INDIAN HEAD — Henry E. Lackey High School held its graduation ceremony for the Class of 2026 on June 3 at Regency Furniture Stadium, where 232 seniors received diplomas.
Principal Cheryl K. Davis addressed the graduates on the importance of authenticity in an era of artificial intelligence. She noted that AI can handle many tasks but cannot replace human qualities. “AI has in many ways made our lives easier,” Davis said. “There are literally thousands, millions of tasks that artificial intelligence can do. There is one thing artificial intelligence cannot do. Artificial intelligence cannot be human.”
Davis explained that humans experience consciousness, emotion, social connection, creativity and moral reasoning. “Artificial intelligence cannot replace joy, grief, love, empathy, kindness and compassion,” she said. “These are the emotions that allow us as human beings to make connections and develop relationships because we possess emotional intelligence.” She urged students to remain their authentic selves. “I want you to always be your authentic self,” Davis said. “Do not let artificial intelligence replace your intelligence, your kindness, your passion, your integrity, your love. Listen to your heart. The world needs your emotional intelligence.”
Valedictorian Brylee Boyden, who plans to attend the University of Maryland, College Park, to major in aerospace engineering, spoke about maintaining balance. “Don’t have too much one-track mind,” she said. “Sometimes we become too engrossed in one thing that we forget about everything else. We forget to slow down, we forget to relax and we forget to unwind. Most importantly, we forget to live.” Boyden encouraged making time for all aspects of life. “It is important that you make time for all aspects of your life,” she said. “It’s how you remain balanced, and balance is how you make the most of your life. As you go into this next chapter, I hope you remember to be resilient, be ambitious, be brilliant and stay balanced.”
The Class of 2026 earned more than $19 million in scholarship offers. Lackey High School serves students in Charles County. Graduates pursue paths in engineering, education and other fields at institutions including the University of Maryland, College Park.
The ceremony formed part of Charles County Public Schools graduation events held at Regency Furniture Stadium.
