Marist School, Atlanta

Marist School students demonstrated exceptional achievement this spring on the National Spanish Exam and the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) National Poster Contest. Students in Spanish III Honors, Spanish IV Honors, and AP Spanish earned top honors across multiple categories, including five Gold Medal recipients.

Javi Fernandez ’27 and Gaëtan Glorieux ’28 earned Gold Medals in Spanish III Honors. Ryan Hewitt ’27, Lauren Thornton ’27, and Abe Thomas ’27 earned Gold Medals in Spanish IV Honors. Marist students also earned numerous Silver, Bronze, and Honorable Mention recognitions across upper-level Spanish courses. Isabella Jones ’28 placed second nationally in the AATSP National Poster Contest.

Before the close of the school year, the Modern and Classical Languages Department hosted a Breakfast of Champions to celebrate all medalists and poster contest winners. The event also welcomed back Brent Porter ’25, former president of the Spanish Honor Society and 2025 Sedes Sapientiae award recipient, to encourage and honor this year’s students.

These accomplishments reflect the dedication of our students and faculty. They also embody what it means to be Marist made for growth through scholarship and the pursuit of excellence.

Marist School’s Spring Band Concert brought the community together May 19 in Young Gym for an evening that showcased the strength and spirit of the school’s performing arts program. The Foundations Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble performed selections that reflected the focus, teamwork, and steady growth students have built throughout the year. A highlight of the evening came when senior Harrison Stallings conducted his original composition, “When Hope Comes Marching Home.” The substantial work offered a powerful example of the creativity and discipline fostered through band. For many students, band is a community within the larger Marist community. It is a place where they learn to listen closely, contribute with confidence, and recognize the talents God has placed within them. Directed by Mr. Aaron Schmitt and Mr. Ben Barber, the concert also honored the Class of 2026 through the “Passing of the Gloves” tradition and a performance of the Alma Mater. Senior Drum Major Sam Eckstein created the “Passing of the Gloves” moment and passed the gloves to Irene Kim ’27, next year’s drum major. Together, these senior moments gave the evening a spirit of gratitude and reminded all in attendance how music helps students find their place, strengthen their voice, and offer something beautiful to others. View photos from the Spring Band Concert at the link below.

https://maristschool.zenfolio.com/p187913583

Rooted in the enduring spirit of the Marist Way, the Class of 2026 celebrated commencement weekend with Baccalaureate Mass and graduation exercises that honored a class marked by scholarship, leadership, service, and joy. During Baccalaureate Mass in Centennial Center, Father John Harhager, S.M., encouraged graduates to embrace their God-given strengths and carry the Marist mission into the world. On graduation morning, seniors inaugurated a meaningful new tradition as class presidents Ansley Sooji Cho ’26 and Regis-Lucien Edem Nassah ’26 rang the new chapel bell to open commencement exercises. Salutatorian Hunter T. Nguyen ’26 and valedictorian Ava Marsh ’26 reflected on the resilience, gratitude, and community that shaped the class experience, while commencement speaker Jack Butler, S.J. ’82, recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award, urged graduates to live boldly in service of others. Flannery Hipp ’26 received the Sedes Sapientiae Award, Jack Guhl ’26 received the Marist Cup, and Andrew Wiegand ’26 and Valerie Muñoz-Segura ’26 were the recipients of the Archbishop’s Awards. As graduates crossed beneath the Bell Chapel arch and into the world, they departed sub Mariae nomine (under the name of Mary), united by faith, strengthened by community, and prepared to soar.

Father Nick Le ’09 has followed a path shaped by faith, formation, and a willingness to say yes to God’s call. A priest of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Fr. Le serves as parochial vicar of Our Lady of the Assumption (OLA) Catholic Church in Brookhaven. His journey has taken him from Marist School to Georgia Institute of Technology, from a career in corporate IT to seminary formation in Chicago and Rome, and now into joyful pastoral ministry rooted in service to God and others. When reflecting on what it means to be Marist made, Fr. Le points to the foundation he received during his high school years. “Being Marist made to me means having a foundation in excellence and faith,” he said. “I would not be the person I am today without those crucial years of high school where I learned to do my best in school, sports, friendships, and even faith.” He credits Marist’s teachers, his peers, retreats, prayer and meditation class, and the school’s Catholic environment with helping him understand that faith was not meant to be one compartment of life. It was meant to be the center.

Fr. Le has returned to Marist to share that witness with current students, including during a 2024 Vocations Mass and, more recently, in Mr. Coveny’s Marist Way classes. He sees those visits as an opportunity to encourage young people who are discerning who they are called to become. “The Gospel has always spread through witnesses,” he said, noting the impact of “young, relatable, joyful witnesses” for students preparing to lead. If current students remember one thing from his story, he hopes it is this: “There is no greater pursuit or adventure than faith. Long past academics, college, career, romance, and whatever motivates us, God will be the greatest adventure that will underlie everything else in life and fulfill us in a way nothing else ever could.” Marist School is grateful for the many ways Father Nick Le '09 fulfills his God-given potential as a Marist graduate, priest, and joyful witness to a Christ-centered life.

We are proud to announce Charlie Frame ’26 as Marist School’s 2026 STAR Student. The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Program honors outstanding Georgia students and the teachers who have significantly influenced their academic success. To earn this distinction, seniors must achieve the highest SAT score on a single test date and rank in the top 10% or among the top 10 students of their graduating class based on GPA.
Frame has chosen to honor Mr. Eric McNaughton ’90 as his STAR teacher. Mr. McNaughton serves as fine arts department chair, teacher, and theater director at Marist. We extend our congratulations to Charlie Frame ’26 for his achievement and our gratitude to Mr. McNaughton for helping students discover and develop their God-given talents through the arts.

On Wednesday, May 20, Marist School held the 2026 Academic Awards and Senior Honors Assembly, recognizing students for excellence in academics, leadership, service, and co-curricular achievement. Highlights included the “Guidon” yearbook dedication to Father John Ulrich, S.M., who also received the dedication in 1985. More than four decades later, this meaningful honor reflects the enduring impact of Fr. Ulrich and the Marist priests whose faithful presence continues to shape generations of students. The assembly also recognized Maxwell Watkins ’26 as the recipient of the Helen Bawak Wamey ’22 Memorial Award, Hunter Nguyen ’26 as salutatorian, and Ava Marsh ’26 as valedictorian. View the full list of award winners at the link below.

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1779214467/maristcom/dlxbe9c1ijoxqqlksyf6/AcademicAwardsandSeniorHonorsAssembly2026.pdf

Through the fine arts, Marist School students discover how discipline, creativity, courage, and collaboration can give voice to their God-given talents. That spirit filled Woodruff Auditorium on May 14 as the Senior High School Spring Choral Concert brought together Chorale, Marist Singers, quartet, trio, and senior solo performances for an evening of music and gratitude. Under the direction of Mr. Tim Johnson and Ms. Rebecca Simantov, the Marist vocal ensembles presented a wide-ranging program that opened with an encore of the a ca****la showcase, The Sing-Off. From full-ensemble works to smaller group selections, the concert gave students opportunities to shine while reserving special moments for the Class of 2026 through showstopping senior features. The evening concluded with awards and a finale of the traditional "Irish Blessing". Special thanks to Mrs. Anna Lee Lanning for technical direction and design and the Marist Arts Guild for their generous support this year. Congratulations to all the performers and the tech team, and especially to the seniors, who shared their gifts so beautifully with the Marist community.

Celebrate the Class of 2026 with the Marist School community. Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement will be livestreamed on May 22 and 23, giving family, friends, and alumni the opportunity to share in these meaningful traditions from wherever they are. With production support from the Marist Broadcasting Club, each livestream will capture moments of prayer, gratitude, and celebration as our graduates prepare to lead and serve beyond Marist. Find the links in our bio, and save them so you can join us live.

https://linkin.bio/maristschool

The Class of 2026 gathered for the Senior Sunset Send-off on Monday, May 18, at Hughes Spalding Stadium. Hosted by the Marist Alumni Board, the special evening welcomed seniors into the Marist Alumni Association and marked the beginning of their lifelong connection to their alma mater. It was a fitting bookend to a senior year that began with a sunrise. Friday was the seniors’ last day of school, and we already miss them, but only new beginnings are ahead for this great group. We cannot wait to continue celebrating them throughout this week’s graduation festivities.

The Advanced Placement (AP) Studio Art Exhibition on May 7 celebrated the culmination of a year of sustained investigation, experimentation, and personal expression by 11 student artists, including nine graduating seniors. Led by art teacher Mr. Brian Cole, students shared work in painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, and mixed media, exploring themes such as fashion and identity, family heritage, memory, and dementia. The exhibition transformed the Bishop Gunn Art Gallery into a personal and thought-provoking experience, highlighting the dedication, vulnerability, and creative growth that define Marist’s AP Studio Art program. Family, friends, faculty, and guests gathered to honor the artists’ achievements and enjoy refreshments provided by Sage Dining Services. View photos from the AP Studio Art Exhibition at the link below.

https://maristschool.zenfolio.com/p802527630

On Tuesday, May 12, Marist School welcomed the Yale Spizzwinks, America’s oldest undergraduate a ca****la group, for a special campus visit led by Brennan Ujda ’24. The group spent time with the combined 7th grade choruses, performing a song before separating students into sections and teaching them a new piece. After 20 minutes of rehearsal, the students and Spizzwinks reassembled in Woodruff Auditorium to sing the song together. Ujda summed up the moment best, remarking, “That sounded pretty dang good!”

Later that afternoon, the Spizzwinks visited with the high school chorale. After warming up and singing group improvisation together in the choir room, the Spizzwinks performed a mini private concert for the high school singers. Students then took the stage to reprise their Sing-Off performances, and the Spizzwinks offered tips for a ca****la success and answered questions about collegiate singing.

The day concluded with an evening concert in Woodruff Auditorium, where the Spizzwinks shared their signature humor, musicianship, and original arrangements with the Marist community. Thanks for returning to your alma mater, Brennan Ujda ’24! View photos from this special evening concert at the link below.

https://maristschool.zenfolio.com/p624887326