District Five holds graduation ceremonies, announces more than $121 million in scholarships for Class of 2015

IRMO, SC – Lexington-Richland School District Five’s 2015 graduates earned more than $121 million in scholarships this school year. The awards for students from Chapin High, Dutch Fork High and Irmo High schools include both academic and athletic scholarships. More than 1100 District Five students graduated during ceremonies on June 4 at the Colonial Life Arena.

Irmo High School graduates were offered more than $43.9 million. “The Irmo High Class of 2015 has done an outstanding job of applying for scholarships this year,” said Robert Taylor, the school’s guidance director. “This class has received one of the highest scholarship offer totals in the history of Irmo High School, and has been recognized by local, state and national organizations for their excellence in academics, athletics and community service. Congratulations to the students and their families.”

At Chapin High, the number of scholarships offered totaled more than $30 million.

Annette Moore, director of guidance at the school, said: “I am proud of the students for their hard work in academics, athletics, and community service.  The scholarship achievements of this class are a tribute to the combined efforts of parents, students, teachers, coaches, and guidance counselors. Chapin High School students continue the tradition of excellence. Congratulations to all students in the class of 2015.”

Dutch Fork High School’s 2015 graduating students were offered more than $47.8 million in scholarships, said Dorothy Burckart, the school’s guidance director.

“We are so proud of our graduates who have had scholarship offers for their outstanding achievements in academics, athletics, fine arts and community service,” Burckart said. “In this year’s graduating class, 323 Dutch Fork High School students will qualify for the Life, Hope or Palmetto Fellows scholarships; and we wish them continued success in their future endeavors.”

The scholarship amounts represent awards at four-year, two-year and technical colleges and universities in South Carolina and other states. Scholarships included academic scholarships such as the Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence (LIFE) Scholarship, Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, athletic awards and scholarships for leadership and community service.

Graduates from Chapin High, Dutch Fork High and Irmo High participated in commencement ceremonies before crowds of hundreds at the Colonial Life Arena on June 4. District Five Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hefner spoke to graduates on the importance of the day.

“Perhaps the reason the high school graduation ceremony has remained a ritual of extreme significance is because it is the only universally recognized ceremony in our great nation that declares a person to be an adult,” he said. “By holding this ceremony in your honor, we are publicly stating that we believe you have acquired the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for lifelong learning, responsible citizenship and productivity in an ever-changing world.”

For graduates like Chapin High School’s Elisabeth Zoe Anderson-Horecny and Dutch Fork High School’s Graham Tucker Ellis, graduation day provided one more opportunity to inspire their peers.

“When the world looks at the Chapin High School Class of 2015, I do not want them to see us as great. I want them to see us as greater…,” said Anderson Horecny, who served as a commencement speaker. “Chapin gave us the tools and the encouragement to see the great in every heart in this class. And we will mold that greatest into greater as we embrace our future and the next phase of our lives.”

“I would like to leave you with a quote from Tennessee Williams: ‘Life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quickly you hardly catch it going.’ Class of 2015 do not let one day pass you by,” Ellis, Dutch Fork’s student body president, told his classmates.

At Irmo High School, one graduate received a second chance to walk across the graduation stage. Briana Berry graduated with the rest of her class at Colonial Life Arena on June 4; but because of a medical emergency involving her grandmother, Berry’s mother couldn’t attend the ceremony. A friend of the family contacted staff at the school, who promptly made arrangements to surprise Berry’s mother, Octavia, with a repeat of her daughter’s walk across the stage – this time at Irmo High School’s Center for the Arts.

“I’m just lost for words, “said Octavia Berry, who also celebrated her birthday on her daughter’s graduation day. “All I wanted to do was see her walk across that stage …For the school to arrange for this to happen says so much about how much they care. I’m so grateful.”

Briana Berry, who plans to attend Midlands Technical College, added: “I did it for her. I graduated, and I did it all for her.”

Irmo High School Graduation: District Five Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hefner takes a picture with Irmo High graduates from the school’s International Baccalaureate (IB) program. More than 1100 District Five students graduated during ceremonies on June 4 at the Colonial Life Arena.

The district also announced more than $121 million in scholarships for its Class of 2015 from Chapin High, Dutch Fork High and Irmo High schools. 

 

Irmo High School Graduation 2: Irmo High School’s Briana Berry (center) received a second chance to walk across the graduation stage. Staff at the school arranged the special ceremony after Berry’s grandmother had a medical emergency, preventing her mother from attending the first ceremony at Colonial Life Arena. More than 1100 District Five students graduated during ceremonies on June 4 at the Colonial Life Arena. The district also announced more than $121 million in scholarships for its Class of 2015 from Chapin High, Dutch Fork High and Irmo High schools. 

 

Dutch Fork High School Graduation: Mr. South Carolina Football Matt Colburn gets one more hug from a Dutch Fork High administrator after walking across the graduation stage on June 4. More than 1100 District Five students graduated during ceremonies on June 4 at the Colonial Life Arena.The district also announced more than $121 million in scholarships for its Class of 2015 from Chapin High, Dutch Fork High and Irmo High schools. 

 

Chapin High School Graduation: Miss Teen USA K. Lee Graham were among the Chapin High School graduates participating in ceremonies. More than 1100 District Five students graduated during ceremonies on June 4 at the Colonial Life Arena. The district also announced more than $121 million in scholarships for its Class of 2015 from Chapin High, Dutch Fork High and Irmo High schools.