opportunity to take the wheel, lean into the wind and chart a course of new adventures and achievements that we all can’t wait to hear about and be proud of.”
The 2026 graduates will leave a last legacy both individually and collectively. The class combined for 22,412 hours of community services and participated in over 40 clubs. Twenty-three seniors earned their associate degrees from Daytona State College as well as their high school diplomas. Fifteen of those dual-enrolled seniors earned their degrees from DSC with honors or high honors.
A school-record 315 seniors, making up 62% of the graduating class, earned diploma-plus industry certifications.
Seventy graduates — 22 more than last year — completed their requirements for the AICE Diploma award. “These seniors played a major role in Flagler Schools being named the Cambridge Small District of the Year, which was chosen from all of the Cambridge AICE programs from across the United States,” Rinald said.
Among the graduates, 205 received honor status, achieving a weighted GPA of 3.75 or higher. Athletes, musicians, artists, thespians and JROTC cadets amassed a myriad of awards.
“We are proud of all that you have accomplished and we can’t wait to see the difference you will make in our world,” Rinaldi said.
The world needs your voice, your innovation, your empathy and your courage. Don’t be afraid to take risks and to pursue what truly ignites you.
— LASHAKIA MOORE, Flagler Schools superintendent
Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore told the class “to champion the cause of progress, yet always honor the foundation of the community that sustained you. The world needs your voice, your innovation, your empathy and your courage. Don’t be afraid to take risks and to pursue what truly ignites you.”
Four graduates spoke at the commencement: Senior Class President Mia-Katharina Apfelbach, SGA President Adam Ringhiser, Remmika Battles and Delaney Pearson.
Apfelbach told her classmates, “We’ve built our foundation, we have the tools in our hands, so let’s show the world how we can utilize them.”
Ringhiser spoke about what he learned while performing as the school mascot, Pete the Pirate. Inside the costume he was able to observe his classmates anonymously.
“I got to see people who barely spoke in class become the most boisterous people in the stadium,” he said. “I saw friendships from people who otherwise never talked. I saw friends and family cheering loudly for the people they love. … “Wherever life takes you next, never forget the person you were here, the people who helped shape you and the memories that made these years worth remembering.”
Pearson told her fellow graduates to “take the risk, chase the dream, send the application and start over if you need to. Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t forget the small things, call your friends, laugh until you can’t breathe, be kind even when it’s hard. ... Go out there and make your story worth telling.”
