It’s graduation season, and excitement abounds for the 563 seniors at Royal Palm Beach High School and their families. They have run the race, stayed the course and earned their diplomas by attending school more than six hours a day, 180 days a year, for the past 13 years. That’s 2,340 days of school, plus projects, reports and homework.
The RPBHS graduation ceremony for the Class of 2026 is scheduled for Monday, May 18, at 8 a.m. at the South Florida Fairgrounds, where the School District of Palm Beach County this month will honor the achievements of thousands of seniors alongside their family members, friends and supporters. The ceremony will be broadcast live on The Education Network (TEN), Xfinity channel 235, AT&T U-verse channel 99, and streamed online with closed captioning at www.youtube.com/sdpbc.
Principal Dr. Shakeica Robinson is elated about the upcoming commencement celebration.
“This year has been a good one. As a principal and a mom, it has been really special watching this group stay focused and push toward the finish line,” Robinson said. “I’ve known many of these students since they were in elementary school, so this class means a lot to me. They’re not the loudest group, but they’re steady, focused and determined.”
Those are words that can be used to describe valedictorian Shubh Patel and salutatorian Tony Zhu. Both will be addressing the graduating class, as will fellow senior Shanice Dennis. The future looks bright with these ambitious students ready to take on the world.
“At first, I was really surprised that I was actually number one, and then I was really excited about the news,” Patel recalled. “My parents were so happy. They started calling all our relatives to give them the good news. Honestly, being valedictorian is just like having a cherry on top of my high school career.”
Patel said that his prospective major is aerospace engineering, and he is planning to attend the University of Florida.
“My dream is to work for NASA or a firm like Lockheed, where I might work on the design and construction of missiles, rockets and jets,” he said.
When not planning his career as a rocket scientist, Shubh enjoys bowling, swimming and playing Call of Duty. He’s looking at having more relaxation time now that his senior year is winding down.
“I’m looking forward for school and all exams to be over, so I can enjoy summer and prepare for college,” he said.
When asked about his advice for underclassmen, Patel said, “If you at least put in some effort on homework and turn it in, then you will get As and Bs.”
He closed by saying, “It has been a long journey, and now it’s finally time where we create our future.”
Zhu said that he was shocked to learn that he was named salutatorian.
“Before the reveal, I thought I was slightly out of reach for the honor. It ended up being a nice surprise,” he said, adding that his parents were thrilled to learn of the award. “My parents were elated. As immigrants who have sacrificed so much for me to pursue my education, they were very happy to see me honored.”
Zhu is a runner who also plays video games and likes to socialize. His advice for younger students is, “Talk to different people and participate in activities. High school is a great time to exit your comfort zone and discover what you are truly passionate about.”
His top piece of advice for everyone is, “Stay compassionate!”
Zhu also plans to attend UF, where he will major in mechanical engineering and hopes to spend some semesters studying abroad. He wants to acquire the engineering skills necessary to design and create sustainable systems with plans to spend time volunteering in developing countries on projects such as those creating clean, sustainable drinking water.
“I am someone who enjoys taking on challenges,” Zhu said. “By struggling, you are setting yourself up for future growth, even if it may not seem like it in the moment.”
Also speaking at the ceremony, Shanice Dennis asked Robinson for permission to address the graduating class. “I personally want to encourage my classmates to be excited for our new future,” she said. “Even though we are ending our childhood, and this is a bittersweet process, we are also stepping into a whole new exciting life.”
Planning a career as a physician assistant in pulmonology, Dennis has this advice for younger students: “Nothing is perfect. School can be hard, but you have to try your best. No one can make you successful but yourself. Everyone has low points in their life, but the main thing that matters is picking yourself up. High school really does matter if you want to achieve a higher education. Get active! Make it fun! Join at least one club or sport because you’re only in high school once.”
Robinson is looking forward to watching her seniors walk across the stage.
“I’m just really proud of them,” she said. “They’ve stayed the course and handled their business.”
