The Class of 2026 is leading with kindness and doing it together

The Class of 2026 has goals for their senior year: keep the senior house clean, show up for Harpeth Hall events, and, above all, “do something special for the upper school as a grade.” 

Senior class president, Emery Sonsino, doesn’t know yet what that “something special” will be, but she knows that the 104 seniors are ready to support the entire school. 

As told the crowd, “Watch out underclassmen, because we are your momma bears. We will pick you up on the field when you miss a shot, hold your paws when you make a mistake, and love you endlessly like I know we have loved each other.”

That spirit resonates with the faculty who have watched the class grow. Director of the Upper School Frances Fondren-Bales isn’t surprised by this goal. To her, it simply reflects who this class is.

“This is a special group,” Ms. Fondren-Bales said. “They see each other as sisters, and they lean on each other in ways that show how fully they trust one another. Why such trust? Because of their kindness. They know no matter what is happening in their lives, what they are processing, what is hard, they are there for each other.”

That closeness shows up in the little things too. For Emery, it can be seen in the green, white, and black woven picnic blankets students grab to sit on when they gather on the inviting green grass in the middle of campus. 

“If you looked closely, you would see that this blanket is muddy, quite prickly, and well-worn. But, that is exactly the way I like it. It means we used

them, soaked up the sun on Souby Lawn, and promised each other we were going to stay friends forever. My wish for all of you this year is that you can find your own spiky and ugly picnic blankets to drench in memories. …Whatever it is you do, do it together.”

Each fall, the entire student body gathers for a special all-school assembly to honor the senior class, setting the tone for how they will leave their mark on campus.

Over her years at Harpeth Hall, Ms. Fondren-Bales has seen every senior class develop its own identity. This year’s seniors are already defining theirs with kindness, sisterhood, and unity. Expect to see those traits shine everywhere from the sports field to the science labs to the dance studios as these young women lead the school and one another through their final year in the Hall.  

“Being a leader at Harpeth Hall doesn't mean you have to stand behind this podium. It means that you are engaged, that you're paying attention, that you are taking responsibility for respecting everyone in this community and leaving it better for all of those around us,” remarked Jess Hill, Harpeth Hall’s head of school. 

In the senior class, she sees the words of Eleanor Roosevelt come to life: “Good leaders inspire people to have confidence in their leader. Great leaders inspire people to have confidence in themselves.”

With just over 240 days until the Class of 2026 will walk down Souby Lawn to collect their diplomas, there are endless memories to be made. State championship wins, activities with their 5th grade buddies, formal dances, spirit weeks, Winterim trips, and of course, senior fun day. While this may seem to be the beginning of the end for the seniors at Harpeth Hall, it is clear that their legacy will continue to inspire kind and purposeful leadership for years to come.

“That is what I want you all to remember us by,” Emery said. “The seniors who have your backs and will go to battle to defend you. You are a Harpeth Hall girl, and no Harpeth Hall girl ever stands alone without one of us by your side.”