Watertown’s Lily Carpenter graduated from Fonrtbonne, The Early College of Boston, and delivered a speech about her experience at the school, where she transferred after her previous school closed. See more details in the announcement from Fontbonne, below.
Fontbonne, The Early College of Boston, a leading all-girls Catholic school, celebrated the extraordinary achievements of its Class of 2026 at the school’s 69th Commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 21, 2026 in the Fontbonne CSJ Center. Seniors received their diplomas before family, friends, faculty, staff, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, Fontbonne’s Board of Trustees, and alumnae.
The 72 seniors in the graduating Class of 2026 have achieved a 100% college acceptance rate, continuing Fontbonne’s longstanding tradition of academic excellence and leadership development, and earned more than $14.1 million in scholarship awards. Graduates will matriculate to colleges and universities across the country, with students earning admission to a wide range of highly selective institutions, including Brown University, Boston College, Howard University, UCLA, and Syracuse University.
National Merit Scholar and Student Council President Lily Carpenter of Watertown delivered a speech. Lily was awarded more than $1.3 million in scholarship offers over the course of four years from the colleges to which she applied this year. She joined the Fontbonne community in 2023 following the closure of Mount Alvernia High School, and quickly emerged as a student leader and a positive, proactive member of the school community.
“I would not have been able to accomplish what I have during my time here without the support of my classmates, teachers, and staff,” said Carpenter. “It’s a testament to the Fontbonne community and how warm and welcoming everyone is at this school.”
She will be joined by fellow honors speakers Anabelle Frederique of Norwood and Emily Mbi Ojong of Quincy. The student speakers will be attending Providence College, Bryant University, and Brown University, respectively.
“Several of our seniors this year took advantage of our new and expanded partnerships with Syracuse University, Assumption University, and Regis College, earning college credits, additional scholarship opportunities or direct admission by applying to those schools,” said Fontbonne Head of School Maura Spignesi. “I am incredibly proud of our students and the hard work they have put in during their time here, and I recognize that these college partnerships would not be possible if our students didn’t consistently perform at the highest academic levels year after year,” she added.
This year’s commencement speaker is Judith Flynn Coyne, a proud member of Fontbonne’s Class of 1979 whose lifelong dedication to education, child development, and the Fontbonne community has made a lasting impact. In 1982, Coyne founded her own child care learning center in Quincy and has since shared her expertise with countless students, families, and educators.
A devoted supporter of Fontbonne, Coyne previously served on the school’s Board of Trustees and, alongside her husband, helped establish the beloved Evening Under the Stars fundraiser. She is also an active member of the Fontbonne Alumnae Association and has been recognized with both the Sister of Saint Joseph Award and the Woman of Courage Award for her service and leadership.
In addition to commencement festivities, the Class of 2026 will leave a lasting legacy on campus with a birch tree and bench installation and dedication ceremony on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, honoring late Fontbonne science chair and teacher of 40 years, Robert Birch. The class will present Head of School, Maura Spignesi, with a check for $2,026 to fund the memorial project.
About Fontbonne, The Early College of Boston
Fontbonne, The Early College of Boston, is a Catholic preparatory and early college serving young women in grades 7-12 throughout Greater Boston and the South Shore. Since 1954, Fontbonne has inspired remarkable girls and is a leader in private school education and a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston.