WCDS Celebrates the Graduation of the Class of 2024
Westchester Country Day School celebrated its 53rd graduation ceremony on Saturday, June 1, at Wesley Memorial Methodist Church in High Point.
The 32 graduates in the Class of 2024 achieved 100 percent college acceptance. They were accepted to 79 different colleges and universities and collectively were offered more than $5 million in scholarships.
Westchester’s graduation ceremony includes several traditions unique to the school’s recognition of graduates, including a bagpipe processional. As the graduates came forward to receive their diplomas, faculty members gave tribute speeches about each graduate offering insight into their individual personalities and highlighting their growth as Westchester students.
The Class of 2024 valedictorian is Isabella Reid, a 13-year graduate of Westchester and the daughter of Chris and Ashley Reid of Lexington. She will attend Duke University, where she plans to study neuroscience.
In her speech during the ceremony, Reid shared words of gratitude for people who have mentored and supported her class. While sharing words to live by, she adapted a favorite quote from Walt Disney into her own challenge to her fellow graduates.
“I say whatever you do, do it well, even if it is not your favorite thing,” said Reid. “Simply show up and do your best. It’s the effort that matters, not only for you, but for all of the people who have invested in you. Most of the time, when you just try, the outcome will be even better than you imagined. Know that there are things in life that you can and cannot control and remember that everything is not all on you. Don’t let where you thought you’d be keep you from where you want to be.”
Salutatorian Maggie O’Keeffe, also a 13-year graduate of Westchester, will attend North Carolina State University, where she plans to study life sciences and pre-medicine. She is the daughter of Dr. Michael and Amy O'Keeffe of High Point. During her speech, she recalled memories of all of the papers she and her classmates completed through the years, including their first project, a large turkey cutout they decorated in kindergarten.
“I’ve received all of my papers from Westchester except the most important paper, and now as I stand before you, I applaud all the work this class has done to reach this very important milestone,” said O’Keeffe. “Congratulations to the Class of 2024 for the final paper they are about to receive. May it go on the very top of your pile of papers, or maybe, just maybe, it will make it on the refrigerator just like the Thanksgiving turkey.”
The 32 graduates of Westchester’s Class of 2024 are Mallory Theresa Atkinson, Joshua Dale Bayne, Davis Aidan Todd Beck, Charles Andrew Blair, Lyndon Carroll Briggs, Emilie Grace Carey, Lauren Olivia Cockrum, Benjamin Stoermer Daniel, Carson Clifton Daniel, Malcolm Xavier Edwards, Morgan Rosa Elliott, William Finnegan Fleming, Covington Ann Hauser, Benjamin Thomas Hunsberger, Aleeza Iqbal, Emma Abigail Keever, Ava Grace Klein, Katherine Grace Lavelle, Jose Antonio Lopez, Elizabeth Godwin Marsh, Hannah Elizabeth Melgar, Olivia Grace Mueller, Margaret Casey O’Keeffe, Isabella Claire Reid, Jaden Jene Richardson, William Leon Rives, Jalen Miles Umstead, Benedict Douglas Tom Van Dessel, William Tate Vogler, Katherine Floriene Walter, Kaytlin Abigail Williamson, and Riley Colette Yanez.
Among this class, six of the graduates will play collegiate athletics. Thirteen members of the class were invited to participate in selective honors programs at colleges and universities, and nine are AP Scholars who achieved high scores on Advanced Placement exams for the college-level courses they have taken.
Junior marshals Thomas Brinson, Chase Hesling, Claire Neal, Sutton Scott and Cooper Singer led the graduates in the processional.
