For each member of a class to attend a different institution is an uncommon outcome in independent schools, and speaks volumes about the differentiated developmental experience Ellis offers as well as the drive and passion Ellis students have for learning and contributing to their communities. The Class of 2024 has embraced the extraordinary potential of their futures, and while Ellis is sad to see them go, we are so proud and so excited to see where the future takes them.

Nadia Rosalinda Commodore
Hampton University
The only drama around this senior is wondering what song she will give beautiful voice to next. Nadia leads in the classroom, on the field, and in the Glee Club. A central pillar of Culture Jam, it is no surprise that she reigns as the moral center of the class of 2024 and is someone who, in the words of her peers, “practices what she preaches.” Hampton University will soon gain a student advocate who is ready to speak out and speak up whether defending environmental justice or the perfect playlist.

Natalie Grace Ficca
Carnegie Mellon University
With a passion for problem-solving and an eye for design, Natalie optimizes efficiency and elegance in the classroom, on the field and in the robotics arena. Fresh off of a successful trip to the World Championships, Natalie inspires her peers and the next generation to embrace all things CAD and STEAM as she writes a code for scholarship. A dedicated vegan and articulate art historian, this Girl of Steel will certainly engineer a bright future at Carnegie Mellon University.

Rita Jane Gianakas
Duquesne University
A Corvette enthusiast with a passion for field hockey, this senior has been navigating the twists and turns of her highway since her first day at Ellis. Eternally loyal, spirited, and playful, Rita is curious to explore and ready to stand up for her friends. With a deep love for her field hockey family, Rita designed a training program for her senior project to encourage pre-season bonding. Throughout her time here at Ellis, she has always had our back, and she is sure to be a driving force at Duquesne University.

Hannah Elizabeth Habershaw
Denison University
A true scholar-athlete, Hannah always produces her best work, whether it’s in the form of an impeccable lab report, a poignant essay, or a stellar performance on the field. Joining us in tenth grade, Hannah has made consistent and considerable strides as she navigated our most challenging academic program. A supportive team member and classmate, Hannah always keeps the needs of others in mind, whether protecting the goal or reminding us to defend ourselves against the sun. Shine on!

Jasmine Kaur
University of Pittsburgh
Curious, empathetic, and eager to collaborate, this senior is an outspoken member of our community. Women’s mental health and wellness are close to Jasmine’s heart. As a prominent voice in the Feminist Student Union, she consistently demonstrates a passion for education, action, and advocacy for women’s rights. By rolling up her sleeves and employing her knack for organization, she scrubbed away the dust and grime, restoring vitality to her gurdwara, the beating heart of her community, through her senior project. We have full confidence that she will continue to clean up at the University of Pittsburgh next year.

Livia Keelan
Rollins College
This lifer is a PJAS master, a terrific athlete and teammate, an accomplished and much-lauded Latinist, and a great citizen of the school. Her peers also remind us that Livia is low-key hilarious and that she does not act out of a need to gain attention but out of her concern for the community. She has been dedicated to maintaining the Ellis yearbook as a student-run publication, facing all the challenges that such a goal entails. Livia brings her heart and soul to her education.

Isabel Rose Delphine Bodeker Keenan
TBD: The New School or Temple University
This senior is unapologetically herself. Admired by her classmates for always knowing the right joke at the right moment, Isabel motivates others around her to be their best selves. Always ready to challenge the conventions, she celebrates the individual in art, literature and life. Her powerful mind and skill for analysis are always quietly at work. A fierce friend and ally, Isabel ensures that those she cares for feel important and loved.

Kalliope Balaci Kristian
The Ohio State University
A quiet leader who doesn’t crave the spotlight yet always commands respect, this senior has juggled demands from nearly every corner of the Upper School. As Student Council president, basketball team captain, and dedicated peer tutor, Kallie approaches the job of being a student with poise and practicality. This future scientist elevates her group’s experimental design in AP Bio, fortifies youth connections in her church community, and cares deeply about amplifying the voices of her peers. Look out, Ohio State—Kallie is ready to shoot and score.

Francesca Lucia LaRoche
Dickinson College
Never fearing a bit of dirt, this lifer is a model changemaker. Devoted to environmental preservation, Franny has cultivated relationships with Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps to restore the native habitats of Western Pennsylvania. Always optimistic and advocating for change, Franny sowed the seeds for our composting program and has inspired future Ellis students to grow our commitment to the planet. She has enriched the world around her and left behind a meaningful legacy. The landscape of Dickinson College will prove fertile ground for Franny’s future success.

Liadan Maeve McElfresh
Mount Holyoke College
When it comes to support, we can always depend on this senior. A good listener with a kind demeanor, Liadan can always lighten our load with a baked good, a dollar for yearbook chocolate, or a science tutoring session. This wizard on the potter's wheel has a passion for art and a curiosity for scientific inquiry, culminating in a senior project focused on increasing STEAM engagement in girls through projects with Assemble. We know that her future pursuits at Mount Holyoke College will never be half-baked.

Sarina Kate Pretter
Rice University
A talented flutist, artist, and scientist, this lifer is not one to brag. Sarina has the spirit and soul of a designer. In the picture book illustrations she crafted for her senior project, Sarina showed us the intricacies of space and place. Attuned to the overlooked—whether it be in nature or in the anthropomorphized characters she studied in her senior thesis—Sarina always makes us appreciate the details in life. Just as her botanical art skillfully captures the essence of real flowers, we are confident that Sarina will blossom next year at Rice University.

Rebekah Anne Rapp
The George Washington University
Whether honing her Spanish fluency while studying abroad in Spain, publishing biofilm data on Streptococcus B, or singing on the stage, this lifer does it with curiosity and an adventurous spirit. The silent power of her black-and-white photos and the hidden beauty of bacteria in her microscopic images reveal Rebekah’s talent for observation and iteration. Creating a senior project focused on interactive Biology experiments in grade 8 science and spreading a message of peace from peril during this year’s Culture Jam, she is always willing to give back to her community.

Sophia Dawn Sellner
Chatham University
This senior class president will always sing out for the rights of others. Whether aiding the Pittsburgh Girls Choir in fundraising efforts or steering the Feminist Student Union, Sophia steps up to meet the task. She wrote a senior thesis focused on Boston’s Queer community in the 1940s, mastered the intricacies of Northern European Renaissance art, and led her classmates in a perfectly playful promotion of prom. Chatham University will welcome a forward-thinking leader who can unite disparate voices into a harmonious whole.

Evangeline Dorothy Teter
Rochester Institute of Technology
Just as a compelling comic book hero's journey unfolds with each turn of the page, this senior’s narrative is brimming with promise. As a creative learner, with many doodles in her notebook, Evi has an eye for design and always finds ways to transform the factual into the aesthetically powerful. She found a steady and persistent stride during cross country and track. Entering into a world of fantasy during Mini Courses, she taught her fellow classmates the joy of character development. We know Evi will continue to embellish her imaginative spirit at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Ella Katherine Williamson
Case Western Reserve University
A problem solver with a collaborative spirit, this senior maps the compass points of her many passions. The sensitivity of Ella’s Raku sculpture joined formal elegance with precise anatomical accuracy as she crafted a human hand. With curiosity and a confidence to iterate, she unraveled the mysteries of the mind to address challenges related to the fragility of the brain in both Anatomy and Poetics. Ella’s senior project merged her interests in neuroscience, art, and mental health into a meditative walk to help others in their journey to wellness. We wish her well as she takes her next deliberate steps forward to Case Western Reserve University.

Sara Tebbs Woodside
Syracuse University
This lifer has left her mark on the Upper School in ways big and small. Whether she’s wielding a racket on the tennis court, a pen in the classroom, or a microphone on the stage, Sara puts her whole heart into everything she does. Her legacy will last long after she departs, not just in the form of Ellisian Journals that bear her name as Editor-in-Chief, but in the less tangible but ever-present positivity and humor she has imbued our spaces with. At the risk of getting as cheesy as one of Sara’s beloved rom-coms, we can’t help but say how much we’ll miss her as she heads off to Syracuse University.