Columbia, SC – SC Whitmore School (SCWS), an online public high school based in Columbia, is excited to announce the graduation of 166 high school students during the 2024 - 2025 school year.
Executive Director Kim Dunbar said, “We are so proud of our 2024-2025 graduates. These students worked diligently even leading to some early graduates and many scholarships earned. I can’t wait to see what these graduates will accomplish and are thankful they chose to join SCWS on their educational journey. Congratulations graduates!”
SC Whitmore School continues to show the state of South Carolina and beyond the positive impact of online learning.
The Class of 2025 was honored at the Lexington Two Performing Arts Center on June 7th, 2025. They listened to presentations from the faculty and staff and heard the commencement message from the Salutatorian, Kathleen Tharp, and the Valedictorian, William Barnett. The graduates officially become alumni of SCWS after Stig Rasmussen, SCWS Board Chair, conferred the graduates.
Graduates collectively earned more than one million dollars in scholarships.
SCWS was excited to award 3 students with a $1,000 merit-based scholarship. These three students are classified as Jessica Munyon Memorial Scholars. The students must earn a minimum GPA of 4.0 in SCWS courses and be enrolled in SCWS for at least one year, in addition to submitting an essay and receiving a recommendation from a teacher.
This year, 28 students graduated from high school either one or two years early, compared to the traditional four years of high school. Five SC Whitmore School Students earned the Palmetto Fellow Scholarships.
The 2025 SCWS Valedictorian, William Barnett, is an honors graduate and a member of the National Honor Society, a dual enrollment student, and College and Career Ready Certified. William graduated from SCWS with a 5.089 GPA. After graduation, William is planning to attend the University of South Carolina Honors College.
The 2025 SCWS Salutatorian is Kathleen Tharp. Kathleen is an honors graduate, an early graduate, a dual enrollment student, and a member of the National Honor Society. She graduated from SCWS with a 4.696 GPA. After graduation, Kathleen is planning to attend Clemson University.
SCWS Principal, Ebone Adams, has seen the Class of 2025 succeed as students and excel in their education. SC Whitmore Principal Eboné Adams said, “These graduates have shown extraordinary resilience and determination throughout their high school journey. They’ve faced challenges with courage and demonstrated the strength of character that gives me great hope for the future. Watching them celebrate at graduation was an unforgettable moment, not just for them, but their families as well. Congratulations, Class of 2025. You’ve made us incredibly proud, and we can’t wait to see all that you’ll accomplish in the years ahead.”