BEAVER COUNTY RADIO
MOON TWP. — On June 5, PA Cyber Charter School — marking its 25th anniversary this year — held its in-person graduation ceremony for western Pennsylvania students, at Robert Morris University.
Following the 2026 commencement, more than 24,000 students have graduated from the school since its inception in 2000.
“The beauty of growing up as a student with Pa Cyber is that we had the flexibility to pursue whatever it is that we were passionate about,” the school’s Western Ceremony class representative Mariya Smith, who started at PA Cyber in 10th grade, said in a press release.
“Whether you spent hours at sports practices, at a volunteer site, worked your family business, or at a job of your own, we had the opportunity to explore our passion and learn in a way that best suited who we wanted to be.”
Smith plans to study social work at Slippery Rock University.
It’s a time of excitement and celebration for the more than 1,100 new grads at PA Cyber, as they prepare for the next phase of their lives. Many PA Cyber seniors plan to transition into the workplace, post-secondary classroom, military, family farm or business or home.
Students in the western portion of Pennsylvania attended a ceremony on June 5 at 12 p.m. at Robert Morris University, while those in the eastern portion of the state attended a ceremony on June 10 at at PPL Center.
This year marks the largest number of graduates participating in the school’s in-person graduation ceremonies since the coronavirus pandemic. As of mid-May, 394 graduates signed up to attend the western ceremony, and 336 planned to attend the eastern ceremony. Approximately 5,000 visitors will gather between the two ceremonies, and more viewers will livestream from home at www.pacyber.org/graduation.
“I am excited to honor and celebrate the class of 2026,” said Jerald Barris, PA Cyber’s High School Principal for grades 11-12, said. “This memorable class closes out the school’s 25th anniversary and marks the cusp of America’s 250th anniversary. They are not just graduates of our school, but graduates in a historic moment in time.”
Brian Hayden, the school’s CEO, said, “Seeing our graduates walk across the stage is the best day of the year for all of us at PA Cyber. We are so proud of all that they have accomplished, in the classroom and beyond. I know that their time at PA Cyber will help them achieve their future goals.”
Following the 2026 commencement, more than 24,000 students will have graduated from the school since its inception in 2000. PA Cyber alumni have attended some of the top universities and trade schools in the country and have made their mark in a wide range of professions and fields.
