HURLEYVILLE, NY — The second-ever class of the Homestead School’s Collaborative College High School (CCHS) graduated on Thursday, June 11 at a ceremony held in the Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre. The graduating class, composed of students Natalie Moore and Miriam Gottlieb, designed and led the ceremony that celebrated their unique aspects as students and the community they formed at Homestead.
After both graduates processed into the theatre, Jim Fyfe, secondary guide and junior-high advisor, welcomed everyone to a “celebration of life and love.”
Fyfe then handed it over to Moore, who introduced ELA teacher and award-winning author Kelly Adams to give the land acknowledgment. Gottlieb then introduced CCHS Director of Programs Jack Comstock, who spoke on what a Montessori education is and how the two graduates exemplified those qualities.
“For nearly 50 years, Homestead has sought to be [the] bridge, honoring what must be passed from one generation to the next, while creating space for something new to emerge for each person, rooted in the land, in community and in Montessori principles. We have worked to create environments where young people can discover who they are, what they care about and how their unique gifts might become a source of beauty, healing and contribution in the world,” Comstock said. “Today, we celebrate two young women who have done exactly that.”
Comstock also said that Moore and Gottlieb’s time at CCHS represents the power of education to help students discover their interests and their unique pathways as they head into the future. Both Moore, who found a passion in the arts, and Gottlieb, who found a passion in helping people and in the medical field, plan to continue their passions in their adult lives.
“Natalie and Mimi joined the Homestead Secondary Program, and each forged a unique path forward through their dual enrollment studies,” Comstock said. “Natalie and Mimi’s paths could not be more different, and that is precisely the point. Education is not about producing identical outcomes; it is about helping each person discover the particular way they are called to participate in the larger story of life.”
After Comstock spoke, Moore introduced science teacher and senior advisor Abby Johnson, who spoke to the character and personalities of both graduates.

“School has not been easy or straightforward for either of them, but they found a real academic footing here. It may not have always looked traditional, but they found places where they’re confident and their intelligence really became clear,” Johnson said. “There’s really something powerful in finding a place where school starts to make sense, where your strengths become visible and [where] you begin to trust yourself a little more. Natalie and Mimi both found that and earned it. They both have had really hard things in their lives and have preserved the best of themselves through it. They kept their humor, their care and their dedication to the things and people they love.”
After a brief slideshow of photos of the graduates, Gottlieb delivered her address. In it, she spoke of the support of her teachers at CCHS, and how their support was instrumental in her success.
“I can honestly say that without the teachers at CCHS, I would not be where I am today. They saw potential in me, even when I couldn’t see them myself,” she said. “They encouraged me, believed in me, challenged me and reminded me that difficult seasons do not last forever. They gave me confidence when I lacked it, and continuously pushed me to become a better person than myself.”
Gottlieb said that through that success, many opportunities became available to her, including pursuing a degree in the medical field.
“One of those opportunities changed my life. I had the chance to pursue something that no student at CCHS had done before. I became the first student to go for a medical assistant degree,” Gottlieb said. “That opportunity opened doors I never expected, and essentially let me become a pediatric medical assistant at just 16 years old.”
Moore then spoke, thanking her family for being her support network. Moore said that her family has supported her as she navigated her journey at CCHS and in her life.
“My family has always been my foundation, providing me with unwavering love, support and encouragement, even during some of the most difficult moments of my life. I would not be standing here today without everything they’ve done for me,” Moore said. “They have celebrated every achievement, covered me through every disappointment and never once made me feel like I had to face anything alone.”
Moore also said that she thinks of her fellow CCHS students as her family, and has grown exceptionally close to them.
“The truth, as cliché as it sounds, is that words cannot describe the love and appreciation I feel for the people within this school,” Moore said. “They are not just my classmates, they are my family. It is because of these incredible people that I got to experience what it’s like to not only have friends, but best friends, brothers, sisters and yes, even a partner.”
After they both spoke, Moore and Gottlieb then participated in a small ceremony in which they spoke about an aspect of their education and offered a small gift of soil into a planter that held a tree that will be planted on the Glen Spey Campus of the Homestead School. Moore affirmed her passion for the arts, and Gottlieb affirmed her commitment to helping people.
After they put the soil into the planter, both graduates received their diplomas, and were recognized as the CCHS class of 2026.