News and Updates - Edgefield County School District (2024)

Strom Thurmond High School Class of 2024 Senior Spotlight: Dawson Kulp

Parents:Jason and Sylvia Kulp.

Accolades and Achievements:Strom Thurmond High School Class of 2024, Class Rank 7; GPA 4.939; Junior Marshall 2022-2023; AP Human Geography score 4/5; 2022-24 Varsity Swim Team Co-Captain; Palmetto Fellows Scholar, National Beta Club, Mock Trial Witness 2020-2023; Outstanding Fine Arts Graduate 2017-2024; Marching Band Member 2019-2023.

College/Career Plans:Dawson will attend the New York Conservatory For Dramatic Arts and Major in Film and Television Studies.

Summer Plans:Working to save for college.

Memorable Moment(s) at STHS: “I believe my most memorable moment at STHS would be performing the last show of Aladdin in Musical Theatre. As we sang the final song, our journey of exploring characters and creating unforgettable memories came to an end. Tears filled the room and the pain of leaving my Musical Theatre family filled my heart. In that moment, I truly understood what Rebel Pride meant to me.”

Advice to Rising Seniors: “Put yourself out there and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. You think you have an entire year until you graduate, but before you know it, you will be walking across the stage wondering where the time went. Apply yourself wherever you can and make memories with those around you.”

Who Has Inspired you?“I believe the two people who have inspired me most have to be my older brothers. When I was younger, I acted like I couldn’t stand them, but truly, I was in awe of the talent that they possessed and the things they did. I’ll forever be grateful for the opportunity to fill their shoes as I grew in the same school they did.”

Strom Thurmond High School Class of 2024 Senior Spotlight: Salutatorian Selina Li

Parents:Yanfang Lin and Guang Xing Li

Accolades and Achievements:Strom Thurmond High School Class of 2024 Salutatorian; Class Rank (2); Grade Point Average (5.408); Junior Marshall (2023 Graduation); College Board AP Scholar Award (2023); Palmetto Fellows Scholar; 2023-24 STHS Achievement in Math; 2023-24 STHS Achievement in Foreign Language (Spanish); QuestBridge Finalist (2023); Member of National Technical Honor Society, HOSA

College/Career Plans:Selina will attend the University of South Carolina Columbia and Major in Biology.

Summer Plans:“I will be doing a lot of traveling this summer. My first stop will be in New York City to visit my grandparents. Later in the summer, I will be taking a road trip along the coast of South Carolina with a few friends. Hopefully, before college begins, my parents and I can also take a quick trip to China.”

Memorable Moment(s) at STHS:"During my freshman year in AP Human Geography, our class had an international food day where everyone would bring in a homemade dish from a country they had researched. That dayI got to try a variety of foods, which I loved, and watched my friends' faces light up with amusem*nt and joy as they learned about global cuisines. This memory stands out to me because it was a day filled with fun and simple enjoyment."

Advice to Rising Seniors:"Start exploring which colleges you want to attend, what you want to major in, and how you will financially support your education, as early preparation is key. Senioritis will hit you hard towards the middle and end of your senior year, but don't let that stop you from staying focused on your goals and maintaining your grades. Spend more time with your friends if you don’t already and simply enjoy your last year.”

Who Has Inspired you?"My parents mostly. When they moved to the United States, they were not able to finish their education due to the language barrier and the need to work to support their family. I chose to work hard during high school to demonstrate that their sacrifices were worthwhile and to fulfill the educational dreams they couldn't pursue. My other source of inspiration came from the vision of the future I wanted to create for myself.”

Strom Thurmond High School Class of 2024 Senior Spotlight: Valedictorian Drew Sloan

Parents: Jay and Leigh Sloan.

Accolades and Achievements: Strom Thurmond High School Class of 2024 Valedictorian; Class Rank (1); Grade Point Average (5.508); Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Award (HOBY SC, 2022); Head Junior Marshal (2023 Graduation); Palmetto Boys State Delegate (2023); College Board AP Scholar with Honor Award (2023); National Rural and Small Town Recognition through the College Board (2023); Scholar Athlete Award (2023); EKG Certification through the National Healthcare Association (2024); Piedmont Technical College Studies Certificate and Summa Cum Laude (2024); Palmetto Fellows Scholar (2024); STHS Achievement in Science (2024); STHS Achievement in Social Studies (2024); STHS Outstanding Scholastic Graduate (2024); Leadership positions in Beta Club, FCA, HOSA, and Varsity Track.

College/Career Plans: Attend Princeton University and major in Biology.

Summer Plans: “I’m definitely spending time with family and friends before heading off to Princeton. I’m also looking forward to summer vacations and my church’s annual beach retreat!”

Memorable Moments at STHS: “So many memories come to mind. In the eighth grade, my two friends, Cody Davenport and Katie Willis, and I were driven from JET to STHS to take geometry with Mrs. Padgett. I still remember walking the halls of STHS and thinking to myself, ‘Man! Everyone looks so grown-up! They know what they’re doing!’ Now that I am a senior, it is funny to see how my perspective has changed over time — I may have gotten older but still don’t have a clue what I am doing! Another great memory is definitely all of the fun that I have had in my classes. In Ms. G’s physics class, my friends and I worked together to build rockets, and that was hilarious! I have also really enjoyed the AP classes I have taken. Even though they’re challenging, they truly are so rewarding, and when you get to take these classes with great teachers and friends, you truly feel so supported. I could honestly go on and on, from delivering lessons for FCA to cheering on my friend Terrell as he danced down Columbia Road in a Christmas tree outfit for the Edgefield Christmas Parade. I’m very grateful for all of the memories STHS has given me.”

Advice to Rising Seniors: “Enjoy all of the lasts and have fun! Continue to challenge yourself both inside and outside of the classroom. Also, get started on college and scholarship applications early! I know this saved me from a lot of stress. Remember to stay grounded in the face of the hustle-and-bustle of senior year. You’ve got this!”

Who Has Inspired You? “So many different people have inspired me. Ever since we were little, my parents have always been so supportive of my brother and me, and they have never put any pressure on us. Having such loving and encouraging parents has definitely been so instrumental in my life. When I told my parents I was thinking about applying to Princeton, they never once told me, ‘Drew, I think Princeton is a little out of reach,’ but rather flooded me with encouragement. Honestly, if it were not for their support, I probably would not have gone through with applying to Princeton. But here I am now, heading to Princeton in the fall! I also have to mention my brother, Trey. I can get hard on myself at times, but Trey’s sense of humor never fails to put me at ease. Many teachers have inspired me as well. Two that especially come to mind are Mrs. Prince and Ms. G. Mrs. Prince was my eighth-grade English teacher, and she has always had faith in me and my goals. Ms. G was my junior-year physics teacher, and her genuine support for me means so much. I am definitely really thankful to have so many inspirational people in my life.”

Strom Thurmond High School Class of 2024 Valedictorian, Drew Sloan, Headed for the Ivy League and Princeton University in the Fall

Johnston, SC – Drew Sloan always felt the hard work throughout his four years of high school and the support of his family would take him wherever his journey after high school might go.

But from the peach fields of Edgefield County, South Carolina, all the way to the Ivy League?

The answer to that question would be an emphatic one – YES! Drew, the Strom Thurmond High School (STHS) Class of 2024 Class Valedictorian, will attend Princeton University in the fall where he plans to major in Biology.

“I really just wanted to see what would happen,” Drew said of the college application process. “I applied to Princeton, Duke, Yale and Vanderbilt and a few other schools and received the news in March that I’d gotten in at Princeton, so I felt it was really a sign from God. I’m very excited.”

“I was shocked when I first opened (the acceptance email,” he added. “I had to refresh the page a few times to make sure it was real.”

Drew’s dad and mom, Jay and Leigh Sloan, and Drew’s brother, Trey Sloan, a STHS Class of 2023 graduate, are still processing things.

“It really sprang on us this fall,” Drew’s dad, Jay, said of the possibility of his son attending Princeton University. “He applied to a number of elite schools, and he was accepted at Princeton. We’re still in the middle of processing it, really.”

The family drove to the school, located in Princeton, New Jersey, and founded in 1746, in April (a 10-hour-plus drive) and came away impressed.

“We fell in love with the campus so we’re very excited for him,” Jay added.

“That visit really sealed the deal,” Drew added. “I loved how historic it was as one of the oldest universities in the United States. The architecture was awesome, and the people were amazing.”

Drew says the education he received throughout his educational experience in Edgefield County, from elementary school through high school, helped prepare him for the next big step in life.

“We’ve had several people from Strom Thurmond High School graduate and go to top schools, so I definitely knew it was possible and that’s why I never held back from applying to those schools,” Drew commented. “For me, I never thought I would get in at a school like Princeton, but you can’t limit yourself. You will end up where you are supposed to be. I just went for it.”

W.E. Parker Elementary School Partners with Edgefield County Farm Bureau Insurance Agency to Recognize Teacher, Support Staff Leaders of the Month

Edgefield, SC – W.E. Parker Elementary School’s (WEP) first employee spotlight program is under way thanks to the support of the school’s new partner in education, Edgefield County Farm Bureau Insurance Agency and agency manager, Brad Smith.

“We greatly appreciate the Edgefield County Farm Bureau Insurance Agency and Mr. Brad Smith for supporting our new employee spotlight program,” stated WEP Principal, Charidy Goldman. “We have amazing teachers and support staff here at W.E. Parker Elementary and we are thrilled to be able to partner with Farm Bureau to recognize them each month during the school year.”

The Partner-in-Education, or P.I.E. Program, at W.E. Parker Elementary recognized WEP fourth-grade teacher, Stephanie Humphries, as Teacher of the Month in March, while WEP kindergarten paraprofessional, Barbara Smith, was announced as the school’s Support Staff of the Month.

They were each presented with their awards by Edgefield County Farm Bureau Customer Service Representative, Donna Parker.

Thank you to the Edgefield County Farm Bureau Insurance Agency and congratulations to Ms. Humphries and Ms. Smith.