FEATURE COMMENCEMENT 2026
Valedictorian: YOURAN (ESTHER) DAI ’26 It’s hard to believe there was ever a time when Esther Dai didn’t know how to use her words. In third grade, Esther came to the defense of a classmate who was being bullied by taking matters into her own hands. Asked years later why she responded physically, Esther explained simply, “I did not understand the concept of communication. I did not know how to use my words.”
She has certainly figured it out since.
Esther was a state qualifier in Original Oratory and a three-time state qualifier for the Just Write creative writing team. She won the William G. Moore III Award in Literature and served as co-leader of the French Club. She’s also an avid reader who read 50 books in 2025 and a writer currently working on her fourth novel. She wrote her first at age 12, by hand, filling 110 pages. And writing represents only a small part of her Gilmour experience. A National Merit Finalist and AP Scholar with Distinction, Esther earned Highest Honors throughout her time at Gilmour and was inducted into both the Cum Laude Society and National Honor Society. She completed 12 AP courses, self-studied Calculus AB and earned 5s on every AP exam. During her senior year, she received the highest award bestowed by Gilmour’s English, mathematics and science departments. Her interests took her well beyond the classroom. Through Catalyst, Esther conducted research in Cleveland State University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, optimizing materials for the bioprinting of hydrogel scaffolds to address volumetric muscle loss. For her VECTOR Science and Medicine capstone, she designed and 3D printed teaching tools for future Multivariable Calculus students. She was also part of the inaugural cohort of the Freshwater Institute and volunteered as an ESL tutor with US Together. This fall, Esther is attending Duke University, where she is studying electrical and computer engineering. For her Commencement address, Esther imagined graduation as an airport waiting room, the Class of 2026 gathered together one last time before taking off in different directions. She acknowledged the uncertainty that comes with that freedom and urged her classmates to stay curious about the people they meet, hold on to what grounds them and make something of the world they are about to enter. “When you see beauty in this world, love it. When you see ugliness, change it.”
Gilmour Academy is proud to honor the Class of 2026’s highest-achieving students: Valedictorian Esther Dai and Salutatorian Holly Hunter. Their records at Gilmour are remarkable, but the stories they shared at Commencement offered a glimpse beyond the awards and accomplishments, reflecting on the people, experiences and relationships that shaped their time here.
16
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online