The 2017-18 school year was another outstanding success story for Aiken County Public School District graduates as one thousand two hundred forty-eight seniors earned high school diplomas in ceremonies held June 7 and June 8 at the University of South Carolina Aiken Convocation Center.
In addition to state lottery monies and other awards, Aiken County graduates earned a total of $49,546,650 in scholarship dollars and grant awards.
The school district also recognized 45 percent of this year's 1,248 graduates, or 562 students, as Honor Graduates. South Carolina high school honor graduate diplomas are awarded based upon completion of one of the two requirement criteria listed below:
- Students must complete twenty-four units of high school credit (18 units must be college preparatory coursework), meet the standard on all subtests of the Exit Examination, receive a minimum grade of “B” for each semester course in grades 9 - 12 through the seventh semester, and achieve either a score of 710 or higher on the SAT verbal exam, a score of 690 or higher on the SAT mathematics exam, a score of 30 or higher on the ACT English assessment, or a score of 33 or higher on the ACT mathematics assessment.
- Students must complete twenty-four units of high school credit (18 units must be college preparatory coursework), be eligible for graduation with a state high school diploma and have a combined score of 1400 on the SAT verbal and math sections, or an ACT composite score of 31.
“Our mission is to cultivate future-ready students who will provide an immediate and lasting impact as productive citizens in our local community and across the world,” commented Aiken County Superintendent Dr. Sean Alford. “We want to congratulate our graduates of the Class of 2018 on a job well done and wish them well in their planned post-secondary pathways.”
Many of Aiken County’s graduates plan to attend Clemson University, the University of South Carolina, and other in-state colleges and universities, including The Citadel, College of Charleston, Furman, Presbyterian, Winthrop, Wofford, South Carolina State and Claflin University. Others will enter the workforce, join the military or continue their education at institutions of higher learning across the nation, including the University of Tennessee, Rice University, the University of Alabama, Morehouse University, Southern Wesleyan University, Wingate University, and Johnson and Wales University.
North Augusta High School – North Augusta’s graduating class consisted of 334 students, making them the largest class in the 2017-18 school year to graduate from Aiken County Public Schools. The Jackets' Valedictorian was Chloe Elizabeth McGee, and Kathrine Jane Wright was the Salutatorian. Three hundred nineteen of North Augusta's students received college acceptance letters and 12 plan to serve in the military. The Jackets received $11,234,144 in scholarships during the 2017-18 year, and Zachary McGhee received the highest amount in scholarship offers and grant awards.
At Midland Valley High School, the Mustangs’ graduating class earned $13,532,416 in scholarships and grants. The school announced Kevin Wayne Holley as Valedictorian, and Mark Cameron Jones as Salutatorian. Mallory Hodges had the highest amount of scholarships and grant awards with a total of $370,420. Two hundred ninety students planned to attend college and 10 have committed to military service.
Aiken High School celebrated a Class of 2018 that numbered 302 graduates and featured a Palmetto Fellows scholar. The Hornets earned a combined total of $18,612,152 in academic awards. Aiken High School had 40 HOPE scholars. One hundred twenty seven students were awarded a LIFE scholarship. Aiken High School’s Valedictorian was Michael Ray. Meanwhile, Fatima Rizvi, the school’s Salutatorian, received the highest amount in scholarships, $1,435,516. Aiken had 17 students who committed to enter the military, 143 who plan to attend a 4-year college, and 92 who plan to attend 2-year colleges.
At South Aiken High School, the Valedictorian was Emily Caroline Chafin and the Salutatorian was Natalie Jean Bolen. South Aiken's class of 2018 had 262 graduates who were awarded grants and scholarships in the amount of $10,875,089. Two hundred twenty-three students are planning to attend four- and two-year colleges, seven students chose military service, and one student earned an appointment to a military academy. Reid Bolen, who will attend the U.S. Naval Academy, was awarded the most grant and scholarship prizes in South Aiken’s graduating class.
Silver Bluff High School celebrated 135 students in this year’s graduating class of seniors. The amount of scholarships and grants awarded to the Bulldogs was $3,283,391. Fifty-four SBHS graduates planned to attend two-year colleges, 71 are planning to attend four-year colleges, and four are choosing military service. For the Class of 2018, the Valedictorian was Vanessa Brooke Campbell and the Salutatorian was Steven Ryan Poore. The student with the top amount of scholarship offers and grant awards was Isaiah Green.
Wagener-Salley High School featured 44 graduates in the Class of 2018. Twenty-five graduates are going to attend a four-year college, 12 are going to two-year colleges, and four plan to serve in the military. The Valedictorian was announced as Kelsey Alaine Byars and the Salutatorian was Brenna Diann Kirkland. The overall amount of WSHS scholarship offers was $901,080 and the student with the top amount of scholarship and grant awards was Tanner Turner.
Ridge Spring-Monetta High School recognized 42 students as graduating members of the Class of 2018. The valedictorian was Alexandra Marie Sterling. Alexandra also received the top amount of scholarship offers and grant awards among the Trojans. The school’s Salutatorian was Rachel Christine Burger. Scholarship offers and grant awards for the Trojans amounted to $1,983,467. Sixteen students are going to a four-year college, 22 students will attend a two-year college, and one student plans to serve in the U.S. military.
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LINK TO DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE: 2018 PR GRADUATION RECAP