During the month of May, the Class of 2026 explored passions and prepared for college through a wide range of self-directed projects. The day before Commencement, the class gathered for their final time as students at King to share the results of their independent study, exploration, research, and hands-on learning.

Whether conducting research, creating original media, organizing major events, or venturing into the wilderness, each student shared how they embraced the unique opportunity to learn independently and pursue meaningful work during a ceremony in the upper school gym surrounded by classmates, faculty, and family members.

Penelope Reiter explored the natural side of the tri-state area through hiking, camping, and solo backpacking excursions.
“I chose it to learn to be more independent before college,” she said. “I learned a lot about preparation and safety tips. It was also great just to spend time outdoors.”

 Julian “Juju” Dent, who will continue his basketball career at Worcester State University, created a video documenting a day in his life as a student-athlete. Inspired by content creators who follow elite collegiate players, he wanted to showcase the work that goes into athletic success.

“There’s this guy on YouTube who films a lot of D1 players, and it inspired me,” he said. “I think it's important for athletes to do things like this because with everyone getting brand deals, they want to see more about you.”

Sophia Laskey looked toward her future studying marketing at Fairfield University for her project's inspiration.

“I did a capstone research project on the Breeders' Cup and how the horse racing industry could shift their demographic down,” said Sophia. “Gen Z is very into screens, so if the Breeders' Cup were to modernize their branding to have a bigger social media presence, have influencers come, or be more exclusive to teens, then they could attract a different audience.”

Joaquin-Antonio Arteta merged his love of New York City and the Marvel universe by creating a walking tour featuring filming locations from Marvel movies and television shows.

“Some places weren’t that interesting because they were just locations where they filmed, but seeing Joe’s Pizza was cool because that’s where Spiderman actually worked,” he said.

For Mari Pritchard and Sophia Carrington, the senior project stretched beyond the traditional month-long timeline. The pair spent three months planning the senior prom, taking responsibility for nearly every aspect of the event.

“We picked the theme, ordered invitations, and all the decorations,” said Sophia, who noted the hardest part was setting up after the Upper School Prize Day. “It took three hours, and some of the decorations didn’t look like they did online.”

The Senior Project Presentations demonstrated the value of curiosity, initiative, and experiential learning, while offering a fitting final chapter to the students’ King experience as they prepare for the opportunities ahead.