valedictorian and salutatorian

Philip Simmons High is excited to recognize more than 200 graduates next Thursday at the North Charleston Coliseum.

The graduating class of 2024 includes 15 state Academic Honor recipients and 10 Palmetto Fellows. There are 90 students eligible for the Life Scholarship and 69 eligible for the Hope Scholarship. One graduate has committed to the United States Naval Academy.

This year's 215 graduates raked in an estimated total of $7,880,203 in academic scholarships and $196,000 in athletic scholarships.

Commencement exercises begin at 2 p.m. on May 30. All BCSD graduations will be livestreamed.

Valedictorian

ava van delden

Ava Elizabeth van Delden

Parents: Elizabeth van Delden and Sebastian van Delden

Awards: Second place in the South Carolina State Fair Art Competition (2022); First place in the South Carolina State Fair Art Competition (2023); Second place in the CAG 2024 High School Senior Art Show; Philip Simmons High School Leadership in Visual Art Award 2023-2024.

Offices held: Vice President of the National Art Honors Society; National Honors Society Historian

Extracurricular activities: Project Leader for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child; Team Leader for Water Mission; Member of the Mayor’s Youth Commission; Member of the Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC), YVC Youth Advisory Board, and YVC International Youth Advisory Board; High School Varsity Cheerleading; Wolfpack Competitive Cheerleading; Church of the Holy Cross Summer Camp Counselor; Conducted scholarly research for science and presented with parents on robot that quadruped delivery of clean water in rural communities in 2023.

Scholarships earned: Colonial Scholarship; Palmetto Fellows Scholarship

Total scholarships: $133,900

College attending: College of Charleston Honors College in the Charleston Fellows Program

Intended major: Biochemistry (pre-med)

Message to the senior class: "Dream big dreams, but take one step at a time. You will stumble and fall along the way. We all do. But in time with hard work and a positive attitude, you will achieve wonders."

Salutatorian

amelia whirrett

Amelia Grace Whirrett

Parents: Elizabeth Whirrett and Brian Whirrett

Awards: South Carolina High School League Scholar-Athlete of the month of September; Seal of Biliteracy Award - Spanish; Friday Night Lights Scholar-Athlete; four-time All-Region Player; two-time All-State Player; two-time Girls Varsity Tennis State Champion; Junior Marshall; Invited and Participated in North-South All-Star Game; Beta Club Leadership Award

Offices held: Captain of Girls Varsity Tennis Team - 4 years; Beta Club President - 2 years; Recycling Club President - 2 years

Extracurricular activities: Varsity Girls Tennis Team - 6 years; Beta Club - 4 years; National Honor Society - 2 years; LTP Tennis Academy - 8 years; Spanish National Honor Society - 2 years; Recycling Club - 4 years; Iron Hearts Club - 2 years; Book Club; and Senior, Junior, Sophomore, and Freshman Class Boards

Scholarships earned: SAME Scholarship; Virginia Tech Scholars; Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, University of South Carolina STEM Scholarship; Clemson LIFE Scholarship; Clemson Merit Scholarship; Auburn True Blue Legacy Scholarship; University of South Carolina Dean’s Scholarship; Gameday Scholarship

Total scholarships: $51,900

College attending: Virginia Tech

Intended major: Architecture

Message to the senior class: "I would like to tell my fellow classmates how proud I am of everyone and how much they have accomplished. I am also wishing everyone good luck in college and their future endeavors. Thank you for all the memories and for making the past four years so special."

Top 5 graduating seniors

Joining van Delden and Whirrett in the top five are the following graduates:

3. Bridgit Barron Fei

bridgit fei

4. Andersen Kai Spina

andersen spina

5. Emily Ruth Wood

emily wood

Philip Simmons High's graduating class of 2024

Natasha Mikaella Abril Moreira

Tyler Nissim Adorno

Dana Ellington Allen

Tonaza'ha Ronette Allen

Skylyn Nygail Alston

Guillermo Alvarado Jr.

Lilly Madelyn Anders

Keyianna Yahaira Anderson

Aidan Charles Anderson-Taylor

Markellis Jevaughn Asbury Jr.

Kathryn Regan Baker

Nolan Maximus Baldwin

Monet Elaina Ball

Addison Rose Barbuto

Penelope Rose Barrineau

Elijah Kenneth Bates

William Rogers Bearden

Carolyn Anna Braswell

Janay Atasia Brown

Ky'asia Imani Brown-Wilder

Emma Kay Bryson

Margaret Faith Bussinelli

Miller Glenn Cannon

Kain Mathias Carmain

Makhi Odell Carson

Cameron Allen Casey

Jemma Isabelle Cazabon

Tia Grace Chaney

Alexandra Gunn Caldwell

Laila Moss Clay

Brandt William Cloutier

Mia Jane Cobb

Lucy Elizabeth Cogan

Weston Howard Coggeshall

Ansley Elizabeth Cohen

Hunter Lee Cook

Samuel William Crocker

Audrey June Curcio

Stephen Martin Daniel

Jamal Edward Dawkins

Elliot Andrew Desjardins

Rernard Karij Deveaux Jr.

Kenneth A'Marion Dickerson Jr.

Russell Eugene Dickerson Jr.

Marli Grace Dingle

Reagan Leigh Donley

Bobby Earl Duell, Jr.

Colette Jacqueline Durante

Bryce Chandler Ellington

Ryan Keith Ellmers, Jr.

Sienna Kathleen Ervin

Ellie Serafina Estey

Levi Owen Evans

Aidan Patrick Farrell

Kaylee Jean Fattarusso

Bridgit Barron Fei

Elika Neyshalie Figueroa Colon

Thomas Charles Fisher

Connor Craig Fitzgerald

Liam Kenneth Floyd

Jaimey Monique Foy

Bryce Edward Franko

Grady Angelo Cole Gabriel

Wesley Richard Gallagher

Joshua Elijha James Gant

Luke Evan Gardner

Maci Allyn Gethers

Keshaun Devontay Gladney

Mckinley Ellison Goettsch

Hannah Caroline Goforth

Nicholas Dimitri Goides

Madeline Kendall Gorman

Malikah Elayna-Trinique Grant

Rayonna Akeelah Amari Grant

Avery Kendall Gray

Walter Boyd Gregg IV

Alexander Joseph Gunnels

William Alexander Hamilton V

Elizabeth May Zhaoxia Hamlin

Emmeline Elissa Hamlin

Isabella Amanda Havens-Salas

Charles Maverick Heater

Sydney Elizabeth Hebebrand

Ryan Thomas Heineck

Chance Michael Henderson

Andrew James Hoftiezer

Valencia Christina Hood-Mulleitner

Wesley Roy Hudson-Jacoby

Harrison Scott Hughes

Parker Joseph Hughes

Margaret Mary Hurley

Trimaine Kenny Irving Jr.

Alexis Jasso

Carlio Jermaine Jenkins

Owen Davis Jenkins

Riley Crawford Jenkins

Hayden Emily Jennings

Robert Bodkins Jimenez

Colton Matthew Johns

Alexandra Hannon Keffer

Eve Elizabeth Kelly

Rhys Thomas Kerns

Kelsey Lynn Kiefer

Anders Daniel King

Mitchell James LaBrie

Lucas Thomas Labarca

Hollyn Grace Lambert

Veera Vieno Vilhelmiina Lammi

Taylor Zamareah Lawrence

Sam Eve McGrew Lemon

Nicholas Lebron Lockwood

Angelina Legacy Longo

Maliaka Joel Mack

Micah Wah-Ya Mack

Ty'Sun Daquan Mack-Davis

Parks Hawthorne MacNicholas

Adyson Grace Manocchio

Nicholas Manuel Marin

Sarah Sophia Marin

Emma Dorothy Marley

Crisleni Martinez Valdez

Madeleine McDaniel Maxwell

Josephine Bright May

Nyia Grace McDonald

Gavin Lyrik McDonough

Megan Elizabeth McQuade

Liam Everett Mendetzki

Addison Grace Meyers

Hailey Elizabeth Meyers

Kameron Robert Mingo

Kinsey Marie Mitchum

Anastasia Magdalena Mitten Aleksejeva

Dalaina Jaidan Monarca

Kenneth Baine Moore

Ian Michael Mullaney

Tess Trotter Neary

William Joseph O'Neill

Madison Lucienne Oswald

Quinn James Panaia

Skylor Ann Pannell

Olivia Ann Park

Jessica Nicole Parsley

Alejandro Leyva Peredia

Sahrah Ruth Peters

Gianna Giorgianni Phillips

Gianna Isabella Piscopo

Evelyn Marie Poch

Edward Wes Porter

Madalyn Grace Preston

Troy Ryan Propes

Daniel Steven Prosper

Patrick Anthony Quinlan

Lily Hannah Radaker

Henley Rath

Johan Reyes Santiago

Caroline Elizabeth Roberts

Tyler Andrew Roberts

Madison Olivia Roper

Blake Durst Rose

Edward Ace Rosenlieb

Christina Marie Rosenquist

Reagan Nicole Roush

Ryan Philip Rousseau

Jonathan Tyler Ryan

Alan Santiago Avila

Paige Renee Schroeder

Cole Alexander Settar

Samuel Loren Sheffield

Parker Olivia Sherwood

Sophia Grace Shulse

Brenna Lynn Shultz

Bryce Giovanni Smalls

Danielle Alez Smalls

Daniya Aneesha Smalls

Bianca Nycole Smith

Grace Isabel Smith

Raven Ta'Leyah Smith

Tanner Jacob Smith

Jaylah Elizabeth Snider

Michael Ernest Spignardo

Andersen Kai Spina

London Elizabeth Stanley

Schoene Cooper Stechmesser

Troy Stevenson IV

Ethan Phillip Sullivan

Austin Wright Sweeney

Landon Marshall Swords-Hendricks

Mackenzie Ann Taylor

Marcey Lee Taylor

Motrenian Jabarie Taylor

Triniti A'moni Taylor

Damya Dominuque Thompson

London Olivia Toperzer

Marcus Jabaurie Townsend

Peyton Noelle Tribolet

Catherine Grace Tunesi

Dylan Martin Turner

Sergio Adrian Valdez

Layla Jean Valipour

Ava Elizabeth Van Delden

Veronica Jean Van Diest

Yahir Villavisencio Sanchez

Benjamin Travis Villeponteaux

Lauren Lane Wall

Grace Elizabeth Ward

Danearis Ja'quez Washington

Alex Edward Watson Jr.

Robert Amarii Watson

Patrick Boykin West

Amelia Grace Whirrett

Sharod Edward Williams Jr.

Emily Ruth Wood

Gunnar Edward Yocum

Harper Elise Youngman

Victoria Noelle Zimmerman